On this day five years ago, Input
an art piece consisting of 21 raised and depressed rectangles resembling a computer punch card was dedicated at 3.5-acre Bicentennial Park, just outside of Margaret M. Walter Hall.
But maintaining that space since 2004 has become increasingly difficult with the downturn of the economy.
It's challenging because we're reducing our staff and reducing our labor said Steve Mack, director of Buildings and Grounds Services at Ohio University. We just lost another two groundskeepers (from the recent layoffs). When you have labor-intensive pieces it makes it difficult to maintain.
Upkeep of Input alone requires three to five groundskeepers putting in six to 10 hours of labor per week with standard mowers and hand tools, but does not require any additional funds, Mack said.
It wasn't necessarily designed with our maintenance in mind
he added. I don't know that we've had any real problems ... (but) they could have done a few things (differently). It's something that we just have to deal with.
When OU planners commissioned world-renowned artist and Athens native Maya Lin to create public art in what was to be Bicentennial Park in 2004, she didn't give them exactly what they wanted, either.
They were interested in a historically commemorative piece (for OU's bicentennial)
Lin said. They knew from the start I was probably going to do something more abstract.
The piece was commissioned as part of the Ohio Percent for Arts Program, established by a 1990 Ohio law stating that when more than $4 million is used for a public building, 1 percent must be allocated for art. The $780,000 Bicentennial Park project and Input
which cost $290,000 of that, came from the $5 million construction of Walter Hall.
Five years later, questions are still being raised regarding the value of Input and public art on campus.
I think (Input) is consistent with our overall master planning of that area of campus
said Pam Callahan, a university planner who worked with Maya Lin on the piece. Our master plan recommends that we maintain green space on campus.
Charles S. Buchanan, an associate professor of art and architectural history at OU, said the unique design might turn some people away from the piece.
A lot of people have a difficulty relating to the piece because it's what we would call minimalist architecture or sculpture
Buchanan said. As time has gone by I've seen more and more students using it (recreationally)
but I would like to see more.
Chelsea Young, a freshman studying early childhood education, said she and her friends sometimes lay in the depressed rectangles at night and look up at the stars.
Maybe other people don't know what it's for
Young said, so that's why they don't hang out there.
