WHAT’S RIGHT FOR THE SPACE?
A PUBLIC ART DEBATE

Aragon Development asks residents of the Quay to wade in – again - with their opinion on two new works of art.  The intent of this public meeting is to see if one of these pieces are suitable for installation in the turnabout located in the centre of the four building complex made up of Lido. Rialto. Murano and the Q.  Aragon has offered to finance this ‘public art’ project.

In the first open house, Director of Planning & Development, David Roppel, asked residents to come and meet with artist David Robinson and view the sculpture Flight Vision: http://robinsonstudio.com/maquettes_and_small_works/1997-1.html .  Flight Vision is the image on this page. This was to be approximately twenty five feet high.  After significant opposition from the public on the ‘theme’ of this work,  Aragon asked
residents to come to a second open house and view two more options by the same artist.  This was held in the Q on February 5th, 2009 from 7 to 8 and attracted a number of interested people.

Unlike the first round of discussions (Re Flight Vision), Aragon did not make any copies of the works now offered to those attending. It is very difficult to have a serious artistic debate about works when you are only allowed to formulated your opinions on having perused them for an hour. Unlike the first round where both print media and the QCB readily circulated a flyer with the image and details, this second set of options appeared to be visible to only those who attended.

It is hard to engage our many members in this public art debate if Aragon is not going to make the images readily available to scutiny, opinion and perhaps approval or refusal.

However, Mr, Roppel and sculpture David Robinson, did offer us the option of going to the website of the artist and viewing the work that way. These two works are able to be viewed at the following links:

Dead Reckoning:
http://robinsonstudio.com/various_works/2007-1.html
Diver Inverse:
http://robinsonstudio.com/maquettes_and_small_works/2006-1.html

During his opening statements, Roppel said the works were selected because they had the theme ‘water’.  When asked if they would consider a fresh consultative process with the residents and the artist, Mr. Roppel would only say that the works presented were the only ones being considered at this time. On talking with the artist, Mr. Robinson expressed his desire not to enter into a 'democratic' consultative process with the public with regards to the possibility of a new work.

 

PUBLIC ART GUIDELINES for NEW WESTMINSTER

According to the guidelines set by the city on Public art at the Hyack Spirit Square: it indicates that:  artwork should be family-and/or child-friendly and should reflect the site’s heritage, but also be future-focused and integrated into the design.  We have a few concerns in addition to the eventual art piece that occupies this prominent space and would also like your input  to these concerns.  Just because Aragon generously donate the monies to fund this ‘public art’, does this then give them the right to select the artist and work that is to go in a space that will affect not only the Murano and Q, but also the Rialto, Lido and the community at large?  Where is the city in this exercise?  Is the City just planning on rubber-stamping the design that Aragon finally selects?  Please see 'VOICE YOUR OPINION' on the HOME page