Thanks to the more than 60 people that attended the community meeting on the AiPP Master Plan. Many artists attended. I believe that we had a good conversation.
A special thank you to Commissioners Shanon Materio and Sylvia Moffett for participating. We were also glad to have Jon Ward of the CRA and Dennis Grady of the Chamber of Commerce.
If you have more comments to influence the plan, please email us at ibiARTwestpalm@gmail.com.
COMMUNITY MEETING FOR PUBLIC ART MASTER PLAN. On Wednesday, April 22 at 6:00 PM, the City of West Palm Beach and IBI Group will hold an open community meeting to discuss the Art in Public Places Master Plan. First floor of City Hall.
PARKING VALIDATED IN CITY PARKING GARAGE
Entrance to garage on Banyan/1st Street or Dixie Hwy
No RSVP Necessary. Just Come to the Gathering.
QUESTIONNAIRE: Before the public art meeting on Wednesday, please take the final questionnaire on public art locations and ideas.
PUBLIC ART SITES ON GOOGLE MAP: Before Wednesday evening, please check out the Google Map with locations of existing art, possible future art sites and major private developments.
Don’t be afraid of public artwork that strongly demonstrates its origination in ethnic visual traditions. Murals can be show people from different backgrounds or painted in the art traditions of non-western cultures. Why can’t public sculptures be bronze castings of African masks. Why can’t ceramic murals clearly originate in the traditions of Spanish or Moroccan wall and floor tiles?
In the 19th and 20th century, the dominant art establishment and intellectuals believed that progress and newness in art came exclusively from the artistic inventions in Europe and then the Americas. Still today, despite the great respect in museums and universities for all traditions in art, the vast majority of public art is dominated by euro-american art.
One major flaw of public art thinking is that works from other cultural traditions should only be seen in the neighborhoods of those ethnic communities. It is sometimes known as “race matching”. Art about or by African Americans should be seen in African American neighborhoods, not in the center of downtown.
Given the 150 years of public art in the USA and Florida, some catching up may be required in African American, Caribbean, Mexican and South American neighborhoods. Pride in community through public art is still a valuable service.
In the 21st century, many mature and talented artists exist from any cultural or ethnic backgrounds. Many ethnic traditions have been continued by contemporary artists and craftspersons. Perhaps ethnic and cultural diversity in a public art collection is the true new future.
Across the world, artists are now embedding themselves in communities of people before imagining any art or art project. The community and artist work together to discover the kinds of projects that address areas of community concern. The artist provides the leadership to bring people together that might not connecting at the moment. Then the artist imagines art projects that the community implements together.
These artists work under a number of names including Socially Engaged Artists, Social Practice, Artist-in-Residence or Community Artists. Several American universities offer special training in this cultural role for artists.
Issue: Young Boys are Not Reading Books.
Artist Idea: Place Special Books for Boys in Barber Shops.
Issue: Burned House in Center of Small Town
Artist Idea: Recycle the Unburned Parts into a Gathering and Performance space.
Issue: The Aspirations of Regular People are Not Being Heard
Artist Idea: Giant chalk boards on the sides of buildings to write ideas
Feature picture is Candy Chang’s “I wish this was…” stickers for community members to comment on changes in the neighborhood.
In the last week, two artists send us two ideas.
From Noah Verrier, an artist teaching at FSU. The idea is based on his project titled 150 Sunsets.
We have seen the paradigm shift of our entire culture entering the Digital Age. I see an aspect of Public Art employing more “Screen” based projects. Who knows where the future will be in terms of “substrate,” but the idea of monitor display on a surface should be considered for a city of sustainable technology.
In March 2012 three years ago, the AiPP Committee endorsed the idea constructing in brick an Ann Norton sculpture as major significant public artwork in West Palm Beach. Only thru the fence at the Norton Sculpture Garden can you see parts of her sculptures.
In 2014, the AiPP Committee and City Commission “unreserved” the funds for the project on Okeechobee as rendered below. During the master plan process, they would re-examine the project that would include other locations and different scales. Now is that time.
More information on Ann Norton on this blog, click here. Also information of an program idea to purchase works by long-time WPB artist, click here.
COMMUNITY MEETING FOR PUBLIC ART MASTER PLAN. On Wednesday, April 22 at 6:00 PM, the City of West Palm Beach and IBI Group will hold an open community meeting to discuss the Art in Public Places Master Plan. Many slides of artwork from around the world and recommendations for art projects in the City during the next ten years. Please join the active discussion at the Flagler Gallery on the first floor of City Hall.
PARKING VALIDATED IN CITY PARKING GARAGE
Entrance to garage on Banyan/1st Street or Dixie Hwy
Click Here for Google Map
Click Here to RSVP.
Forward to your friends! For the April 22, 2015, Community Meeting on the AiPP Master Plan, please send us your ideas to ibiARTwestpalm@gmail.com. We will add them to the discussion list next week and post them online.
All this week new ideas will be posted with a summary distributed and chance to vote in a survey in Monday and Tuesday next week. Ideas to be posted this week: Artist in Residence in a Neighborhood, Ann Norton Sculpture, Art on Quadrille at new downtown train station, Art in Parks, Culturally Diverse Artworks, Bi-annual “submit your idea for public art” competition, etc, etc…..
Below are the ideas already posted online.
Sustainable / Eco Art
Parking Garage Facades
Building Entrances
Health and Exercise
Building Tops
Gateways
City Park at new Major League Baseball Facility
In the Intracoastal on the Waterfront Downtown
Move the Henry Rolf Sculpture
Giant Mural on Railroad Track Parking Garage
Remake Augusta Savage Sculpture “The Harp”
Troll under the Bridge
Bring Back Lost Signs from WPB Past
George Gershwin at Tri-Rail Station
Large Paintings or Murals of WPB families and groups
Purchase work by longtime WPB artists
For IBI Group, consulting art researcher Surale Phillips completed the public art survey for the master plan in February. 689 people completed the online public art survey for the City of West Palm Beach. Phillips used the result from the 406 people who self-declared themselves residents of West Palm Beach, but the results are nearly the same with employees and visitors included.
Pleas view the slideshow that was presented at the March, 2015, Art in Public Places Committee meeting. Please remember that the survey is not “scientific” as people volunteered for the survey and in this case, 90% really enjoy art.
From the survey, we constructed a draft mission statement and goals related to expressed priorities.
The Art in Public Places program should beautify the city through timeless, beautiful and meaningful sculptures, gardens and murals in parks, downtown, waterfront and entrances to the city.
The future artworks should inspire creativity, bring delight to everyday spaces, support local artists, promote pride, attract and entertain tourists to our city, and reflect the city’s many cultures and lifestyles.
When appropriate, the art should be fun and colorful and artists should improve blank walls, vacant lots and plazas
The survey both reflects and deviates from national opinions. Parks, downtowns and entrances are frequently preferred locations and beauty the goal. The lack of interest for artworks in neighborhoods or that reinforce neighborhood identity is unusual. Vacant lots, blank walls and supporting local artists are higher than normal.
Generally, people understand public art as sculptures, murals and functional artworks, but gardens are higher than normal. Street art, changing art and interactive artwork are newer ideas that have support.
The public art surveys produces some challenges to the program.
1. Work that is beautiful and meaningful, but not traditional modern art nor representational art.
2. Work that is excellent, innovative and attracts tourists, but not necessarily made by artists of international renown.
3. Work made by local artists from a range cultural backgrounds, but without a priority to benefit local neighborhoods.
IBI Group Public Art Master Plan for West Palm Beach 