Hard to believe it has been a week now since the end of AiOP/Tone/Orlando.
I have been so busy and needed a bit of time to add additional quotes and observations to this blog and prepare to take Faded Glory to NYC for AiOP/RECALL next weekend.
I have been in the studio awakening the "blue side" of the wall as it seemed to have gone unnoticed in Orlando due to this wall being stationary and not being able to block pedestrian flow.
In New York the plan is to keep this wall moving most to the time giving the public an encounter with whichever side is in their view.
As always with public art, the work is at the disposal of several elements: people, weather, the powers that be. The difference in Orlando being that the festival was permitted which makes it easier for the artist/art to survive some of the above elements. This also gives an artist an opportunity to create a much more vast work....at least that has been my experience.
Then there is New York.
New York is less forgiving as permits are not pulled and all art is thrown out there for public consumption. Always very exciting, I have had entire projects disappear over night in NYC never to have been seen by anyone. Again a different animal.
Part of the history of this piece will be to compare the Orlando experience with the New York experience and just how people receive the work.
Orlando was a really good experience. I did like the idea of the piece moving to a new location everyday and just how different each location was though they were no more than 6 or 7 blocks apart. That is what I feel made Magnolia the perfect Avenue for this type show.
In general I would say the greatest number of responses to my wall were of amazement that it was there calling attention to something on the minds of many in particular people of color.
I was thanked on numerous occasions for addressing this issue that seems to hide in contemporary culture and never welcomed on any level. Much needs to be done and I feel my responsibility with Faded Glory is to confront people with this ongoing problem.
A group visiting from Tampa collectively stated that as each generation dies off - there might be a better chance for civil right,s equal rights. Perhaps they are right. I certainly hope so.
Then there was the talk of living in bubbles. Urban bubbles. Suburban bubbles. County bubbles. When one ventures outside of their preferred bubble...that is when things get confusing and uncomfortable.
I will say for the most part, the people visiting Faded Glory were polite. I would witness many come up, take a card, read it and put it back. Only once did I engage with a lady that had a very strong opinion that I welcomed though it did conflict completely with my own view. I do feel just maybe the uncomfortableness of such encounters and conversations are what just might correct this ongoing problem in the USA.
Such diverse public opinions can be expected each time. Again...public art.
I have been so busy and needed a bit of time to add additional quotes and observations to this blog and prepare to take Faded Glory to NYC for AiOP/RECALL next weekend.
I have been in the studio awakening the "blue side" of the wall as it seemed to have gone unnoticed in Orlando due to this wall being stationary and not being able to block pedestrian flow.
In New York the plan is to keep this wall moving most to the time giving the public an encounter with whichever side is in their view.
As always with public art, the work is at the disposal of several elements: people, weather, the powers that be. The difference in Orlando being that the festival was permitted which makes it easier for the artist/art to survive some of the above elements. This also gives an artist an opportunity to create a much more vast work....at least that has been my experience.
Then there is New York.
New York is less forgiving as permits are not pulled and all art is thrown out there for public consumption. Always very exciting, I have had entire projects disappear over night in NYC never to have been seen by anyone. Again a different animal.
Part of the history of this piece will be to compare the Orlando experience with the New York experience and just how people receive the work.
Orlando was a really good experience. I did like the idea of the piece moving to a new location everyday and just how different each location was though they were no more than 6 or 7 blocks apart. That is what I feel made Magnolia the perfect Avenue for this type show.
In general I would say the greatest number of responses to my wall were of amazement that it was there calling attention to something on the minds of many in particular people of color.
I was thanked on numerous occasions for addressing this issue that seems to hide in contemporary culture and never welcomed on any level. Much needs to be done and I feel my responsibility with Faded Glory is to confront people with this ongoing problem.
A group visiting from Tampa collectively stated that as each generation dies off - there might be a better chance for civil right,s equal rights. Perhaps they are right. I certainly hope so.
Then there was the talk of living in bubbles. Urban bubbles. Suburban bubbles. County bubbles. When one ventures outside of their preferred bubble...that is when things get confusing and uncomfortable.
I will say for the most part, the people visiting Faded Glory were polite. I would witness many come up, take a card, read it and put it back. Only once did I engage with a lady that had a very strong opinion that I welcomed though it did conflict completely with my own view. I do feel just maybe the uncomfortableness of such encounters and conversations are what just might correct this ongoing problem in the USA.
Such diverse public opinions can be expected each time. Again...public art.
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