The Battle for Art on Washington Street (The Post, May 6) wouldn't have occurred had the School of Art's painting instructor, Matthew Friday, told his public art students to search the city's laws regarding placing art work on city sidewalks, even those of portable form, such as junior painting student Devin Nolan's fine shadow figure art work.
As a public art artist who's taught at two universities, this was the first lesson I learned in my 56-year career. Another lesson is that Athens City Hall selectively enforces its public art ordinance. No art on the sidewalk
they say while allowing OU's Hollywood plaque in the city sidewalk in front of its Athena theater, and allowing Lanborn's design in the sidewalk entrance to their photography studio on West Washington Street.
I started a series of murals titled ON LINE on the city retaining wall on North Shafer Street in July 2005. I applied for permission eight months earlier, but did not receive any reply - not unusual of our city government. Many people applied their graffiti and tagging to the wall to where, today, my latest shadow figure mural is the 21st layer of base paint and mural on this time capsule project.
My project was started two years before the city's mural ordinance, making it grandfathered-in where this law does not apply to it. So why, on April 18, did two Athens city policemen drive up, stop, and stop me from continuing my new mural? Because - again, not unusual - nobody from the mayor's office down told the police my wall is an on-going five-year mural!
Soon, I shall continue ON LINE 2: Passersby can stop and cast their posed shadow on the wall, I'll paint its outline, then either paint it in or keep it as line only - as seen in the current mural. I'll invite art student Devin Nolan and others in the School of Art (my alma mater), to stop by and give a pose.
In June, city officials report, this 200-foot long wall will be bricked over, as was understood when I first proposed ON LINE in early 2005 to the Westside Community Association members.
Recently, City Council at-large member Elahu Gosney suggested that the city should designate certain walls for murals and other walls for graffiti and tagging. SMART IDEA! - which we need more of for public art.
John Spofforth is a 1968 graduate of Ohio University.
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Opinion
