Tuesday, 30 July 2013

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.

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