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The City of Launceston council has announced the Paterson Street East car park will receive an artistic facelift courtesy of a newly planned mural.
The council has released an expression of interest for two artists to take on the project which will paint two walls on the building's cream-coloured facade with a large-scale artwork. [WHY only a painted mural? ... Not explained!]
"The Paterson St East Car Park is a brilliant location and I can't wait to see some quality submissions," Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood said. [WELL YES! BUT AFTER ALL this is a public building in a public space ... So what was the approval process and the community consultation process? ]
"I think that it's really important to engage and create opportunities for not only Tassie artists, but those who want to express themselves creatively. [YES but when is the public engagement to take place ... While this may have the apparent approval of the elected representatives when was it on the agenda at any open council meeting?]
"We need to have outlets that continue to build upon our incredibly creative and vibrant arts culture and identity, and I hope that these sorts of initiatives assist in building that sense of pride and purpose. [ POSSIBLY but on what grounds is this assertion mad in this case and where is the STRATEGIC POLICY determination that backs it up?
"I'd rather see these sorts of projects - that harness the interest of our community with the ability to engage positively - than those expressed through illegal scribble tag." [ POSSIBLY but on what grounds is this founded given that "illegal scribble tags are a kind of social indicators that should alert 'governance' to serious community issues" ... GRAFFITI IS A SOCIAL BAROMETER ... That is its real value]
Both far side facades on the Paterson Street East car park entrance are up for murals with council's announcent of an EOI. Picture by Craig George
The expression of interest form states that, while Tasmanian artists at all career stages will be considered for the street art project, artists who already have a proven track record for producing large-scale public murals are especially encouraged to apply. [WELL YES! But why is this apparently blanded down apparently non-confrontational STREETart(??) on the agenda. Indeed, what might the apparent and likely outcome have to offer in regard to Launceston's cultural landscape and culturalncapital?]
After the successful artists are chosen, planning and design for the project will begin in November, with the intent being to present the completed drafts in January next year before the painters take on one wall each in February. [WERE ARE THE APPROVAL PROCESS ARTICULATED AND WHO GETS A VOICE WITHIN THEM?]
Artists will be selected by a panel comprising representatives from Vibrance, the City of Launceston, Launceston Central and the Council's Cultural Advisory Committee. [WELL YES! But in reference to what brief published where?]
Applications for the project close at midnight on November 20. More details can be found at the Vibrance website.
COMMENT: The process as it apparently stands has all the hallmarks of the failed MALL TASMANIAN THYLACINES PROJECT along with other contentious' cultural installations' . It appears that yet again the Community of Ownership and Interest have not been considered. The danger here is that due to the arrogance and naivety of the process is that lowest common denominator exemplar of CLAYTONSart that say little of importance. It is the risk and risk that has apparently not been considered and sadly so.
For those who have not given STREETart much thought it is understood to be visual art created in public locations for public visibility. It has been associated with the terms "independent art", "post-graffiti", "neo-graffiti" and "guerrilla art". Its reason for being is ton contest ideas.
STREETart has evolved from the early forms of defiant graffiti into a more commercial form of art, as one of the main differences now lies with the messaging.
STREETart has evolved from the early forms of defiant graffiti into a more commercial form of art, as one of the main differences now lies with the messaging.
STREETart is often/usually meant to provoke thought rather than rejection among the general audience through making its purpose more evident than that of graffiti.
The issue of permission has also come at the heart of STREETart, as graffiti is usually done illegally, whereas STREETart can nowadays be the product of an agreement or even sometimes a commission – a blanded down shadow of real graffiti. However, it remains different from traditional art exposed in public spaces by its explicit use of said space in the conception phase for the contest of ideas typically aimed challenging the status quo rather than celebrating the "nice stuff".
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