J Magazine Winter 2018

time digital image on the big wall, rather
than painting it.
Haskell praises Santiago for conceiving
and developing Art Republic. “I think
she deserves credit for going out and
raising money and connecting artists
and owners of the buildings and bringing
more art to Downtown. It’s a remarkable
undertaking.”
Santiago is pleased with the mural
project. “I think it’s absolutely transformational
for Downtown. We’ve seen time
and time again in other cities that they’ve
experienced revitalization, massive revitalization,
almost singlehandedly from
art.
“The really interesting part is whenever
you put color and creativity and art
into an area, people who are creative and
innovative tend to gravitate to that area.
So it’s really strategic to get people you
want to move there … That is what makes
magic cities what they are.”
Not everyone is a happy citizen of Art
Republic. As might be expected, some
local artists were rankled by the emphasis
on importing artists from elsewhere,
for which Santiago was unapologetic,
though she has involved more local artists
like Clark.
More recently, Folio Weekly wrote of
fund-raising shortfalls and a painful dispute
in which several artists accused Art
Republic of non-payment for their work
in a Techism exhibition of digital technology
merged with art. The muralists
apparently were not involved.
Santiago was firm in her focus and
determination, saying to Folio: “There’s a
changing of the guard, and you can either
get used to it and join — or you can stay
on the sidelines.”
The ultimate test of the value of public
art is, of course, the beholder. Note the
guides listed on page 59 to the many pieces
right out in public around Downtown.
Take a personal tour with an open mind
and decide whether you think Downtown
is better off with the art.
Then brace yourself for the biggest,
boldest public art project yet. That percent-for-art
applied to our new $350 million
courthouse, and when the still-tobe-commissioned
art goes up, probably
in 2021, it has a budget of $866,667.32 as
an investment in Downtown public art,
for which you’ve already paid.
Frank Denton, who was editor of
The Florida Times-Union in 2008-16,
is editor of J. He lives in Riverside.
SPEAKING OUT:
ART IN PUBLIC PLACES
I love it, at least what I have
seen. I have seen it in other
large cities and think it brightens
the surrounding area if done
properly.
Ruth Saunders
I’ve seen some that is interesting,
mostly larger murals on
the sides of buildings. I kind of
miss the jaguar on what is now
the Cowford Chophouse. As
for the smaller stuff, it reminds
me more of graffiti and I don’t
consider that to be “art.” In the
same vein, I don’t see tattoos as
being art, but I’m 67 years old
so I’m conservative. Paint the
concrete on the Skyway columns,
because concrete is boring. But
use one color for them all.
Tom Burau
Painting on buildings reminds me
of graffiti. The buildings are to
me an art form themselves and
don’t need a mustache. Let’s
leave art in the galleries.
Jeff Cooper
Yes, we have noticed the
wonderful artwork downtown,
too bad there’s no reason to go
down there to see it. Without
exception, after a symphony
night or another show, everyone
flees downtown as soon as possible.
Jacksonville’s downtown is
light years behind every city core
we’ve visited, deserted and sad.
The Landing should have been
razed long ago; what a waste
of prime real estate. Put some
housing and a Publix down there,
and maybe there’ll be some
people to appreciate the art.
Paul Poidomani
I would like to see much
less of it, i.e. none. It reminds
me of New York City and the
graffiti that appeared on all of the
subway cars. If I was in charge,
I would put an immediate stop
to it before it gets totally out of
control. We have enough negative
things in our downtown.
Peter Baci
Public Art defines and beautifies
a city. The only thing I would
ask is that they apply more of
it to the outlying areas of town
where more people can enjoy it.
Jerry Silves
To be perfectly honest, it has
been several months since I have
been Downtown. At this point in
my life, a good day for me is one
in which I do not have to drive
north of the Julington Creek
bridge on SR 13. I have had a lot
of good days lately.
Jim Barker
Yes, I have observed previous
and current downtown
Jacksonville public art, but
without a doubt I think it will
only contribute in continuing
to keep “the public” the
city wants to attract away in
droves. The difference with
“public art” and “art” is as
wide as the proverbial Grand
Canyon.
As a Former New Yorker,
I vividly remember much
“public art” was often deemed
vandalism, desecration and
selectively offensive to the
general public.
Many a neighboring building
or business loses value and
appearance points within
these areas. There really is no
comparison between well-kept
maintained “public” areas and
buildings and surrealistic outsized
parcels of “public art.”
Carol Cromwell-Ierna
I’ve always enjoyed public
art. It removes some of the
sterility of otherwise drab
buildings. Chamblin’s Book
Mine at the corner of Hemming
Park comes to mind. The
decorative columns installed
at the Performing Arts Center
is another nice example,
artistic while providing a nod
to Jacksonville’s past. Many
European cities use trompe
l’oeil, something we should
consider to dress up older
buildings. Night-time should
not be neglected. I would like
to see more decorative and
artistic lighting on buildings
and bridges. San Francisco did
a fabulous job in that regard
with its Bay Bridge. That being
said, the City needs to more
diligently maintain the lighting
and art work we do have,
where missing lights on the
Hart Bridge and others make
the City look neglectful.
Charles Winton
Jacksonville purports to want
this to be a go-to metropolis. The
art you are talking about is trash.
If we want to be something,
let’s at least be classy. If you
feel strongly about letting the
freaks have a venue to amuse
themselves, let them go to the
suburbs with their crap. Maybe
the Jaguars owner can hold a
seminar for those of you who
just don’t know what class is.
Bob Heywood
I taught English-humanities
at FJC/FCCJ/FSCJ for 38.5 years
before retiring. In that capacity,
I made sure that my humanities
topics included local art.
Frequently, the topics included
writing on, say, Women in
Art/Craftsmen in Art/etc. as
reflected in 10 pieces from the
Cummer Museum, the Museum
of Contemporary Art, etc.
Eventually, I added a topic
about public art. These included
the statuary by Derby Ulloa and
others. I had an old article from
the T-U that listed several pieces.
I could not force the students
to go to the museums and to the
public arts sites, but I weighted
the assignments so that it made
sense for them to go to the
public locations.
If a student had to be in
Orlando or Tampa, I’d fix it so
that they could visit one of their
local museums.
For public art, Florence tops
most cities (although nearly
everything today is a replica to
protect the originals from acid
rain, thieves, or vandals.
My tiny home town north
of Birmingham has a series of
donkeys around town. These are
projects from school students
and perhaps clubs to generate
support for cancer research.
So public art is valuable to
a locale’s aesthetic senses and
its soul.
William Howard
Denson III
If permission wasn’t acquired
to allow the art, it needs
to be removed or covered.
Those identified painting should
be made examples and have
to pay to return the surface to
original.
Ralph Little
WINTER 2018-19 | J MAGAZINE 91