The blog is going away but the reviews are not. You can find them here in the online print edition.
Home > ATLarts > Archives > 2008 > September > 22 > Entry
Public Art Victory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Four Walls” by Stephen Antonakos, the threatened neon sculpture at the airport will not be removed!
Kudos to airport exec Ben de Costa and to all the people who contacted him to campaign for its preservation.
Atlanta has a history of disregarding and disrespecting its public art. Remember the brouhaha over the fountain in Walton Spring Park that was removed to make way for the statue of Andrew Young?
This is a rare victory.
There are many thank-yous to go around. De Costa, for trusting his advisory committee. David Vogt, for long years of building and shepherding the airport collection. And the many advocates who wrote letters—who chose a positive path. The confrontational strategies some have used in dealing with city’s public art program have backfired.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Visual arts
Comments
By Critic
September 22, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
Even thought I rarely have to go anywhere by air anymore, I’ve always enjoyed the artwork at the airport. To replace it with advertisements would be an abomination.
By Kat
September 22, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
This isn’t so much a victory for public art, as it is a victory for the “artist” who conned airport authorities into thinking that random neon squiggles were art in the first place. A blindfolded four-year-old could do as well or better. I remember when the new airport opened and the public was embarrased that money was spent on something so mediocre. At least someone, at some time, had the sense to take down the splattered dropcloths that masqueraded as art in the baggage claim area.
By Robby
September 22, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this
My sentiments EXACTLY KAT! We have these people who fancy themselves as artists who can’t dupe patrons into buying their crap in private venues and instead turn to the imperial government to seize tax dollars from us without our say so to procure their eye sores forcing us to look at it everyday.