Sculptures on the Bikepath near the garden

[genevra-mcneil.livejournal.com]

I have long admired the lovely sculptures that line the bikepath near the garden just out of Davis. That said, where a few dotting the undergrowth are quirky and interesting, I feel like maybe we've passed into crowded and junk-yard-esque. Am I the only one who feels this way? Does anyone know the artist (if there is only one artist)? Perhaps she or he can do a little curation on the collection -- a rotating set of five or ten sculptures with the others in storage?

Clearly this is just one woman's opinion. I was just curious what other people felt?

ETA: I actually suggested the middle-of-the-road solution -- a more curated garden -- because I WORRY that the new, more crowded aesthetic is going to get some phone calls to 311 and maybe get cleaned out entirely. I've lived here for more than 15 years and I love the garden, I'm just asking for a touch of restraint. There's a large space between "sanitized" and complete anarchy. Neighborly compromise is at the heart of city living.

Comments

[smammy]

I really like them! More art!

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

You are NOT alone. I've been meaning to post almost this exact question - with a suggestion of pulling most of them after 6 months - for weeks.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

I desperately love that pop-up sculpture park in all its decaying grungy awesomeness.

Every time I pass it, I *dread* the day when Mayor Joe decides he's such a great art supporter, he's going to rip it all out and sanitize it and somehow make a buck for a developer.

[foxgloved.livejournal.com]

How have I not seen this before? It sounds lovely, grungy or not.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

I like a little of it, but someone needs a weedwacker.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

Or someone needs to learn to appreciate weeds? :)

I just like that some little part of Davis has not been sanitized yet.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

I guess. I am from a much more rural area than here and I look at that and wonder if there are snakes.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Even though that area has been a sculpture garden for a long time, the junkyard feel of it is pretty new, so I see that aspect as part of the current Davis, not the pre-sanitized version. Like maybe the artists who were maintaining the area got priced out, so now nobody cares for it except the people who just throw more stuff in, and that's why it's become a bit of a wreck? Or maybe this is just what happens when a sculpture garden gets hipsterized? :)

In any case, I know what the OP means.

[ron_newman]

TIffany Sedaris's memorial has fallen over -- all 3 parts of it. I didn't try to pick it back up this evening, because the high winds will probably just blow it down again. I hope tomorrow is calmer.

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

When I went by earlier today, the 2 outside blocks had fallen over--so it's all 3 now? I hope it was just the wind, and not someone being an ass. :-( And yes, tomorrow should be someone calmer.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I've seen some of them toppled before following high winds.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

:/ I hope that sticks around.

[3rdragon]

There are cinderblocks propping the sections up now. I'm not sure it will be enough in really strong winds, but at least it's something.

[kelkyag]

I'm rather fond of them.

I have assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that they were the work of multiple people, possibly not particularly coordinated. Certainly I've pondered whether to build something to add to the collection, and I don't know who the creators of the existing pieces are.

ETA in response to your ETA: Curation takes work, in tracking the contents of the sculpture garden, and removing pieces that have been there "long enough" or are falling apart, and doing something appropriate with any removed pieces. (Discarding pieces without giving the creators the opportunity to reclaim them seems poor ... but so does keeping them elsewhere without the creators' approval.) How should volunteers be organized to do this? And whence their authority? There's thoughtful curation, and then there's the issue a while back wherein informal plantings in the area were being dug up and the plants carted off overnight, but I'm not where where I'd draw the lines on who has the right to place or remove what ...

[genevra-mcneil.livejournal.com]

This is an infinitely complex question.

The very short answer is that I started this conversation in the hopes that, if I wasn't alone in my opinion, the artist/s will curate the works themselves.

The actual LONG answer would fill several large buildings with thoughtful analyses of the communities, gentrification, the social contract, the history of public and private art and those who play with the ambiguities in the liminal spaces (maybe with a whole wall devoted to Banksy), social discourse, the public forum, community standards and how those interact with different power dynamics in a diverse and progressive community in the early 21st century, a historical analysis of the demographics of Somerville and the role the bike path has played, etc. etc. until we get the very nature of art itself.

The still-very-short-but-not-quite-as-short answer is that the authority to remove them comes from the exact same place as the authority to put them there -- the impetus of a single human's will. I'll let attorneys and philosophers argue about the legal and moral implications of this, but in the end, if a drunken frat boy or outraged pearl-clutcher or greedy collector decides to take (trash/pee on/throw out/sell on eBay) a piece of guerrilla public art, there is not a whole lot anyone can do. The artist chose to put it there in the marginal space, making it a piece of the public discourse and part of that public discourse can involve someone just walking away with it.

