Comments on: Art: Countdown to Dreiseitl

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:28:17 +0000

I’m with Julie. Onward and upward with the Arts in A2. There is a budget set aside, let’s use it. And it seems it is used with serious consideration by the AAPAC.

By: mr dairy

mr dairy — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:14:46 +0000

I guess we should be happy it isn’t a big aquarium or the green equivalent of Auto World

By: Alan Goldmith

Alan Goldmith — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:14:57 +0000

In one of his FOIA emails council member Leigh Greden calls the way this project was handled a ‘disaster’. On this issue he’s right.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:05:55 +0000

Shannon,
Nope. There are no local artists who can create what this guy can create. Have you seen his work? Ann Arbor is thinking big with this one.

By: Hospadaruk

Hospadaruk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:29:57 +0000

“…anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering, suffering leads to the Dark Side.” ~ Yoda

I like bumpy roads and I like art. That is sooooo typically Ann Arbor, that’s why I live here. I also like that sad little sculpture, it used to be in the traffic island at State and Liberty I think…

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:56:55 +0000

Wow. Such hostility.

I guess I’ll stick my neck out here and say that I love that we’re doing this. I think taking 1% of the cost of large construction projects and dedicating it to public art is a forward-thinking, worthy concept. I think it looks past the short-term crisis we face, and creates long-term investment in our city. Perhaps the program would not have gained enough support to be implemented during the current economic times. But the fact that it is already here demonstrates that vision. We will get out of this economic crisis. And our city will be more dynamic, and more attractive to those who visit and those who are deciding to live here.

I don’t debate our need for $$, for the Stadium bridge, and all our other budget shortfalls. But I don’t see these things as mutually exclusive.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:56:12 +0000

Were there really no qualified local artists to propose an installation at the municipal center? I am in favor of public art, but I’m also in favor of keeping local tax dollars in our local economy, or at least in our state!

By: Jack

Jack — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:10:29 +0000

Note to AAPAC. When showing Herbert Dreiseitl around the town this week:

1. Avoid the Stadium Bridges. Mr. Dreiseitl might think Ann Arbor is some backwater Midwestern hick town that doesn’t know how to maintain infrastructure and not the artistic the Paris (eh, Berlin) of middle America we all know it to be.
2. Since he’s here for three days or more, when taking the legendary artist out to dinner, make SURE you hit all the oh so chic local restaurants. It’s fine—the Per Cent for Art is picking up the tab. Avoid AT ALL COSTS places like Knights and Metzgers. We wouldn’t want him mingling with any real folks who don’t grasp what real art is.
3. Make sure Dreiseitl DOES NOT read any back issues of the Ann Arbor News. The natives were pretty restless in those rude and tasteless letters to the editor and it would be a bit hard to explain.
4. Since this was all decided for the most part when he visited last September, we all know this is a just for show. But be sure to thank the artist for his small contribution to Mayor Hiefje future political career. Heading the DEQ might be out but this mayor for life thing isn’t working and this splashy waste of tax dollars might, just MIGHT be a calling card for a spot in the Obama administration or some cushy environment leadership job. When that happens, Dreiseitl and the after the election removal vote for Argo Dam will probably be the things that did the trick.
5. On Saturday, keep him locked up and away from the Art Fair. Lord knows he might be offended by ‘art on a stick’ and take his art project and go home.

By: Alan Goldsmith

Alan Goldsmith — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:08:09 +0000

1, It’s unfortunate the time for the ‘public reception’ on Monday is 4-5:30 pm, which excludes it from a great deal of the public who are working during the day, even though Herbert Dreiseitl seems to find plenty of time for social events (lunch, private dinner). If this is how you handle public relations, it’s a failure. It’s more evidence this project is just a social ego boosting event for members of the AAAC. But then, excluding the public from the process has been the issue since day one.

2. I like the Arbor Sapientiae too.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:22:59 +0000

I wonder whether Arbor Sapientiae is a “sad little sculpture” because no one visits it. Perhaps it could be moved to a place where it has some company. I rather liked it, as seen in the photo.