ArtAttack

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In last week’s Art Attack column I questioned the timing of the restoration of the WWI memorial during the May Festival of the Arts, where the scaffolding (even while moved to the side) did nothing for the festival ambience in Basin Park.

Contrary to a couple of private comments, I am neither anti-Dough Boy nor an unpatriotic #&*@, but it does raise the topic of art restoration, or Eureka Springs’ lack of interest or concern in protecting its public art.

The Dough Boy restoration was funded by a $5,000 state grant that was matched by the Eureka Springs Preservation Society. Bravo.

If we are to invest in public art, there needs to be in place a commitment or endowment that includes funds to take care of the art over time. It is not the responsibility of the artist, unless specified in the purchase contract.

Which brings me to the Art Wall, the former “Artery,” taken over by the Eureka Springs Arts Council in 2011 and seemingly abandoned.

The Artery – the once vibrant collection of 8×4 ft. art panels that lined the 50 ft. stretch of concrete wall in the Basin Bathhouse parking lot and showcased a plethora of local talent, has become an embarrassment to the city and its art community.

While there are still some excellent works on view, the majority of panels are now rotted, faded or falling down, turning Artery founder Charlotte Buchanan’s stunning vision into an eyesore.

I can only imagine what visitors thought who saw the May festival banner with the Trumponian tagline “World Class Art” and who then put money in the meters to park in front of the Art Wall.

Wasn’t the plan to rotate the panels every two years? Not every six.

I’m not sure what phase the music park on North Main is in, but Phase I was looking pretty tacky. When checked out mid- April, there were broken instruments, signage on the ground and not a single implement to play any of the art.

Jim Wallace’s large metal Blue Heron that was cruelly vandalized when installed in Grotto Spring, now has a home on the Planer Hill parking lot and is in need of repair.

The same can be said for Robert Norman’s “Sphere” created specifically for the May Festival in 2013. It sits on the second tier of the parking lot and could use another protective coat of varnish before the hand painted messages completely patina away.

Planer Hill is the perfect spot for a sculpture garden. It seems to have already organically grown that way. Let’s make the already beautifully landscaped parking lot into an arts destination by investing in more local art and find permanent homes for works like Janet Alexander and John Stalling’s Four Season’s mobiles or Yard Art winner David Pettit’s “10 Zen Chairs.”

And let’s find ways to keep that art preserved.

1 COMMENT

  1. Excellent! Please city leaders – let’s revive the “art destination” component of Eureka Springs.

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