As a preface to this rant allow me to inform the reader that I do not believe in public funds for art. I would love to see the NEA dismantled (both of them, actually). I enjoy art, I love when businesses display it either in or in front of their buildings, but I do not believe it should be a requirement for them to do so. Here in Phoenix, it is. When a building is constructed, even private businesses, a percentage of the construction funds must go to "public art" - ridiculous!
Yesterday I received an email from a local arts advocacy group, up in arms about how public art funds might be spent.
The Phoenix City Council will meet at 3 p.m. tomorrow [Dec 14] to decide whether or not to move forward on using $9 million of earmarked Percent-for-the-Arts funds to purchase vintage airplanes for an as-yet-undeveloped museum at Sky Harbor International Airport.They are urging us to call or email our representatives to beg them to stop this travesty. Hmmm. Who's to say that vintage airplanes aren't art? It is an airport - what could be more appropriate? They certainly do their share of "art" art.
I personally find airplanes, especially vintage, quite beautiful - does that make them art?
Posted by Vox at December 14, 2005 11:37 AM | TrackBack | politicsIf vintage airplanes weren't beautiful to behold and uplifting to the spirit, why would anyone go to an air museum?
Posted by: Dan at December 14, 2005 12:13 PMWhat some call art others call trash - - it is all in the eye of the beholder - - so for the group to state it is a travesty is just them trying to push a personal agenda against other "art" forms - - bunch of hypocrits ;)
Posted by: Uptown Girl at December 14, 2005 07:14 PMjust because its a museum doesn't make whatever is inside it "art." i don't go into the new york natural history museum and look at the wooly mammoth and think, "that'd look nice in my den" or "wow, some body really worked long and hard on that."
also, if you're rushing to get into line to throw your shoes off at the security check point, do you really have time to look at these vintage airplanes? knowing the way the politics work for projects like this, they'll put the museum in the area before the checkpoint. so, if you did have time to check it out, you'd have to back through the checkpoint then back in to get to your plane.
Posted by: broken at December 16, 2005 05:33 PM