"Mr. Rose wondered aloud whether the artist behind the plaques possessed a business license ‘since the city is short of money.’”
I suggest Mr. Rose look elsewhere for money to fill his depleted coffers. I do not deliver work into Culver City. I hold a business license in the cities in which I legally am responsible for holding license.
"Mr. Jacobs (a lawyer) declared, in unadorned terms, ‘art is free speech.’”
Yes, art may be subject to free speech. But business is not art, and it is subject to rules of law and obligations. An attorney knows this. Although Mr. Jacobs’ intentions are generous and noble, if professional artists do not maintain business standards, there is only inequity and illegality as a consequence.
"There is not even room in cyberspace to delineate all of the nuances and definitions surrounding Culver City’s views on public art. "
There are two things…."public art" and "Public Art Ordinance." We must understand which one we mean when we talk about any of this. Public art is art that is in the public eye. It has no criteria. Public Art Ordinances are subject to criteria — specific criteria. This, as a consequence, creates ease of definitions, process and rules.
"Ms. Obrow said, ‘No one said they weren’t art.’ The plaques, she went on to assert, ‘serve a functional purpose,’ which apparently, in a way, de-artifies them. "
That statement is illogical. It contradicts itself in many ways. The Public Art Ordinance may create art that serves a functional purpose. Does this woman serve on any arts committees in Culver City? Does she realize that "architecture," one of the three basic fundamentals of human art, IS FUNCTIONAL?
Responding to Ms. Obrow’s comment, the reporter said her remark seemed to “de-artify” the artworks in question. I am assuming Ms. Obrow indicated her statements in such a way that I need to comment here on the idea that functionality may or may not have any relationship to art.
Finally, the story referred to my artwork as “tile plaques.” Please refer to them as artwork. This is how they were commissioned. "Plaques" are the text labels that will go below them.
Lori Escalera/Design Etcetera can be reached through one of two websites:
