South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

Art

Art Downtown Sioux Falls Public Works Sioux Falls Washington Pavilion

More Public Art, another critique

l3wis 2Comments

My first critique of the sculptures is something everybody has been saying that have seen it ‘There is too much crap in that space and it just looks like the lawn sculpture garden on Cleveland Avenue’. Besides the overcrowding I would have done one of two things with the sculptures. The pieces themselves are beautiful and I think they will withstand the rigors of SD weather (I have a wait an see on that one, glass doesn’t do well in hail and subzero temps). I would have either spaced out the existing sculptures more or I would have made the bases narrower to make more space between the pieces. It goes back to the overcrowding in that space and it looks like the space between the pieces was compromised. But hey when you hire Mark Cotter’s kid with a lawnmower to prepare the site, what do you expect? I even saw them hauling in a bunch of trees today.

Speaking of city projects, looks like the ice ribbon is finally getting poured.

Art Sioux Falls

The City of Sioux Falls Arts Coordinator is jobbing out her duties

l3wis 2Comments

I saw the below RFP and wondered why? I thought we specifically hired an Arts Coordinator as a full-time position with the city to coordinate the arts. Part of YOUR job would be to come up with a cultural plan and use local non-profits as reference and help. But this is what the city does all the time. They have internal attorneys, engineers, etc., that we pay well with great benefits, and all they do is coordinate the consultant reports. We need to do one of two things at this juncture. Either eliminate her position and hire a consultant to put together a plan, OR, better yet, let her keep her job, AND MAKE HER DO IT! You were hired for your supposed talents, show us what they are. Because the words ‘consultant’ and ‘public art’ have nothing to do with each other. Not to mention you could probably lift a cultural plan from another city our size and tweak it. This is all public information, another city can’t ‘charge’ you if you take their plan and tweak if for our town. I think the first question they need to ask potential directors interviewing with the city is, “Do you know what google is?”

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Art Sculpture Walk Sioux Falls

Interesting Sculpture

l3wis 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 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.

Art Downtown Sioux Falls Public Utilities Public Works Sioux Falls Washington Pavilion

Nepotism run amuck at Sioux Falls City Hall

l3wis 5Comments

Besides the secretive roof repair happening at the Pavilion they are also installing new outdoor sculptures.

Besides COS Erica Beck’s son getting a job in HR straight out of college, there seems to be some other nepotism and conflicts going on. There was a rumor for awhile that the Public Works Director’s wife who owns an interior design company got the contract for the redesign on city hall recently (that is a rumor I am still looking into), but his son, who owns Urban Oasis, apparently got the contract to install the sculptures. His father makes $232K a year with the city, so it seems a bit odd that he would need even more from the taxpayers. Now they could argue that the sculptures purchase and installation was paid for by a private donation so there is NO conflict, BUT, as I argued in the past that since these sculptures are sitting on public property, they are public art, and the taxpayers will be responsible for their future maintenance, this is a public project NO matter who is paying for it because we own the property the sculptures are being placed on. There are plenty of experienced landscape contractors in Sioux Falls who could have done the job, and with more then a couple years experience. This was clearly an inside handshake deal. I wonder what the city council will do about it. My guess, like the Selberg incident, they will look the other way.

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