Letters: THE CITY NEEDS ART IN ALL ITS FORMS
philly.com - January 20, 2012
I WAS HAPPY to see your editorial celebrating the work of Zoe Strauss, as I, too, am thrilled that her work is now on display not only at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but also on billboards throughout the city.
But I was startled that the editorial counterpointed her work with that of Mural Arts, as though we were two opposing forces rather than two complementary elements, in Philadelphia's growing world of public art. Seeing Zoe's billboards makes me realize how far our region has come in embracing a diverse range of public art, and I am proud that the Mural Arts Program has played a role in that evolution.
In the past 27 years, we have helped to show the dramatic impact that public art can have on neighborhoods, and we have demonstrated that Philadelphians across class, race and ethnicity want both beauty and artistic stimulation in their communities.
We believe in the creative collaboration that community mural-making develops and nourishes, and we love the finished artworks, but we don't for a moment believe that murals are the only legitimate form of public art. In fact, Mural Arts has expanded over the years to include a wide range of approaches to public art. For example, some of our current projects are neighborhood color washes by internationally known artists Haas and Hahn, a public installation of light and water at the Manayunk canal, and a project using stained-glass mosaic in the concourse under Claes Oldenburg's "Clothespin." We also are working with hometown artists The Roots to launch a multidisciplinary art-and-music project with students in our after-school programs.
We believe that public art in all its forms brings life to the city. We welcome the billboards featuring Zoe Strauss' work, as well as her retrospective at the Art Museum. We encourage people to take the time to experience both. We also suggest taking one of our tours of the city's murals, and downloading the Fairmount Park Art Association's podcasts to better appreciate the sculpture along the Parkway.
The city's public art belongs to all of us. We would love to see the collection continue to grow - sponsored by a wide variety of organizations and artists who understand and want to touch the hearts and souls of all Philadelphians.
Jane Golden
Executive Director
City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program
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