Art Mistaken for Vandalism gets Vandalized
 

By Associated PressASHLAND, Ore. (AP) - An art project that was mistaken for vandalism was the target of vandals who destroyed the exhibit last week.

The artist, Paul Messenger, said the piece was a commentary on society's apathy to its problems, but was left for interpretation by the viewer.

The exhibit in the Southern Oregon University art courtyard and art buildings consisted of 36,000 feet of red tape. It was titled "The Depravity of Society Juxtaposed Against the Apathy of Contemporary Culture" and scheduled to be shown through July 2 as a final project in an art course taught by professor Madeline Alt.

The red tape was meant to contrast with the grey stone of the buildings. "It's a very dull atmosphere, a very sterile environment," Messenger said.

Police cited an SOU sophomore, Genevieve Hummel, 19, for tearing the installation down, and the university art department is pressing charges.

"I didn't know it was an art project," Hummel said. "It wasn't labeled. No one knew it was an art project."

Hummel said other people were tearing the art installation down and she was cleaning it up when art professor Cody Bustamante confronted them.

"I was just picking up what people had made messy," Hummel said. "Everyone else split."

Bustamante brought her into his office where the two began to argue. Ashland police were called.

Hummel was accused of 11 different conduct and student responsibility charges. She also is being charged with criminal mischief. The SOU art department is seeking $83.39 for six hours of labor and the supplies required to replace the installation.

Messenger said he talked with Hummel and worked out their own differences. Messenger chose not to press personal charges, saying, "That's one of the risks of public art."

Messenger, 24, is a graduating senior who is working with an art therapy group at Rogue Valley Youth Correctional Facility and plans on entering SOU's master's in teaching program.

"The piece will be re-assembled," Messenger said. "Third time's the charm I guess." (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Well thats Oregun for U....

Ms. Hummel should have said she was also an artist, and her work was called, "Contemporary Culture is Apparently Not So Apathetic when Juxtaposed with Tacky Crap Masquerading as Art."

Thats Ashland for you.

Very well put! How many of us have viewed "public art" while wondering what the bureaucrats were smoking when they decided to waste tax dollars on such tripe...

Ashland is really weird.

I'd like to point out this did *not* take place in CA...

...but it could have.

...but the parents are hippies *from* California.

So this kid sees this building someone has wrapped(what we always said when referring to tossing toilet paper in the trees and on cars, mailboxes and what not) a building, starts to clean it up and they are going to charge them for vandalism?

It seems to me that society would want to encourage people to pick up litter.

ROTFLMAO