The Illusion of Edgy, Part 1
When we opened up the morning paper and studied up on the plans to construct a new exhibit hall for Dale Chihuly in Seattle our hearts sank. The proposed site resides in the outdated and depressing 74-acre Seattle Center, and while this area of town certainly needs help, another Chihuly exhibit is the last thing Seattle needs.
A great artist, no question, but we’ve got Chihuly glass coming out our ears here in Seattle. You can hardly walk down the street without bumping into some brightly colored, oddly shaped glass sculpture. His work has become ubiquitous in the northwest to the extent that it’s not special anymore. Tacoma has their Chihuly Bridge of Glass, which takes you to the Museum of Glass; Benaroya Hall has their Chihuly chandeliers, as does Union Station. The Seattle Art Museum has their Chihuly collection; City Centre has their Chihuly installation as does Seattle University and the Sheraton Hotel. Add UW’s Meany Hall, the Seattle Athletic Club, and the Washington State Convention Center Chihuly collections and what you get is too much Chihuly. We’d like the work just fine if the northwest hadn’t overdosed on it years ago. But unfortunately if you don’t keep your front door locked here in Seattle you run the risk of finding an ornate glass chandelier in your living room. Enough with the Chihuly already.
But we digress, this isn’t about glass sculpture and it’s not about Dale Chihuly. It’s about cities escaping the formula of trying to look edgy, daring and creative by employing tired formulas that have long since run their course. As one of the youngest cities in the world and one of the most forward-thinking digital societies we know of, there’s no excuse for relying on the old math – the copy-cat, keep up with the Jones’, and constantly playing catch-up tactics of making our cities appealing. We need to be playing a bigger game.
The talent pool of young artists, designers and architects here in the northwest is extraordinary and to overlook the innovation, ambition and fresh ideas is a shame. This is where the real creativity and edginess exists. These are the people that Seattle should be looking to in order to escape the narrow minded formula we’re in.
So today’s post is a call to action – Who should Seattle be looking to? Individuals, groups, artists, designers, let us know what you’ve got. Because without this sort of thinking, it’s more funny glass chandeliers for all of us.
By Madison, March 18, 2010 @ 12:14 pm
The work that Daniel Mihalyo and Annie Han are doing with Lead Pencil Studio seems well suited to replace the “old guard”.
By Lou M., March 18, 2010 @ 12:15 pm
100% agreed. Had the same reaction. Seriously did we not learn our lesson as a city after the plane crash that is EMP? I don’t live in Seattle anymore but visit often and a Chihuly installation is the last thing I want to see. A great lawn, a public space for gathering and for display of public art or socializing and outdoor activity seems like the better route.
There has to be another option.
By Richter, March 18, 2010 @ 12:17 pm
I believe you guys have covered the work of John Grade in the past – his work is edgy, pushes the envelope and I think he’s a NorthWesterner (not that they have to live here).
By Gus, March 18, 2010 @ 12:18 pm
Amen! I can’t take any more goofy glass ornament in this town. It’s going to become our own hellish Rococo.
By scntfc, March 18, 2010 @ 12:24 pm
the idea that a chihuly museum will be an income generator for anything but the chihuly brand itself is foolish.
we do need a dedicated contemporary museum. we’ve got the collections (both public and private) to fill it. but even then, the seattle center may not the right place for it. i vote for trees and grass.
By Tristan, March 18, 2010 @ 12:24 pm
Have I mentioned that you guys rock? You do, you rock.
By Keiser, March 18, 2010 @ 1:28 pm
Did these guys really travel back in time to have that ridiculous rendering done or is there some sort of “1982 Photoshop Filter” that I don’t know about?
By HAL, March 18, 2010 @ 1:32 pm
The age of creating buildings as containers to house precious little art objects is over. One of the best examples of the new era is just a short walk away – the Olympic Sculpture Park fuses landscape, architecture and art all together in a seamless experience. That’s the new math.
By aardvarks, March 18, 2010 @ 2:38 pm
word!
the old baby boom farts have a monopoly on architecture here and its for all their retiree buddies and wive’s clubs. this will be another just like the sam and the olympic sculpture park. lame.
By Kelly, March 18, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
I think the “new guard” of art is about more intelligence and data, like the work of Chris Jordan . It’s about more than just pretty things to look at; the new wave of artists are embedding their work with messages and important information. Institutions like the Seattle Center can either listen to them or become dinosaurs because nobody in this town is going to seek out another Chihuly exhibit.
By Keith Guerin, March 18, 2010 @ 8:36 pm
This isn’t about art, its about building a tourist attraction. The EMP might silly but from what I understand it attracts a massive amount of visitors. I agree with the sentiment of this post, but damn are the comments pretentious.
By mike, March 18, 2010 @ 8:46 pm
a. this thing is hideous, so it fits along w/ the works chihuly oversees real artisans crafting.
b. why is public land being given over for a large private tax break?
c. the EMP potentially has something worth visiting if you are into music. this proposed blight, not so much.
d. was this given to a firm (ORA) without any kind of RFP/RFQ?
if this project is built, we may suffer a ‘reverse bilbao’ effect. i wholly agree that the OSP, the high line, etc. are the ‘new math’
By Lou M., March 19, 2010 @ 8:33 am
In today’s paper: http://www.seattlepi.com/connelly/417000_joel19.html?source=rss
By Kyle, March 19, 2010 @ 4:07 pm
Good articles in the Seattle newspapers over the last couple of days and judging from the comments on the SeattleTimes website the people have spoken -and they want green space.