New public art falls flat
P
rince George’s commitment to public art is impressive, in quantity, quality and longevity. Public art has been a fixture in Prince George for more than 50 years and the inventory across the city now includes dozens of sculptures, murals, statues and other pieces, largen and small, on both public and private property. Most importantly, the vast majority of the works are of high artistic quality that engage audiences.
The newest installation – the three balloons on strings next to Rolling Mix Concrete Arena – sadly does not meet that standard.
Artistically, they are curious pieces that ask the viewer to stop and question what is going on. From that standpoint, they are a success. Unfortunately, that’s the extent of the engagement.
There is nothing wrong with whimsical or abstract sculptures and the city already has several of them, from Roman Muntener’s wonderful steel construct, Commotion, at 20th and Victoria to Keith Carlson’s piece at Studio 2880 to Bert de Vink’s poignant memorial for killed and injured workers at Patricia and Queensway. Unlike the balloons, however, these works invite further consideration from viewers.
Furthermore, they are properly situated in settings that flatters both the work and the surrounding space. The balloons next to the arena look like an afterthought, works that were placed there to fill an empty space rather than augment the area.
This is not a personal attack against either the artists or the committee members that selected the work. By its very nature, public art invites discussion and audience interaction. Criticism and condemnation – so long as it is fair, reasonable and directed at the work – is as valid as praise and appreciation.
Going forward, there are other public art projects that should be considered. A statue of Rick Hansen, next to Terry Fox, would be nice to see. Hansen has a regional connection, since he’s originally from Williams Lake, and he also took part in the 1979 Labour Day Classic, as did Fox. Their statues would remind residents and inform visitors that the origins of both the Marathon Of Hope and Man In Motion started in Prince George.
Nearby, the centennial mural needs to be replaced for a variety of reasons. Its colonial depiction of the white settlement of the region can be seen as racist and white supremacist when viewed in 2017. Viewers who choose to ignore that message can still plainly see that the mural is also falling apart after 50 years – an increasing number of tiles are falling out of a base that is crumbling, exposing parts of the metal mesh holding it up. It needs to be saved in a museum, making room for a new work that is more accurate, inclusive and sensitive to the shared history of this city. As the city grows and evolves, hopefully its public art continues to do so as well. We can do better than balloons. — Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout