Friends and Enemies:
There was an interesting story this weekend about the outdoor sculpture collection at Western Washington University in Bellingham. This university is a beloved one, and apparently it has one of the best collections of outdoor art. But expansion needs are pinching their locations, and maintenance costs are pinching the school's budget. I don't like wasting tax money any more than you guys do.
Art as a part of public works projects is controversial. In Washington State, there is a law requiring a certain percentage of construction budget to go toward art, on public works. Some folks consider this to be a waste of money.
Art saves lives. I don't know what this bumper sticker means, but I agree with it. State trooper vehicles are well-equipped. That's functional, but it also has an impact on troopers' attitudes toward their jobs. If we made them make do with cheaper, inferior equipment, then it would send a different message to the troopers.
In Italy, art is connected with life. Some cultures cannot imagine how we might pretend that they are separate, or that art is optional. Artists and architects influence our attitudes. They stimulate our creativity. They buttress our self-perceptions. I think art is important. When we build stuff, yeah it might be a little cheaper to make bridges all look like the Alaskan Way Viaduct or perhaps even more plain that that. But should we? Or should we make them visually attractive. The new bridge in downtown Tacoma is, in my view, a big boon for that city. Just because of its elegant appearance, let alone its utility. I am proud of Washington State and Seattle. The art contributes quite a bit to that perception. Would we be better off if we had saved that money and made Seattle look like nothing more than concrete, steel and glass?