Saratoga Springs' 9/11 Memorial Sculpture Might Be Sacrificed For Political Gain
Remember the 2004 presidential campaign? It was pretty nasty all around, but one ad campaign in particular left its mark on our language with the term "swiftboating." In it, an anonymously-funded group claimed that John Kerry's record as a Vietnam war hero (his Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Hearts) was built on his false representations about what happened during the months he served as Chief Officer of a Vietnam river swiftboat.
Whoever you voted for in that election, most of us agree that the swiftboat ad campaign brought American politics to a new low - it besmirched a record of service and sacrifice by twisting the historical record, presented a few unrepresentative spokespeople from a group that was his natural support base as his most vociferous opponents, and politicized accomplishments that should have been out of bounds of partisan debate.
Amazingly, the same thing has been happening in Saratoga Springs with the Tempered By Memory project. I'm not surprised that there's debate about the aesthetics of the sculpture, or about finding the most appropriate place for its installation. Those conversations are inevitable, and we even think are a benefit to the project - at Saratoga Arts we thrive on discussions about about art and its place in our community! Given the long open process we've engaged with the project, the months of public meetings and discussions we've hosted and in which we've participated, and the number, quality, and range of historical preservationists we've asked to review its placement, we think that we're on firm ground on those discussions.
We never imagined that anyone would politicize Tempered By Memory for partisan gain, but it's an election year. The party seeking to pick up seats on the City Council is exploiting those reasonable grounds for debate into a wedge issue and identifying this as the Mayor's project. A couple of artists grinding the axe of personal resentment are casting doubt on the integrity of Saratoga Arts' staff, board, and the project artists, and a handful of self-appointed community guardians who usually rally around the cry of "consult the Design Review Commission" conveniently ignore the fact that we have received the DRC's enthusiastic, unanimous support and that of other preservation experts. This handful of opponents is using party fundraisers and blogs as forums for undercutting the project.
The majority party on the City Council is aware of what the other side is saying, and up to now hasn't acted much more admirably. It seems that September 11 is for them an arbitrary date on the calendar. They dismiss the work we've done to have Tempered By Memory installed by then, and though we've been inviting public input into the project since December 2010, they say "don't rush things" and "let's appoint a committee to study it." In private conversation, they admit they're driven by fear as the election approaches, and what's most important to them is putting off any further discussion of the project until after November 8 - and after that, who knows what will happen?
Democrats attacking a community arts project created by a rainbow coalition of artists, unions, small and large businesses, and individuals from all walks of life? Republicans minimizing the significance of the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001 and shunting aside a project that deeply resonates with veterans and first responders? And both throwing Saratoga Arts and the chance for community unity on 9/11 under the bus in the hope of picking up a few votes?
It really is a topsy-turvey world. Please help us turn it right-side up!
If you're not familiar with the project, you can go to our website and read all about it. http://saratoga-arts.org/toursevents/911memorial.php
If you click here, you can find some of the letters to The Saratogian that have been submitted (including ones that haven't been printed) addressing in more detail the process of artist and site selection, and giving Saratoga Arts board's perspective on why the project is so important.
Please take a moment before Tuesday afternoon to email or call your support of Tempered By Memory to the commissioners' and mayor's office; it will make a difference - if you feel that the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001 and its commemoration should transcend city politics and this unique artwork should have a place in our city, ask them to stop stalling and vote to accept the project so we can keep things moving along:
Mayor Scott Johnson, 587-3550 ext.2514 -
scott.johnson@saratoga-springs.org
Commissioner of Public Works Skip Scirocco, 587-3550 ext.2561 -
skip.scirocco@saratoga-springs.org
Commissioner of Accounts John Franck, 587-3550 ext.2543 -
john.franck@saratoga-springs.org
Commissioner of Finance Ken Ivins Jr., 587-3550 ext.2571 -
ken.ivins@saratoga-springs.org
Commissioner of Public Safety Richard Wirth, 587-3550 ext.2627 -
richard.wirth@saratoga-springs.org
Please also come to the City Council meeting on Tuesday, August 16, at 7pm, and add your voice to those we have.
Thank you! As always, call or email me if you have any questions.
Joel Reed
Saratoga Arts, Executive Director
I highly recommend this website and movie
http://www.artofmemoriesfilm.com/about-the-art-of-memories-film/
The Art of Memories a documentary on WTC Steel Memorials
And this is the Women
Spearheading the campaign against it. Amejo Amyot {Aka Phyllis Amyot} self-proclaimed grande dame of the area art scene.
12 comments:
This is getting really ugly
Just admit it John this sculpture is just a giant phallic symbol meant to express male domination over all the women in the city.
