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Feature - Regeneration, revival and divers(cities)

Art in the public realm

WANTED: LEGENDS

Have you played a part in Whistler’s history? Are you celebrated in the community? Do you possess a special character that is unique to Whistler? You may be exactly what we are looking for! Applicants may be events, special places, phenomena and people – living or otherwise. Please apply in confidence with two signatures of support by…

In the past month you may have seen a similar advertisement in the Whistler papers seeking legends. The call is part of the municipality’s plans to revive Village Square in the heart of Whistler. In addition to the general renovation of infrastructure, the project aims to revitalize the square through the incorporation of glass blocks housing abstract etchings of local legends: people, places, events or phenomena that have made Whistler special. Nominations have been solicited from the community in the belief that these legends are part of the collective Whistler memory and reflect why people are drawn to this place.

The municipality’s project is not just a valiant renovation project; rather it speaks to a trend that has seen increasing popularity across the continent – public art. While public art is a fairly recent addition to our little mountain community, this form of urban revival has been in action for over a century in Europe, South America, and other locations in North America.

The origin of public art goes back to post-industrialized cities that found themselves disconnected from the natural world around them. As factories, shops and apartment blocks sprang up at an exponential rate, the presence of fresh air, sunshine, and greenery diminished. In response, city dignitaries began developing urban parks and gardens, such as the well-known Jardin des Tuileries in Paris and Central Park in New York. The parks and gardens were an oasis that people could visit to escape from hectic city life and man-made environs.

Throughout human history, desires for social change have led to movements in community arts. In the 1930s, a movement emerged calling for the renewal and regeneration of cities above and beyond the green spaces offered in public parks. Public art emerged as a means of decorating cities and bringing culture to those who did not visit galleries or museums.

In the early half of the last century, public art usually took the form of a cast bronze figure riding a horse that was seldom understood or interpreted as being significant. For example, in the centre of Queen’s Park in Toronto sits a bronze equestrian statue of King Edward VII. Most Torontonians take it for granted, assuming that it refers to early Upper Canadian history or British political roots. The statue was actually erected in Delhi, India in 1919. In 1947, India gained independence from Britain and the statue, an unpleasant reminder of the city’s colonial past, was removed. Philanthropist H R Jackman purchased the horse and rider and erected them in Queen’s Park in 1968. Unfortunately, the piece has long lost its ideological intensity and now sits as an abstract focus in an otherwise open space.

In recent decades, there has been heated debate over the artistic merit of public art pieces and the value of money spent in their fabrication, as well as disputes over who should be responsible for providing the money. The most infamous case of controversial public art concerns Richard Serra’s "Tilted Arc" in New York City. The U.S. government’s Art in Architecture program commissioned the piece in 1979. Serra is a well-known artist with public art installations in a number of major urban centres around the world, including Berlin, St. Louis, Paris, Barcelona and New York. He was selected by a design review panel to create the $175,000 sculpture for Federal Plaza in the heart of New York City.

Upon completion, the piece was revealed to be a self-rusting steel panel, 120 feet long, 12 feet high and 2 and a half inches wide. The public greeted it with hostility and there was an immediate outcry to have it removed. While some hailed it as brilliant, many felt that it was an obstacle to the enjoyment of the public square and an example of the elitism associated with art. It was publicly labeled obscene, an offense to the senses, and a waste of taxpayer money. After a long process of attempts to alter or relocate it, the sculpture was eventually removed in 1989 and currently remains in a government warehouse in Maryland.

This and other similar controversies have prompted both officials and the general population to question what the "public" in public art means, as well as the definition of a "public space".

The term "public" can be difficult to define but essentially refers to a community or group of people. It is the opposite of private and is often linked to freedom, democracy and accessibility. The City of Vancouver’s Public Art Program defines a public space as "publicly seen or accessible structures or areas of private developments which are visually prominent during daylight hours or open and freely accessible to the public for 12 or more hours daily."

Similarly, the RMOW’s Kevin McFarland, who is responsible for administrating Whistler’s public art program, defines public space as "space we have responsibility or control over." This includes parks, trails and road rights of way. According to McFarland, the broader public realm can also mean private land that is highly visible or used by the public.

In 1912 Thomas Mawson said, "To love a city, it must be lovely." Here on the West Coast of Canada, where natural beauty is abundant, public art has also been embraced in the urban sector. Back in 1792, when Captain George Vancouver sailed into Burrard Inlet, he found forest-covered mountains looming in silence. One hundred years later, there was barely a tree left as the timber had been logged to provide building material for what was later to be known as the City of Vancouver. As Vancouver grew, farsighted city officials began to recognize the need for green spaces and petitioned to have 1,000 acres of military reserve land set aside. In 1889 this land was officially opened as Stanley Park and designated for "the use and enjoyment of people of all colours, creeds and customs for all time." Over the following decades, city administrators and other specialists were invited to help plan and beautify Vancouver through the development of additional parks, promenades and decorative motifs on buildings.