That's part of being in a community. The tension and byplay between the individual actions and community good is complicated and multi-layered, often times self contradictory. Especially as you take into account the changing landscape, both physically, politically, and demographically. Different facets of the community can and do take different views on the same action. And in Somerville, we have a whole lotta diverse communities.

Clearly, calling in the DPW and saying "Clean it up," is heavy handed and outside of our community standards. But just as clearly, there are some folks who are unhappy with the direction the collection has taken.

As a thoughtful member of a community -- and one who prefers non-unilateral action -- I stared a conversation to see what people thought. Unsurprisingly, there are lots of views. And this is just a small sliver of the Somerville community. I suppose to be perfectly fair, I should stand on the bikepath for a week or so, asking passersby why they think. That is more work than I'm willing to do, though, so I suggested a compromise that allows the person/people who first took the unilateral action -- putting public art on the bikepath -- to take responsibility for that action.

[kelkyag]

Lively as the community is, I would be very surprised if it reached all of the artists in question, and a bit surprised if it reached any. And I'd be delighted if folks cleaned up after their own projects as appropriate, in many contexts, but that's been more the exception than the rule in my experience, countered only partially when clear expectations were set beforehand. (My cynicism shows.)

Do you think a posted request for comment (email address or url), or log/guest/comment book, or suggestion/request box posted in the area would be viable and useful, given weather the like? Not that I expect such a thing would collect less-conflicted opinions, but it might reach more people in general and the artists in particular. Would more data be useful, or drop back at the same indecision point?

I would find the long discussion fascinating, but doubt it would produce a practical answer. What are the options for practical answers? Unilateral action is one. Engaging the city is another. Either of those has lots of variations, and there's all kinds of space in between. Does the community garden community -- very local and likely more organized and with some set expectations -- have preferences? Are there options you or others in the discussion intend to forward?

[redheadedmuse.livejournal.com]

I love wild art! More of that please! It makes me happy every time I walk by.

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

As far as who's behind the sculptures: IIRC Wayne Viens did the first few several years ago when he was working at the Goodwill, but I don't know if he's still putting them up, or if someone/several someones are responsible for the newer pieces. Anyway, I get a kick out of walking down the bike path and suddenly thinking "hey, was that there before?" A couple of benches at different spots would be nice, especially as the weather gets better--somewhere to sit down and rest, or socialize.

Also, as my roommate points out, "Better enjoy them while you can, because once things start really growing, you won't be able to see a lot of them..."

[totient]

More please! Let's have a little more Summerville (GA) in our Somerville (MA).

[shana lyons (from livejournal.com)]

I'm like you, OP. I like them in moderation. I feel the same way about the ad -hoc gardens that have sprung up around the Highland Road entrance to the Path. One or two is good but we're getting a bit out of control. The land around the path is a community asset that should be shared amongst lots of groups not just artists and gardeners. The land is also used by trail runners who prefer the softer surface, kids, dog walkers, etc. I do hope the city steps up and starts managing this a bit. In the meantime, maybe the best thing to do is have a polite conversation with the artist about maintenance? An offer to help might be a friendly way to get what you want.

[primitetoota.livejournal.com]

the sculpture garden reflects both individual and collaborative efforts. the artists involved hope that other people will feel motivated to add something of their own to this on going project. i've enjoyed the work they've done over the past five years or more and feel that the neighborhood is a nicer place to live because of their efforts.

art, not ads

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

You'll note that most of the people who've sought some change - maintenance, occasional culling, whatever - are NOT asking for a sponsored junk sculpture garden sponsored by Somerville Chamber of Buisness Interests.

I just feel that, after about 6 months, from junk they came and to junk they should return. New sculptures are - to my mind - always welcome... there's always more junk to be hand.

[primitetoota.livejournal.com]

you misunderstand things

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

> you misunderstand things
Often. Would you care to explain what in this case?

I was responding to
>art, not ads

[damealecto.livejournal.com]

I love the art, too, but I agree that it is starting to look overrun. More importantly, there may be fire concerns with older pieces. Perhaps a six month timeline on the smaller pieces?

Also, I really miss the wicker mammoth.