Apparently the "Olympic Wannabes" sculpture by Glenna Goodacre will be moved. The Public Arts Committee has decided that a better location would be in Bayfront Park, near the children's fountain. The Commission is agreeable.Galleria Selecchia's web-site indicates:
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has received donations amounting to $180,000 from more than 240 community friends who made the donation of this joyful sculpture to the City of Sarasota possible. The Community Foundation is accepting tax-deductible gifts of $10 or more to assist with the landscaping expenses.
The Dedication of "Olympic Wannabes" and the installation of the Contributors plaque at Selby Five Points in downtown Sarasota for Sunday took place on February 9, 2003. Glenna Goodacre was in attendance for this major exhibition of her new work.
Ever since its arrival at Galleria Silecchia in November 2000, this carefree rendering of children has touched the hearts of thousands, with people consistently saying that they wanted to see the sculpture installed in the heart of downtown.
The "Memory Walk" piece will be removed from Five Points and placed in storage.
This is in preparation for a possible redesign of Five Points Park. John Burg recently told the Parks, Recreation and Environment Protection Advisory Board that the City intends to have a series of discussions about a possible redesign. He indicated that there is "one pre-conceived notion, that all trees would stay in place." He also indicated that it would be OK to leave the park the way it is, basically just rejuvinating it - it has taken a bit of a beating with the construction that has been continuing.
As of now, workshops are scheduled for Jan 30, 6-8:30 PM at Selby Library, to review the history and design of the park as well as get public input. Based on input the city receives, around March 30, Phil Graham, landscape designer, would present a specific design concept for discussion.
At the City Commission meeting discussing the move of "Olympic Wannabes", Commissioner Atkins indicated opposition saying that "these kids were the only kids that haven't been kicked out of downtown" and he didn't think they "wannabe moved."
[The editor agrees with Commissioner Atkins and thinks there may be more than a few irate residents and visitors when this sculpture is moved to the new location.]
3 comments:
The Public Arts Committee apparently has a phobia when it comes to any lifesize, human form. First, they rile against the idea of clowns, now they want to minimize the exposure of this sculpture.
Yet they trip over themselves to laud the crap exhibit located on the bayfront.
Where have all of the cultured people disappeared to in Sarasota, why don’t more of them speak out to educate those suffering from “Whimsy Disease”? Those poor folks who have this condition have been suffering from an over exposure to concrete which causes an attraction to saccharin statuary.
Perhaps the Public Art Committee is striving to assemble a world-class art collection for a world-class cultural community. This should include high quality art and certainly all of the figurative sculpture should be compident renderings of the human form with some level of intellectual content.
Those who have “Whimsy Disease” are only attracted to the cutesy image so they cannot see the poor anatomy of the Olympic Wannabee and the Unconditional Surrender statues.
I say, Public Art Committee please keep up the good work. The Olympic Wannabees belongs next to a playground and the Memory Path was a $175,000 failure fifteen years ago. Let’s hope it stays in the closet with all the rest of Sarasota’s skeletons. Let’s make room in Sarasota for some well-designed and refined architecture and public art. Let’s mitigate lack of content. I am looking forward to the possibility of a well design Urban park at Five points to include Public Art with credibility not “cheese ability”.
I think those who complain about the "Unconditional Surrender" piece should first look at how many people have enjoyed the sculpture. I don't seem to see many crowds around the cultured pieces. Art is not just from the cultured people. This sounds more like snobs vs the regular people. Art is in the eye of the beholder. Half of these cultured people didn't know what was good art until someone else told them. What this issue really comes down to is that this piece has done exactly what public art is supposed to do, let the masses enjoy it. And based upon the crowds, this piece has been a great success. I think if a poll was taken a majority of the community would like to see more of this piece rather then less. If the Public Arts Committe can't serve the public majority then they should be replaced. I've seen enough abstract wierd snooty art and this person for one enjoying "Unconditional Surrender" Lighten up folks.
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