In 1929, Harland Bartholomew, a well known planning and engineering firm from St. Louis, was commissioned to draft guidelines and policies for the development of city parks, gardens, playgrounds and streets. The guidelines and policies provided advice to both city officials and the homeowner. For example: "Make sure that the plants placed in the shade are the right sort to grow there. Some plants thrive in the shade; others dwindle and die. Be sure to have foundation planting around your house. Avoid use of round flower beds and lawns, rubber-tire effects and other freakish displays."

The pearls of urban planning wisdom provided by Harland Bartholomew were considered seriously and the lasting influence is evident in the layout of the city today. Year after year, Vancouver is identified as one of the world’s most livable cities.

Whistler’s own Public Art Program was established in 1996. Parks and Planning staff were assigned to the task, a volunteer Public Art Committee was created and council passed a Public Art Policy. The initiative reflected similar programs in other resort towns and was embraced as a valued component of community development.

The purpose of Whistler’s Public Art Program is to "enrich the public environment and promote awareness, understanding, access and enjoyment of art as part of everyday life for Whistler locals and visitors alike." Goals include enhancing a sense of community identity that is unique to Whistler, creating significant public spaces, integrating art into the fabric of neighbourhoods, promoting public art education, and assembling artwork in various media, scale and size for both temporary and permanent installations.

Some of the major public art projects initiated by the RMOW thus far include the Whisky Jack Balance in Creekside, the Storyteller’s Chair in Village Park west, Sightlines Bridge in Village Park east along the Stroll, and the Bridge Art above Village Gate Boulevard. These installations have all been in public areas, but the municipality has also worked in agreement with owners of private spaces to erect pieces such as the eclectic children’s play structure near Marketplace.

The response thus far has been positive; it is rare to stroll past the Sightlines bridge without seeing a few people examining and playing with the mounted bronze sculptures.

However, the municipality’s next project has been met with some negative feedback. Slated as part of the Village Square redevelopment project, it is a tall, narrow information kiosk reaching up almost three storeys. Some local residents are opposed, referring to it as a "sad umbrella", aesthetically unpleasant and lacking in artistic merit. Nevertheless, the project went before council last week and its continued development was approved – a significant move by council that exhibits confidence in the existing selection process. Most art is meant to stimulate debate and as McFarland quipped, "Whistler is on the edge and so should be Whistler art."

This is not to say that public opinion and consultation is not part of the development process. Many public art projects have been criticized for the lack of "public" in the product. In Whistler, the community is integral to the process and one of the program’s future projects will actually involve an artist working with a neighbourhood community to create an artwork that emphasizes the character of that area.

Public art in Whistler has also been embraced in the private sector. Intrawest’s Resort Development Group (RDG) has been working over the last two years to include public art installations in the renovation of Creekside. Under the guidance of Eric Gerlach, Public Art Co-ordinator Diane Phalen has worked with artists and the Whistler Museum and Archives to develop a series of installations stretching from World Cup Place all along the pedestrian stroll of Franz’s Trail. The art will include four vignette boxes commemorating the history of Olympic Bids in Whistler and Franz Wilhelmsen, 10 bronze paving stones highlighting local heritage from 1877 to 2003, and 11 plaques honouring local athletes on the World Cup podium. The aim of RDG is to honour Creekside’s historical beginnings and enhance its public spaces for future generations of Whistler locals and guests to enjoy.

Public art not only improves the look of urban areas, it also provides artists with opportunities to earn commissions. Last week the Whistler Arts Council and the RMOW hosted a Public Art Workshop at Millennium Place for local artists aspiring to enter public art competitions. It featured a panel of artists, jurors, and landscape architects. Those in attendance were given a glimpse into how public art pieces are juried, advice on how to submit a successful application, and an opportunity to ask the panel questions.

Participating panelist and Whistler-based artist Kat Sullivan commented that public art "provides a pause in the landscape – not only from the urban surroundings but from the daily rush." Sullivan has been in Whistler for 18 years and would like to see the local program mature, working to include artwork that is more "challenging for the community to accept." Sullivan’s comments echo a common belief whispered locally that the community is artistically conservative. However, things are improving.

The number of incredibly talented artists who make their home in the Sea to Sky corridor is considerable. As opportunities and funding for arts and culture increase as a result of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, more and more of that talent will enter the public art domain. Such opportunities will also attract other artists from around the region and Canada, thus diversifying and varying the existing Whistler art scene.

Public art, although controversial at the best of times, is a necessary component of a community. It is a reminder that the world in which we live encompasses so much more than bright lights and big cities. In Whistler, we are fortunate to have the natural beauty of the white-capped mountains and lush greenery surrounding our urban settings. Public art can accentuate and contrast that beauty, resulting in a landscape that is visually interesting and distinct. Any responses elicited from public art in Whistler, positive or negative, should not be viewed critically but as a sign of the diversity in thought that that makes up this little mountain town. Variety, as we all know, is the spice of life.



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