May 2025

Interesting Sculpture

l3wis May 29, 2025 8Comments

I will have to admit, SculptureWalk has turned into a great public art display. After I publicly needled the organization about a proper jury process, and they made the changes, (but not before skewering me in the media) the exhibit has gotten more diverse and interesting. The first few years were a bunch of hokey religious and wildlife themed art, but once they brought in a GENUINE jury, the exhibit got great.

A few years back there was a piece that I think sits at Cherapa II that looks identical to a bull penis. So this year this ‘bird’ sculpture kinda reminds you of a Georgia O’Keeffe painting, if yah know what I mean. It is a beautiful piece, but I’m not seeing birds. But maybe the whole point of the piece is to connect the birds on an emotional level? Maybe I am thinking to much about this since the heart shaped cut-outs almost make the piece sappy and corny. One of my friends said it looked like a plant pod, and I responded, “Sure and I’m the spitting image of Matt Damon.”

Georgia was asked once in a documentary about her flower paintings in 1976, “Did some people find sexual symbolism in your flowers?” And Georgia responded, “They were talking about themselves and not me.” Subjectivity, a wonderful thing. So enjoy the birds, the plant pod, or whatever this beautiful piece is. The mystery is what makes great art. I would be thrilled if this piece won people’s choice. But please, please, please, place it next to the bull penis sculpture.

Art Downtown Sioux Falls Public Works Sioux Falls

Public Art Critique

l3wis May 29, 2025 5Comments

I have been admiring this new sculpture at the Steel District. I like the concept and the design (the cut out key hole is laying to the side of the piece) But, the yellow color doesn’t fit well in the development. I would change the color to a pearl essence iridescent paint that illuminates and sparkles in sunlight and moonlight and changes color depending on the light shining on it, I would also round the edges of the outer structure while leaving the keyhole with a straight on cut. It would give it more of an obelisk look to it. This is why ALL public art should go thru a PUBLIC vetting process even if it is privately funded. You get better art. We learned nothing from Mural-Gate when a private donor email harvester, the police chief and the mayor censored a piece that was later presented at the Smithsonian. When picking public art, a diverse jury of not only artists, but designers, contractors and other lay people help decide. This diversity gives you diverse public art. I can guarantee how this played out; The developer picked out the piece (concept drawings) and presented to the VAC ‘as is’ and they approved it. Zero vetting process. Money doesn’t buy class or taste.

Elections SF City Council Sioux Falls

Update: Why our very ‘Special’ city council is ignoring a special election

l3wis May 28, 2025 4Comments

UPDATE: I didn’t think about this until this afternoon but also if there’s anybody sitting on the current council that is running for reelection as an incumbent or if any councilor decides to run for Mayor that’s a huge conflict to be picking your own election date for a campaign you’re running in. Why? Because by picking a June date that means fewer months of campaigning and having to raise less money.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, we know the scenario. The State DoDo birds we call our legislature decided to change state law so they could control local elections. Tsk! Tsk! Stay the F’ck out of our elections and start working on your AA and diet plans. Either way, we now have a decision to make, but for some reason our brilliant city council thinks they need to make the decision, but that is NOT how the law is written. It is up to the citizens of this community to decide that date (June or November) not them. So at the informational today (I encourage to watch before forming a opinion) they pitched this legal concept that indeed the citizens do get to choose the election date, BUT NOT for this first election, that was up to them. Bullwash! What needs to happen is a special election in September determining the date of the election, and while they are at it, also put a charter amendment that eliminates the ‘Rex Rolfing/Stehly Rule’ that there has to be a runoff in city council races if no one gets more then 34% or some whacka-doodle thing like that. Make it a plurality so there is no runoff. Barranco suggested this. I think it would be incredibly confusing to voters showing up to vote for council and mayoral candidates and having to choose an election date, they would most likely pick the day they were currently voting, which is a setup because the council is initially leaning towards a June election. One of the arguments they make that they HAVE TO decide the first election date is because candidates and campaigns need to know ASAP. Silliness. Anyone considering running has already kind of made up their minds, they also know that the earliest their would be an election is June and the latest November. The date of the election is of no consequence to the candidate if that decision isn’t made until September. They would only have to adjust their campaign budgets if November was picked. That’s IT! They would also have more time to campaign, which is a good thing locally. I think the city council is on shaky legal ground. I think they know they have to call a special election and let the citizens decide, but instead they continue to eat the Fiddle-Faddle. I would get really weary of chomping on the old maids . . . wait . . . or maybe not

Christine Erickson Elections Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls Mayoral Race update

l3wis May 28, 2025 2Comments

Jamie Smith announced today, while David Z. announced a few weeks ago. Also, Christine Erickson and Joe Batchellor will announce soon. But there are some big maybes. There is a regular guy exploring the run, If I told you his name you wouldn’t know him, but I look forward to hearing more about his campaign. Soehl is out and is supporting Erickson. Alex Jensen had to sell his business and start a new job, so he is out. Selberg is a gigantic maybe, and if he doesn’t want us to drag up him illegally living out of his district, he would be wise NOT to run. There are three other big maybes; Erica Beck, Mike Huether and Rich Merkouris. My guess is Huether is NOT in and will run as independent for governor, escaping the messy primaries. Aberson is also out. To be honest with you, I would like to see more women running. I told Erickson recently that if she won she would have two precedents under her belt, first female mayor and first city councilor to be elected mayor of Sioux Falls. I’m not in any camp right now, simply because I think we will see many more candidates running, so I am a wait and see. I also think with the economy and SF biggest campaign donor to local races, Craig Lloyd’s passing we will see a different ball game in money spent and money raised. Which is good, would love to see a local race on the issues not just who buys the most Facebook ads.

Uncategorized

Primordial Waste

l3wis May 27, 2025 3Comments

So while the city has been finishing the lowhead dam at Falls Park they have been doing some interesting form building;

But before they started the project they drilled a hole by the old water chute and for about two weeks they were pumping this green oily substance out of the hole. I went there this weekend and it seems they found a way to stop the primordial ooze. I have been told by several local historians and engineers that the entire bedrock under Falls Park is full of this crap because of the old industrial waste pit. Lipstick on a pig.

Interesting Sculpture

Public Art Critique

Update: Why our very ‘Special’ city council is ignoring a special election

Sioux Falls Mayoral Race update

Primordial Waste

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