New Ideas and Debate on Public Art: Reflections on Legal & Illegal Art Europe

I did not know it, that Europe would be the most graffitied place I had ever been. It is too much!

It is everywhere. Sometimes it is a masterpiece of enormous proportions; or, maybe it is a tiny image, politically understated yet provocative, hidden among graffiti tags on a slender alley's wall. Other times, it is debatable whether there is anything 'artistic' at all; if what you are seeing is plain ignorance; a teenage angst brought to life; or, the worst we have seen, desiccation of another, much more historically important or beautiful piece of art.

We have seen thousand year old ruins and statues spray painted. We have seen beautiful modern art sculptures covered with globs of paint or wax or worse.

So we continue a debate - what is Public Art: What is damage?; What is political?; What is juvenile?

In the Balkans, in Italy, and in France the lines of officialdom begin to blur.

Art is so useful here, so expressive, so 'cutting edge' and/or deconstructive. But, one has to ask - where would a modern open-minded society dare to put restraints on production, placement, or culpability of displaying public art?

Reticently, we have had a debate about how to use better, more temporary public art displays as environmental art. Our debate centers both in the sense of art display and in terms of its social and environmental impacts.

We are seeing some types of art, especially grafitti, causingdamage, social stress, and reinforcement of negative values. How can this negative become a positive, we ask ourselves? After seeing so much damage and vandalism to property by 'artists' we were happy to find that some artists were looking for compromise and solutions. One art exhibit in particular really seemed very well thought out in Marseilles.

In this exhibit, a photography group has produced large paper prints of two separate expositions. The first group of photographs takes up the concepts of spirituality and public spiritual displays in India. This was a terrific exhibit which stretched over several blocks in the historic foothills surrounding the Vieux Port area.

The second exhibit was apparently produced by either the same photography exhibition group or very kindredly inspired artistic spirits. This exhibit collects recent and historic photographs from the neighborhood where it is exhibited.

What impressed us and drew te fire together for our debate on producing meaningful, and harmless art in the form of intentionally temporary exhibits.

What are some of the benefits of producing temporary public art exhibits?

Our debate about basic questions concerning placement, quality, temporality, and nature of Public Art is one that we give more thought to now than before we reached Europe. The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How - of whether art and its display in public space should continue to exist is, to us, now unquestionable. That more art on public display produces more thought, insight, debate, camaraderie, and a more sociable urban aesthetic is, to us, obvious.


But... are there ways for all 'public' art artists to improve their art. Can it be made more green? Can we put moral or critical restraints on ourselves in order to not offend or to reach different audiences? Are some lines too important not to be crossed? How do we distinguish between art and vandalism? How can art collectives strengthen social fabric and explanation of art?

In temporary photography exhibits we see in Europe (and those described above in France) there is specificity.

Here, we found in two exhibitions a melding of Marseillaise social history, of green arts technologies and recycling, of bridge-building, of mosaic collage, of spirituality, of international ambassadorship, of much to make neighborhoods and cities humane. These were progressive, thoughtful, for everyone.

Art can be fun. It can be interactive. It is something which we can identify with, be critical of, and be proud of (sometimes, all of these we can find at one and the same time)...

Public art is a tradition as old as humanity. Let's support it!

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Still We Pray

Today, setting out on a one speed bike - no hand brake, formerly foldable (rust) - toward Patrick's garden to weed plants, to the barber, and to follow old friend Marvini's advice and make an appointment for a dental check-up while in Thailand, I was to take my a left at the first stoplight intersection.

Thais drive on the 'wrong side' of the road; or if you are from a British Territory they drive on the right side (left); but they obey all the rules of turning like where I am from. Confused?

When you set out for your first bicycle ride in a totally new country (where street signs, languages, driving etiquette and the like are turned round or indecipherable), you may turn to prayer. I prayed the whole way down main street. This is not to say I was not elated. We love bikes. Passing two stoplights with no visible left turns, only very significant right turning lanes, at the third stop light I turned right and headed in the direction of signs which pointed to a mosque.

When I was passed simultaneously by a very large diesel bulldozer and two motorcycles on a turn with two trucks moving into my lane, I prayed. Then, I pulled into the mosque.

I parked my bike and took in the scene. A man in heavy head-covering was sweeping the yard with a broom made of fronds. [This custom is neither religious nor pious, all over hot climates the heaviest-dressed people - gloves, head scarves, long sleeve shirts and pants - are often those who work outside and need covering from the sun.] Several boys eating and horsing around. Conversation among mosque-faithful involving contents in a truck bed.

I approached the mosque, left my flip flops and tea container on the steps and went in. Inside, the cool airs were delicious. The place was spotless. There was a lone Thai gentleman sitting at a long table. He greeted me in English. "Hello, may I help you?" he asked. "I am here to visit the mosque." I replied. "Are you Muslim?" he asked. "No, I always visit Mosques when I am traveling." Then I added, "I come to pray for peace between all peoples."

"Welcome," he said, "this way please."

This is a point when many of us get nervous. 'What am I doing here?' we ask ourselves, 'Am I invading a sacred space?' or 'Am I being too presumptuous?'

The gentleman took me up the stairs. He opened the doors to the mosque. '"On Fridays," he told me, "this room is full of our people praying."

The room was stark. Entirely open. There were no images, statues, or noteworthy architectural details. I stood outside and said a silent prayer for peace between our peoples.

We turned to leave. Out of a moment of uncertainty, my host suddenly turned back as we began towards the stairs. He reached toward a lock and opened the glass doors to a balcony overlooking the courtyard and beckoned me to join him. As we walked out, he brushed his feet in front of him, scurrying leaves and lizards, (making certain, I imparted, to move any unseen scorpions or venomous centipedes out of our path). "From here," he told me "you can see all of Trat." A carpet of tropical green stretched out in every direction in front of us.

When we got to the bottom of the stairs my host asked me if I would like tea. I told him I had brought my own. He asked me how I had gotten here. I said I had ridden my bike. He asked me where I lived. I said Louisiana.

I pray for the forgiveness of all those who offer their sincere courtesy and graciousness to me and to whom I do not have the courage and manners to accept.

As I crossed the courtyard I received smiles, hello's, and thank you's from all those I passed on my way in. A toothless older man approached me and asked me several questions in Thai to which I smiled. He smiled. We waved. As I got on my bike and rode out of the gates I saw in adjacent shops women in burkas preparing all sorts of inviting snacks. As I made a turn in the bend and saw the main road beyond fields of elephant ears in front of me, I heard the call to prayer rise up distantly behind me. Still, I prayed.

Across the tiny piece of Asia which we have traversed, we have constantly aimed to be good ambassadors, and to encounter our host cultures where they were, and to reciprocate the openness of these holy places with respect, enthusiasm, and deference. We have consistently been met with kindness and appreciation for what it is we do.

This whole trip we have encountered many different religions. At last count, we had been to places of worship for Shintoism, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Brahmanism, and Falun Gong. I left out Communism and King Worship (Veneration) off the list, because many would argue these are not formal religions. I know I am leaving other places of worship out - please accept our apologies - there is much we miss and do not fully understand.

For understanding respect and deference still we pray.

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