Public Art. Public Space. Public Comment

It has become increasingly clear in our post-democratic political evolution that a ballot cast every four years simply does not encompass all that is democracy. City dwellers are occupying public spaces in cities around the globe as a collective way of making demands and objections known as politicians and officials steer away from campaign promises.  Thousands of tweets, hundreds of ‘likes’ and a dozen comments online cannot top a single rock (or poo) thrown at a window in disgust.  Never before has the importance of public space been clearer, yet the focus on public engagement in public space couldn’t be more complex.

Currently the City of Cape Town is wrangling two pieces of legislation outlining the manner in which creative industries can and should participate in public space in the foreseeable future.  From protest art to seemingly self-referential post(post)modern expressions, these works, their artistic merit and their placement will be scrutinized through a different lens than before.

At a National level, the Department of Arts and Culture has released a draft White Paper On Arts Culture and Heritage. The public participation period has now closed unless the Department heeds calls to extend the consultation process, which has been far too swift to elicit a well considered response from major role players. In addition to this overarching legislation, the City of Cape Town is formulating its first Public Art Regulatory Framework. By all accounts this is still a working title. This regulatory framework is being hurried along, and is planned to be in effect in time for the barrage of 2014.

Both these pieces of legislation will radically affect how public art and public space in the City of Cape Town is contested.

The City’s Public Art Regulatory Framework discussion document defines public art as “artistic works or activities accessible or visible from the public realm – the public realm is not only public land but also includes sites and settings of public life owned by the state or owned commercial(sic) e.g squares, streets, parks, pavements, alleys, civic buildings and building facades.

Stop. Where?

Everywhere. If you can see it as a passerby, the City of Cape Town will have rights over your visual, artistic intake.  Those opposed to oversized advertising billboards and commercial signage will not find any help in this document however. The framework excludes the right to comment on advertising/media billboards and platforms. Sorry, unfortunately scantily clad ladies in our 80km/h zones are here to stay.

So what does the proposed framework say Good Art looks like? If you are planning to create something special for 2014 World Design Capital, what are the criteria that need to have your work approved? Two aspects are worth mentioning before you start sketching. Firstly, the Cape Town brand is king and your work will need to ‘reflect Cape Towns unique identity and enhance the image of the city”. Secondly be sure to take a multi-disciplinary approach. The framework makes much of collaboration and participation. While this is certainly a progressive and exciting notion, artists who work in secluded bubbles of creative angst with nothing good to say about how the City is run, beware.

At first glace, the framework is a progressive document which will give much needed guidance to all spheres of the City’s administration. The framework does extensively cover a number of issues surrounding mural work and competition calls, maintenance and guaranteed timelines for applications. It is hoped the framework will assist the City to curate a world-class public art collection.

What the narrative of this collection is however, remains to be seen.

Owning Mandela

In documenting public art in Cape Town these last few weeks, I have come across many representations of Madiba. Most recently, there was a protest happening alongside on of these works. The protestors were incredibly dressed in ANC honoring shweshwe fabrics incorporating Madiba's image. The songs were just as colorful as their attire, as they sang victory songs and ululated in a way that was joyful yet at the same-time expressed the impending sorrow we all feel.

They were protesting the use of Madiba's image by the City of Cape Town. Recently a number of public art expressions have been plastered over buildings and lamp posts to name but a few. I personally think the art is incredible but possibly needing a home, a place, a sanctuary, at this time..rather than reimagining an already famous brand. The protesters were of the opinion that Mandela belongs to the African National Congress. I suspect this is the beginning of a nationwide debate which will inevitable be voiced in some way or another through public art.

At both the Cape Town International Convention Centre and Civic Centre, additional exhibitions/celebrations can be seen. I was quite interested with the obviously muted atmosphere now within the CTICC foyer as a result. I paused at a large photo of Madiba on an easel surrounded by glass votive candles. Tempted to light a candle, I thought: 'not yet'.
There is still time.

Time to understand, time to plan, time to distill all that has happened. Not into another brand. I want the City to make a place. A place (or places) I can go with my children and put the lovely get-well card they made for him. A place where those well dressed ladies can teach my children those same freedom songs. A place where I can draw and draw from. Public art plays such an important role in coming to terms with a post-Mandela age for young and old alike.

When I asked my little girl (4yrs old) who she thought Nelson Mandela is. Her reply:
"He is the real statue of liberty"

Indeed.

The site of the protest

Dog-alogue

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Freedom of speech and all of that..as long as you can endure the ensuing criticism if nobody agrees with you, of course.

A few days ago I spent a good long while photographically documenting this piece of public art. It's entitled Dialogue at Dogwatch by Stephen Brown, situated on Middle Campus at the University of Cape Town. Take a look, a good long look, and then I'll exercise my right to an opinion and see if you agree.

 View of the overall piece

 

Single figure detail

Facial expression detail

Detail of central figure (not unlike Henry Moore)

Firstly, it really is an impressively sized piece of public art. One can only imagine the enormous amount of time and effort and cost it took to construct this work and ship it here from the UK where it was originally erected. The craftsmanship is really world class, however my admiration ends just about there.
My experience of being in this space was initially one of discomfort - an intuitive feeling, an awkward feeling, not dissimilar to what I imagine it must feel like walking into a room where an inebriated couple have taken it a little too far and are dressed in too little.
It is a charged space, and for the hour or so that I was amongst the piece, every student passing by walked around and not through the space.

After some consideration, I realized that what I was looking at was not dissimilar to this:
Fragonard's Swing.

The Gaze.
In both these pieces the central female form is highlighted as men gaze upon her. The painted scene is depicting a man and his mistress in an air of seeming frivolity while her husband looks on as a darkened more serious figure. The Dogwatch similarly mixes these two aspects of playfully odd poses, yet clothed in more serious military garb and in a determined/dominating relationship with the female form. With me so far?
What I like about Fragonards work is the suggestion that the female figure may be enjoying or at least participating in this attention. The Dogwatch does not afford the female any expression whatsoever. It is this realisation that makes me most uncomfortable. Are the sculpted figures actually wooing the female, is she totally untouchable and therefore not known, or is it more of a conquest where names and faces are inconsequential? The dominating spatial position, facial expressions and exposed bits lead me to conclude the latter.
What does UCT think about it all?
I can only imagine what drunk students get up to here at night!

Ugh!