Push pin sculpture plan gets cold shoulder from levee group -QCTimesPersonally, I like the idea of something a little whimsical on the riverfront, but I can also see how some of the older generations would freak out about it. When I first saw it a while back (apparently back when it was yellow) I knew that there would be a lot of resistance to the idea, especially if any city money were involved. I'd like to see it paid for by some of the local bicycling clubs and maybe the CVB or something.
Although it sounds like we won't see it at all if the levee commission has anything to do with it.
Edit at 7am: Check out this Claes Oldenburg gallery for some images of similar pop art sculptures around the world.
Edit at 5pm: Here's a discussion I started about this over at AbsoluteDSM's forums. People from outside the area seem to have a much more enlightened view of this idea.
20 comments:
Oh brother!
...Just when you thought they couldn't come up with anything goofier!
My first reaction was "you got to be kidding". But after the initial shock was over....I kind of like it!
It is just like QCI to make this an issue about age.
At first I questioned it too but, now I like it. It's funny. And that horse shoe idea isn't too bad either.
I would bet a large amount of money that the younger a person is, the more likely they are to appreciate quirky pop art like this. I know that younger people are far less opposed to the skybridge. This isn't to say that some thoughtful older people might understand the point this is trying to make. Of course, Tom Saul does his best to make it sound as stupid as possible, because he doesn't like anything outside the norm.
I wish more people knew about the other sculptures of this type in Minneapolis or Des Moines or many other cities. Reading the comments on QCTimes... (never a good idea) makes me think 90% of the commenters have never left Davenport. I especially like the one that mentions reading an art book. If you did, you'd learn about Claes Oldenburg and see pictures of other "big things" in cities around the world.
Some good may come out of it - maybe the JLCS homeless will use that as their urinal instead of the stairwells in the parking ramps and the skybridge.
Hold the push pin!!!
I think it should be a gaint;
Tootie Pop!!aka, SUCKER?
It's no bean. But, I like it. I just doubt it will happen. Your asking alot of city that many still think that it doesn't take money to make money.
“Old” folks have been viewing pop and fad arts for years. Fads like this pushpin art would get old and annoying fast. Ever wonder why fast food joints like bright yellow and other wild colors with their seats and décor. Its annoying and keeps people from staying long enough to realize there are being fed like grazing cattle. This thing is not only ugly it is impractical. The birds would love it, a nice place to roost and rest. I don’t even want to guess at the cost of cleaning the birds regards from the art piece since yellow makes a great background color for showing off the bird waste.
Are you saying Andy Warhol was a fad?
After looking at all those other sculptures. I like this idea. I don't know about the push pin but something similar would look good on the riverfront.
I like the sculpture, but wrong place. Imagine this spot during wet years. Couldn't pay me to ride by bike under that pin after the ground is soaked with Old Miss River Water. This would be more fun in Centennial Park, it invites play so give people room to play around it. This idea is so typical of Davenport. We are oggled by anything shiny waved in front of us then WE HAVE TO HAVE IT without considering time and place, time and space. Context people, context.
but the whole point is that its "marking a spot on a map" in real life.
Conservative Demo here:
Because a fiberglass pushpin has no class.
Tacky just like the carnival midway set up by the gambling boat.
Whimsical pop-art items become dated pretty quickly.
I get that. However you can't sacrifice the reality of execution to pursue a concept. Well, you can, but with poor results. Conceptually the spot is the intersection of a couple of bike trails -- is that right? Now look at the mock up. Bikers riding by; bikes coming down the bridge ramp with some speed navigating onto the path, or concentrating on moving from asphalt to the grated surface to the bridge. I ride my bike through that spot, it's a place to be aware and not a place to invite people to stop, stand, and forget they are on a transportation route. People will not just sit politely on the bench.
I LIKE the object. I LOVE the spoon bridge and cherry. I spent a wonderful nutty hour horsing around that sculpture years ago in Minneapolis before the sculpture garden was even done. Revisit the link you provided to Claes' installations. Notice the generous space around them. He accommodates the people invited to his sculptures.
Artists care about the installation of their work as much as the work itself. What would Claes think?
-- Cathryn Lass
Once the casino megaplex is there the pin will hardly be noticed. i am sure it will be another target for vandals and pranksters who will try to steal it.
I think those who express great favor with it would be disappointed everybody liked the idea.
To me the pin seems pretty generic and almost unoriginal.
Put it on 14th&Gaines to mark the target crime area.
I like the idea of a sculpture to mark the intersection of these two bike paths. Two national bike paths is something we've got that other cities don't. It's not bad, but I think they might be able to come up with something better.
Yeah, a push pin, by design, is never intended to be permanent.
Pushpins aren't permanent. But to believe Davenport will imitate that logic with this sculpture is illogical.
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