ArtWorks

As an art organization with perhaps the strongest impact in Greater Cincinnati, ArtWorks has always gotten my nod. Yesterday, I got an opportunity to get a closer look at some of their summer MuralWorks projects. Touring with ArtWorks Director of Development, Beth Fiore and Communications and Development Coordinator, Alex Eichler allowed me not only the chance to look past the scaffolding of a couple of the murals in progress, but to speak with teams of teenage artists about the work they are doing.

I'm not sure what was more awe-inspiring; the enormity of the murals, like the one going up in Covington, KY, the creativity in the many designs, as proposed for the numerous pianos currently being painted for Play Me I'm Yours, the anticipation of the final product, or the sense of pride in these works our emerging artists articulate as they explain to me their work with ArtWorks and the community. These are not simply summer jobs or an artist training program. ArtWorks infuses into the young artists a sense of civic pride, respect for community, an understanding of the importance of their work, and the role art plays in the community.

When looking at each of the murals throughout Greater Cincinnati or seeing, playing and listening to the pianos that will be placed around the city in the coming weeks,remember these represent and are the result of honest collaborative efforts that strengthen communities. With each mural, ArtWorks successfully presents the essence of our city's engagement in the arts and culture and sense of community.

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Where is ArtWorks?

With so much talk about the upcoming Shepard Fairey Supply and Demand at the CAC, there seems to be a growing recognition of street art or at least the commercialization of it. With the soon to be unveiled area murals painted by Fairey, local businesses (not yet revealed) are in the ready to be celebrated as partners in art.

Where are our local artists? In all of the local promotion of this exhibition, I have seen little recognition of our own street artists, specifically our MuralWorks artists.

CAC Director Raphaela Platow suggests, "the boundary between commercial art and contemporary art is artificial," and as we unveil the commercial murals, a perceived wall blocking recognition of Cincinnati's contemporary street artists seems to be erecting around town.

I don't necessarily blame this on the CAC. The UnMuseum on the 6th floor plans to include works by ArtWorks and Able Projects in conjunction with Supply and Demand. The weakness in promotion of our local artists seems to rest with ArtWorks. I've criticized Artworks in the past for their inability to represent and promote the local arts in any respectable way. The response was mixed, but mostly called on me to recognize this 8 year old non-profit organization as strapped for help and perhaps money. I don't buy it.

ArtWorks has a strong p.r. and development arm flexing itself during the spring and summer months. During these months we see a continuous call for artists to teach and work through the summer on projects that include many of our city's murals. And the Secret ArtWorks fundraiser is arguably one of the most successful annual art mixers as the place to be. Like the ease of properly labeling works, offering props to our local artists is nearly effortless with social networking. And now with Supply and Demand ready to open and ArtWorks working on collaborative programing with the CAC, permitting our local artists to be virtually invisible is inexcusable. Such failure to promote our artists results in merely commercializing or commodifying the local arts.

So perhaps Platow is correct: "the boundary between commercial art and contemporary art is artificial." Is this the goal?

"Shepard Fairey: Vandal or Artist?" You've Got the Wrong Guy

As the city waits for Fairey to return to the CAC next month, the typical questions about art and vandalism begin to surface. This is always an attractive debate about the definition of graffiti, street art, crime, tagging, freedom of speech, private vs public and the list goes on. There seems to be as many self-proclaimed professionals on this topic as well. It is not surprising then to see this story by Larry Shields on WCPO. The problem though is this is the wrong question to ask when discussing Shepard Fairey.

Last March, I first posted about the controversy surrounding Fairey's use of Mannie Garcia's photograph as a source for the Obama Hope poster. In that post I referenced the disdain by graffiti artists and the number of challenges these artists have issued to Fairey that have since gone unanswered. If you follow the argument of graffiti artists, Fairey is certainly not one of them. Maria Seda-Reeder's claim that street artists consider Shepard "one of the biggest in our country, if not the world" therefore begs clarification. Biggest what? He's certainly not a graffiti artist. Street artist, maybe. But what does that mean?

As explained in the news report as well as the call for sites by the CAC, the community-wide project is by definition not a graffiti project. The sites have been secured with permission. This project is no different from the MuralWorks projects successfully led by ArtWorks. And we don't consider those examples of vandalism. Instead, we rightfully celebrate the murals with formal openings and recognition of our local artists. To call into question the motivation of the CAC project and collaboration with Fairey risks criminalizing ArtWorks. Or worse, the line of the debate presented by Larry Shields, even if inadvertently, exploits MuralWorks, the work of our local artists teaching emerging artists, and engaging in civic pride, effectively stirring up controversy that is not there.

Linda Holterhoff of Keep Cincinnati Beautiful shouldn't wait for Fairey to speak up against local acts of vandalism. He is simply not the authority. If there is a rise in vandalism during Fairey's visit back to Cincinnati, it will be the result of stories like that of Larry Shields that confuse the issues by asking the wrong questions.

The "art vs vandalism" argument is reserved for graffiti artists. Fairey continues to straddle the fence between graffiti and art as a way to attract controversy. As with the use of Garcia's photograph, Fairey is simply riding on the backs of those artists who do the work. My hope still is that the upcoming CAC show and accompanying programming will be strong enough to begin asking relevant questions.

Cincinnati's Sara Vance Appointed to Ohio Arts Council Board

Governor Ted Strickland has announced the appointments of Jacquelyn Nance of Moreland Hills, Sara Vance of Cincinnati and the reappointment of Barbara Gould of Cincinnati to the Ohio Arts Council Board. Ms. Nance and Ms. Vance will serve terms ending July 1, 2014, replacing Neal Zimmers of Dublin and Ginger Warner of Cincinnati, whose terms expired. Ms. Gould was reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2014.

“We are delighted to have appointees who possess long-held commitments and connections to both their community and the arts,” said Julie Henahan, Executive Director of the Ohio Arts Council. “Each appointee’s experience and background will be a great asset to our board.”

Jacquelyn Nance is an attorney and native of Northeast Ohio and currently serves as the president of Philanthropic Solutions. She previously served as executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation, president of the Cleveland Browns Foundation and the senior planned giving attorney with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Nance serves on the board of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Charter One Bank & Fox 8 News’ “Champions in Action” Selection Committee and the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center National Leadership Commission. Ms. Nance studied dance for 18 years. She received a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and a law degree from Case Western Reserve University.

Sara Vance is the owner/president of SMV Media, a media management company she founded in 1994. She previously served as a media director and vice-president of local advertising agencies in Cincinnati. Ms. Vance attended Morehead State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Journalism, with an emphasis in public relations/advertising. Ms. Vance serves on the Board of Directors of the Cincinnati Art Museum as chair of Artworks and as president of Cancer Family Care. Her previous board commitments have included the Contemporary Arts Center as vice president, Enjoy the Arts, Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati, The March of Dimes and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Ms. Vance received the House Advocate Award in 2005 from the Ronald McDonald House, the Heart for the Arts Award in 2007 from Learning Through Art and the Champions for Children Award from 4C for Children in 2009. In addition, she has gifted the top floor of the Contemporary Arts Center for children called the Sara M. & Patricia Vance Education Center.

Barbara Gould, from Cincinnati, was reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2014. She has been a an OAC board member since 2007. She served in the fashion, interior design and music industries before retiring. She serves on numerous cultural arts boards in the Cincinnati area, including the Cincinnati Opera, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Arts Association, the Cincinnati Ballet, and the Arts Consortium of Cincinnati. Gould received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.

The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.