You always were a women hating bastard
I think we need to better explore the needs and wants of our Public Safety officers. We should be investing in Police Puppies after all who doesn’t love a puppy? Called to a Bar Fight just have a nice Policeman walk in with a puppy. Who could hurt a Puppy? Then we need Teddy Bears, yes a Teddy in every police cruiser to give to traumatized children.
I know the Police Bear from the Vermont teddy Bear company. They only cost 350 dollars each, who can say no to the children. I have lots of other great ideas to. Vote for me
It is shameful that the local Democratic Party is against this solely to score points against the Mayor, just like they were against the rec center even if it helps kids. Shame on them all
No matter what you think about where the sculpture should go, or what it's artistic merits are, I think there's a few facts we can all agree on and some questions, that if answered, could clear alot of this up.
The sculpture was originally intended to be in front of the City Center, but now it's been deemed too big to fit. This something I think everyone agrees is fact, no?
Now the big question ...
Why doesn't it fit?
Did someone commission a sculpture without measuring the space they had for it? If this is the case, this person should be fired/relieved of their position. No questions asked.
Did the artists we commissioned ignore the specs we gave them? If this is the case, tell them to fix it or keep it and give us out money bank. When they accepted this commission, they knew where the piece needed to fit. If they didn't do the job, they shouldn't be paid. You wouldn't pay a carpenter to build you house you didn't want, or even the guys at Roma's to make you a sandwich you didn't order, why should we pay these two for something that wasn't what we hired them to make us?
Were the plans for the City Center wrong? Did the architect or builder not meet the specs on the blueprint? Again, if this is the case, it's in their lap to fix it. Maybe SB can incorporate a little park for it into his Lillians lot project?
Rather then bickering over every possible solution, why not work on finding out the CAUSE of our problem and seeing what they can do to fix it for us.
Where's Field Marshall Thilo and the Gang That Couldn't Think Straight on all this?
Pretty quiet, aren't they ?
Here they sent a loyal foot soldier (Amejo Amyot) out on a seek & destroy mission, but she has been disarmed and is stuck looking like a deer in the headlights. How embarrasing.
But the generals back at the compound (Democratic HQ) are acting like they don't even know her. Sacrifice the imcompetent bitch they tell each other! We had nothing to do with this is what they will tell the public!
Yeah, right.
Now they are meeting to discuss the best way to tie all this into the commission form of government.
Now, WHO on the Committee wants to admit that this woman was sent to the Council meeting as part of the election plan, using this as an excuse to rail agaisnt the Mayor?
Send what you know to John.
On behalf of my entire organization, I would like to send a special THANK YOU out to Mrs Amyot and Mr Reed for their efforts here.
It's about time we were able to get some work done here at the compound. A bunch of women running around screaming "look at what that blog says about us today!" is not conducive to me figuring out how to save humanity.
Keep it going now. Keep the heat away from us ethical types down the road. If you need some monetary incentive, just funnel the request thru that bald headed attorney of mine.
Now if you'll excuse me I need my morning rub. Oh, Pam ....
(Numero Uno, the Big V)
Mr. Reed believes that writing is like sculpture- More tonnage makes for more virtue. He lectures on elections, rants against political parties, and blithely speaks for all the “veterans” who fought for their right to freely speak for themselves. He leaves out only a serving of Apple Pie as he steers his sanctimonious swiftboat far wide of the only REAL topic-- The long-standing, oft-used, and proven process for creating Public Art in towns of all shapes and sizes. Just WHY is it that his crack team of night-vision-equipped elitists can't adhere to the open process? Jump to pages 10-13 if Joel’s letter has left you understandably exhausted--
http://www.art-stl.com/assets/pdfs/PublicArtGuide.PDF
It's as American as Huck Finn and Freedom from Slavery. Doesn't Joel think Saratoga Springs can handle such complexity (see pgs 10-13 above)... or are we a society of simpletons in need of his "long open process?"
-Kyle York
Living where "Public Art" is neither.
People who did not do anything themselves want to stop those who did. I have never seen such an ugly group of anti artists in my life. It would seem that there are a lot of people here who have no idea what expression or art is
I don't think a cent of tax $$ should go to art of any kind -- PERIOD!!!
THAT Bob-
THAT'S a great opinion, and the Arts Council Army will smile and insist you've got a FREEBIE. But as per usual, they are blowing smoke up your tax$$. As Commissioner Franck said on December 7, 2010, our tax till will pay $320 every year for liability insurance. And I think he's a bit low on that estimate.
-THAT's "no cost."
Come now, THAT Bob,
you are just grand standing
You can't be against all state supported art?
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