Mamma cash has a good point about the "tastefulness" of art and being part of a community.
A few points: 1) I don't consider it the right of an artist to try to shock me/make me think/change my life/ whatever in the public square. Fine if I go to their gallery, of my own choice, and am moved or changed. But I'm not sure that that is the point, or should be the point, of public art.
This goes back to the community thing. Apparently some "artists" find the sight of shipping crates and car parts offensive...and so they raise a stink about it. But when citizens find the publicly displayed art offensive, they hide behind either the "you're too much of a hayseed to understand it" or "it's art, get over it" phrases.
Does anyone but me see the hypocrisy here?
As part of the community, I believe it is the responsibility of all of the resident businesses to present their best face. Yes, artists have the right to display their work...I'm not for censorship, but as part of a larger community, they should consider the whole community in deciding what to display publicly...just as the repair shop should consider how they display their car parts and how Clapp Brothers displays their machines....
It's about thoughtfulness and personal responsibility to those around you.
Respectfully,
CR
Doesn't the hypocrisy work both ways? It's still all about tolerance and treating others as you would lke to be treated.
