Wexford Council wants "something more traditional"
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I like the description and parti of the sculpture but I feel it’s lacking the large scale legibility needed for a site like the Wexford quays.
Sometimes a random collection of objects is just a random collection of objects, albeit in this case with shiny pipes. Presumably because all pipes want to be shiny.
It is my understanding from reading Mr. Dessardo’s website that these artefacts are not just random but are remnants from the regeneration of the harbor in Wexford, which, dare I say allude to the ‘history’ of the town. To it’s industrial past maybe, they all look like articles of involved in heavy industry, perhaps?
I expect stainless steel would be shiny, a nice contrast to the preserved rusted elements. There is a narrative to this work which i seem to understand the more I view mr. Dessardo’s other work.
However, gray men in gray suits making decisions behind closed doors with opinion forged and influenced from god knows where, will only see ‘pipes’ and other ‘stuff’ and not a lovely statue of one of their inconsequential and forgotten town elders. C’est la vie, some may say. 😮
That’s kind of my problem with it. It’s trite. I find rusty metal on the site, I link it with quasi-industrial shiny metal which speaks more of oil refineries than a fishing town. There’s no engagement with the experiential quality of the place beyond the frankly uninteresting fact that these particular objects happened to be present, and the kinesthetic link seems to be limited to sitting on top of or beside things.
The alternative to this work is not a statue of a bloke on a horse, it’s possibly something a little less pointlessly abstruse and inaccessible. There is a didactic role for public art but it needs a much lighter touch than is evident here.
for all those against parochial art,this is hardly a choice between the two extremes!just because the council dont want something a group of travellers could have left behind dosnt mean they insist on some viking boat ,something strikingly modern in the right way would look great,but this dosnt.
Exactly my point. Work like that can do more to turn people off contemporary design than engage them. Yes, not all art has to be comforting or safe, but something that tries to publically express a moment in or experience of a town should at the very least be handsome.
The selected scheme is not handsome.
@helloinsane wrote:
is not a statue of a bloke on a horse, .
Sorry, a tangent here I’m afraid, but do people from BC really use the term ‘Bloke’ ?
are you of English heritage?When I was last in Gastown and I said ‘bloke’ people laughed at me ! ( at a very expensive Indian restaurant not far from the clock !)
I’m Irish. Grew up in Wexford.
I think I was just at that restaurant.
do you know the Irish Bar not far from there ? can’t remember the name but they have a conservatory out the back where musicians occasionally play and they do sell good Scotch
by the way Helloinsane you said “he selected scheme is not handsome.” the problem is it was selected, then rejected. I think that is the main point of this thread.
People in the know select / Old men reject !
The Irish Heather. I know it too well.
I’m playing devil’s advocate here – I’m beginning to suspect the councillors were right to reject the scheme, even if they did so for the wrong reasons. I’m also curious to know who the selection committee were and what the other proposals were like.
The selection panel consisted of:
an Architect, Waterford City Council
an Artist & Arts Facilitator,
a Public Art Professional (ex-public art advisor Arts Council of Ireland)
an Artist / Sculptor
a County Councillor Wexford County Councillorsounds like a typical irish county council nonsense scenario… I hope it doesn’t put the artist off doing more of this. I’ve seen more details of the image and having had a good look, I think it’s pretty good. It’s a shame it won’t be built
@dessardo wrote:
The selection panel consisted of:
an Architect, Waterford City Council
an Artist & Arts Facilitator,
a Public Art Professional (ex-public art advisor Arts Council of Ireland)
an Artist / Sculptor
a County Councillor Wexford County CouncillorDessardo..Are you the actual artist?
If so, can you explain your work to me?
a clear expanation of the work is public on
http://dessardodata4.free.fr/webwex/files/press_dessardo_wexford.htm@sfamato wrote:
Dessardo..Are you the actual artist?
If so, can you explain your work to me?
question 1) yes
question 2) here is also a useful explanation about the my artistic process :
http://dessardo.free.fr/site/html/statement.htmlI’m very impressed with the selected sculpture – well done dessardo. I hope it gets built.
I hope your treatment by Wexford CC won’t put international artists off the idea of participating in the percent for art scheme (which is generally a good scheme).
@Lotts wrote:
I hope your treatment by Wexford CC won’t put international artists off the idea of participating in the percent for art scheme (which is generally a good scheme).
I think it was Wexford Borough Council (ie the town corporation) that rejected the work, not the CC.
Apologies to the CC.
Shame on Wexford Borough Councili personly dont like this work but i do think it is wrong the council could reject any piece of art that is given permission by a seperate body because they wont know good art from bad!they just happen to have made the right decision here.
I think the work is excellent, thought/work has gone into it.
Im confused is it still being rejected?
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