Quote:

I agree, but it doesn't have to be that way.
http://www.francetoday.com/articles/2 ... 3/the-murals-of-lyon.html

I'm not QUITE sure what this is all about, but does it happen to be about all the terrible murals that have popped up around the city over time? I know art is subjective - terrible.

Is anyone still in the dark as to what this person is really trying to do/explain? ArtProf feels we are keeping them on track but we have zero clue to what track they are on.

Mural initiative? Where? Who is involved?

Pay attention to this quote: "For me the greatest beauty always lies in the greatest clarity"

Graffiti Mural: Success!

OK, I'm hearing all this in spite of myself. I'm going to put together my own set of Best Practices for mural installation.

There are a number of things that I've had concerns about. Locations (how best determined); How long are they up (some might be temporary or change); impact studies (let's be responsible, positive/negative results); ID graffiti hot-spots (where and when does graffiti spike); student involved programs (are they positive experiences/effective as arts programming)

Thanks for keeping me on track. Suggestions welcome.

Community responsibility begins with personal responsibility.

Lots of people here care about the community and would like to know from someone with an inside perspective which programs are worth supporting. It's cutting off your nose to spite your face to refuse to tell us any info and just leave it as an angry, undirected rant.

It's a community message board, not group therapy (and if it was it would be the worst therapy ever).

This is a personal blog post airing a personal grievance not relevant to community members. Please take up your issues with those you wish to work with, or not work with.

this is not your personal blog

Thanks to CatDog and VA2015 for identifying a rant on a public message board. It's important work you do and I applaud it. And yup, I stand by my post as summed up by stc4blues, " public art is important, but tricky, and needs to be done right."

Thank you all.

I agree with CatDog and VA2015. I can understand why you don't want to mention the group in question, but without that information it's hard to know what to make of your statement except that, well, public art is important, but tricky, and needs to be done right.

Can't disagree with that. And, given the fiasco of 111 First Street

http://111first.com/home.cfm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WluWZBqEQMg

and the Healey administration's gutting of the provisions of the Powerhouse Arts District, the City administration has a poor record. It remains to be seen whether the Fulop administration will do better.

Private groups, of course, are another matter.

huh? It sounds like you have gripes, but why are you telling us, instead of the people you have a gripe with?

...ok?

Is there a program you're suggesting we avoid, or one you recommend we support? Or is this just a rant about murals?

So? I was recently asked to contribute to a mural initiative here in JC. (Based on what I?d seen produced by the group I was skeptical.) I had some questions about the project. Instead of opening up a dialogue I got a dressing down?I was schooled on freedom of expression, the value of graffiti as art and basically accused of elitism.

As an arts educator I take public art and youth programming seriously. My views sometimes run counter to what is expected. I?ve seen good intentions at work and they don?t guarantee success. We need to be critical and clear-eyed about our successes and failures.

Some mural programs have had positive results while others have done more harm than good. Communities are justified in their concern about graffiti hotspots and communicating with murals that certain areas are safe zones for graffiti. Creating a good mural program doesn?t happen off the cuff.

I?m particularly critical of programs that get linked to arts funding for kids. Again, some programs work, others not-so-much. The arts have the potential to give children the media and opportunity to shape and communicate their feelings and ideas. They also help students learn to ?envision? ?? to think about that which they can?t see. Student art programs shouldn?t be an ?anything is better than nothing? situation.

Quality arts programming for kids must:
? take its rightful place as a core subject
? be tied to standards of quality
? engage students intellectually, emotionally and physically

Let?s take a stand and commit to thoughtful, quality programs when it comes to public arts programs particularly when they involve students. Let?s establish programs that serve our community, not our egos and self-interest.