A call for public art in Syracuse

In another blog posting about a presentation given by Anita Roddick, founder of the Body Shop, I wrote:

I don’t know if Anita mentioned it during her presentation, but she values public art. Public art can lift the spirits of a community. It can become the focal point of the community.

What is public art? It has been defined as:

...artwork in the public realm, regardless of whether it is situated on public or private property, or whether it is acquired through public or private funding. Public art can be a sculpture, mural, manhole cover, paving pattern, lighting, seating, building facade, kiosk, gate, fountain, play equipment, engraving, carving, fresco, mobile, collage, mosaic, bas-relief, tapestry, photograph, drawing, or earthwork.

Some cities have invested in public art. For example:

• Asheville, NC has artwork sprinkled throughout its downtown area. S
• Seattle, WA has made a tremendous commitment to having artwork throughout its city. The artwork peppers the landscape, capturing your eyes and your imagination.
  
• The public art in Welland, Ontario takes the form of murals painted on the sides of buildings.

Public art can be permanent art, but it can also be temporary. For example, there are chalk drawing done each spring in California outside one of the missions. Although the artwork is done as a fund raiser, the chalk drawings are viewed by many for weeks by many, many people (because of the lack of rain). Eventually, each year the chalk drawings fade, are walked on too many times, finally are rained on, and disappear...only to reappear again the following year.

Some cities -- like Syracuse -- have engaged in painted fiberglass cows, horses, kites and other forms as a way of creating temporary and permanent public art. Yet, to me, these 'events' do not get enough of the public involved. So, as I thought about Anita Roddick's words and the public art I have seen, it occurred to me that we might look to the chalk drawing of California for some inspiration.

How about getting artists, children, business owners, and everyday people involved in create chalk art?! Chalk art isn't permanent, which means it doesn't have to be perfect (or held to some "higher" standard). It would be low-cost. And it would be easy for anyone to do.

Imagine:

• Artists creating chalk art on sidewalks in front of empty building
• Artists being invited to create chalk art in front of businesses or schools
• Children drawing their hopes and dreams on the sidewalks in front of their homes
• Businesspeople sketching their visions of Syracuse on the sidewalks outside their stores
  
• Festivals and farmer markets providing space for chalk art on their sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots
• People stopping to look a piece of unexpected artwork in their neighborhood on the ground in front of them
• Children learning to express themselves through art
• Artists and art teachers teaching people how to create art -- not in some studio -- but on the streets of Syracuse
  
• Families being able to talk about art that exists in their neighborhoods
• People finding beauty in Syracuse, not because it is filled with chalk art, but because in stopping to see the art they have also stopped to really see Syracuse
• Syracuse investing in more public art because it sees the positive reactions people have to the chalk art
  

Maybe chalk art isn't the best idea for promoting public art, but it is at least "an" idea. It is a place to start and a way of testing the waters. But is it an idea that some of the movers-n-shakers in the community would back? Would Syracuse University get involved? And what about 40 Below or ThINC? And what about schools, businesses and business groups? Maybe...just maybe...by floating this idea here, a conversation will begin about public art in Syracuse and something (even chalk art) will take shape.