One person's art can be another person's eyesore.
Just recently, looking east down Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee, I caught the spectacular view of Calatrava's Brise Soleil, soaring into a brilliant blue sky. And spoiling that breathtaking sight was the hideous orange sculpture by Mark di Suvero, "The Calling."
That artwork should be moved to a more appropriate location. Anywhere would be an improvement. I digress.
About controversial art--
People have varied tastes. It's difficult to arrive at consensus when it comes to defining what art is. There will always be disagreement as to the merits of a given work of art.
There is serious disagreement in Milwaukee about TRUE Skool's new mural, "RAW LOVE."
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
A graffiti-style mural created in Walker's Point over the weekend, by a group that works with at-risk youth through cultural projects, sparked harsh words on the street Monday between Ald. Bob Donovan and members of the group.
Donovan held a news conference at the site of the mural to call for an investigation of TRUE Skool to "see why precious grants and resources are being used to 'educate' young people on how to create graffiti," according to a statement he released.
"In my opinion, this outfit is nothing more than a front for propagating and endorsing graffiti," Donovan said.
The mural, emblazoned with the words "Raw Love" and created with a group of students under the direction of artist Jay Sterling, who also goes by J. Bird, was designed to be temporary and was removed Monday by Sterling and the building owner's son, said Sarah Patterson, executive director of TRUE Skool. The mural was on a building at 934 S. Barclay St.
TRUE Skool is a nonprofit group that works with young people, many of whom have been referred to it after graffiti-related offenses, to prevent the decay of neighborhoods by cleaning up graffiti, through landscaping and gardening projects, and through public art projects.
"We were there right before the press conference . . . I was trying to be real cool and talk to the guy," said TRUE Skool board member Romke de Haan. "And it just got ugly."
Donovan said he didn't believe that the mural was temporary.
"I think they've been successful in misleading people," Donovan said of TRUE Skool. "Graffiti is at its worst level now since we started taking records, and that worsening seems to coincide with the arrival of TRUE Skool on the scene."
The mural was painted during the group's fifth annual block party, which was attended by more than 500 people and sponsored by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Safe Alternatives for Youth Grant, RedBull, 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, MODA3, Time Warner-Milwaukee, Artist & Display, Urban Underground and Grime Official, according to de Haan.
From True Skool's website:
Mural reads "RAW LOVE", spelled backwards is "EVOL WAR", the artists depiction of the struggles between good and evil that take place in our communities.
In my opinion, this mural is not something that lifts the spirit. It doesn't present a positive image that adds beauty and interest to the community.
It stands as testament to the disintegration of Milwaukee neighborhoods and the corrosion of the city. It's sad.
In addition, if we're to believe the mural's message is really "evol war," it promotes poor spelling. What is TRUE Skool teaching?
...Sharon Blando, special enforcement inspector with the Department of Neighborhood Services' graffiti program, said that while the mural was legal and approved by the building's owner, it appears to have prompted an "incredible amount" of illegal tagging throughout the neighborhood between Saturday night and Sunday. There were several illegal tags within 15 feet of the project, including on garbage cans and a fence, she said.
Covering up the mural with paint the way TRUE Skool did it is actually inviting to taggers, too, Blando said. Painting over the wall, she said, identifies it as a place that has attracted graffiti before and may not be monitored for tagging.
This shows that the mural is an invitation to vandalism. It's prompted an "'incredible amount' of illegal tagging throughout the neighborhood."
That's proof that the mural is hardly serving a positive purpose in the community.
Is there really any debate on that?
Public art shouldn't spark illegal "art" within 15 feet of the project.
I didn't see "artists" expressing themselves illegally within 15 feet of "The Calling."
Clearly, this mural represents something different. Whatever the artistic merits of "RAW LOVE" might be, it is connected to an "incredible amount" of illegal activity. That's a problem for the community.
How does this mural by TRUE Skool serve to empower young people if it's sparking illegal tagging? It seems to be emboldening vandals, tapping into the city's lawbreaking community. Is that the mural's target audience?
It's an experiment that failed. That failure needs to be addressed. Hopefully, TRUE Skool's sponsors will take note. Do they really want to be associated with a group that, in spite of its good intentions, actually encourages illegal behavior?
A different mural should be considered, something like Wyland's "Whaling Wall."
That work of public art didn't cause an explosion of illegal defacement of private property with whale images.
Bottom line: Graffiti has a gang element that can't be denied. Glorifying graffiti in any way isn't good for at-risk youth and it's certainly not good for the city.
___________________
Related "RAW LOVE" press releases:
TRUE Skool's Press Release
TRUE Skool's BOD President, Daana Townsend Press Release
Letter from TRUE Skool Vice President of the BOD and Member of the Anti-Graffiti Policy Committee
Press Release from County Supervisor Peggy A. West
Some recent reports on the scourge of graffiti and the decline of a Milwaukee neighborhood:
Milwaukee vandals hit south side business after owner speaks out against graffiti
Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan admits his neighborhood is losing its war against graffiti
Residents on Milwaukee's south side fed up with graffiti problems
2 comments:
It's true, art is often a question of taste. But art never should destroy or insult. I am painting through synesthesia which makes me see colors when I hear names and numbers. These colors I transform in paintings. Colors are my life.
Correlation does not equal causation. That is a basic fact. Do you think that it might, just might, be possible that true skool which targets inner city youth was putting a mural up in a location that was already prone to grafitti as an alternative to grafitti. Perhaps instead of a huge spike in grafitti due to a piece of art, which I think is highly unlikely. Perhaps they just put the art in a place that was already prone to grafitti. Acting as if a painting somehow caused a dramatic increase in tagging is an amateurish argument based only on anecdote and opinion. Sorry not all art hangs in galleries.
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