Don't think that public art is a priority right now? You might be a redneck.

Gerry-Built said :

Mr Stanhope was keen to start the ball rolling on labeling people, let’s think up some labels for him…

Megalomaniac.

Gerry-Built said :

Mr Stanhope was keen to start the ball rolling on labeling people, let’s think up some labels for him…

Nice idea….lemme see now…how about this…

Poseur and soi-disant intellectual with delusions of grandeur.

Pommy bastard said :

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I like that you have accused me of a personal attack in such a condascending post.

“Condescending” dear, condescending.

Haha, nice.

EvanJames said :

Owned.

I think you will find it is pwned.

Jim Jones said :

Pommy bastard said :

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I like that you have accused me of a personal attack in such a condascending post.

“Condescending” dear, condescending.

Touche!

Owned.

Mr Stanhope was keen to start the ball rolling on labeling people, let’s think up some labels for him…

Pommy bastard said :

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I like that you have accused me of a personal attack in such a condascending post.

“Condescending” dear, condescending.

Touche!

Pommy bastard said :

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I like that you have accused me of a personal attack in such a condascending post.

“Condescending” dear, condescending.

Oh dear, resorting to criticising spelling? Wow, how original…

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I like that you have accused me of a personal attack in such a condascending post.

“Condescending” dear, condescending.

troll-sniffer said :

In a city of public servants, world-renowned, nay probably legends of our galaxy, for being imaginative creative types interested in things other than Ch9, clubs and footy tipping, I find the above negative comments exactly to be what I’d expect from philistinian suburbanites.

I am no fan of half the sculptures and public art in this city but I am broad-minded enough to allow others the chance to appreciate it. This lot of ingrates would have decried the Sistine Chapel or any other ‘waste of perfectly good money’.

As for the assertion that taking the arts budget and applying it to the bottomless pit of social services would somehow have a magical fix-up effect is just plain naive. You could double the dollars poured into the health and housing sectors and you’d still have the same of number of whingers who refuse to be accountable for their own health and circumstances.

Reckon half the intelligentsia that come on here would look for the nearest Oktoberfest if you mentioned fill ‘er steins in their vicinity anyway.

Ummm……so let me get this straight……

Regarding your justification of Stanhope’s blatant and arrogant misuse of public money, you don’t reckon we need a health system or social services???!!! Are you kidding???? It is my fault if I get sick? People who need housing are just “whingers” and it is their own fault they need housing? Just what are you getting at here??

Deref said :

Very Busy said :

The opposition simply can be no worse than the incompetent, wasteful mugs that are currently running the show.

You’ve never lived under a Liberal government, have you?

Maybe a few words will ring some bells: implosion, Queensland grass, green spray paint, futsal, Gungahlin.

Yes I have. I’ve lived in Canberra since before self government. For your information I voted Labor at the 2000 election due to the arrogance and growing incompetence of the Libs. Even though Kate Carnell bailed out, the Libs weren’t getting my vote without first giving Labor a go. Labor proved to be so utterly disappointing from their first term onwards that they haven’t been given my vote since then. This is the point I make at #16. The Libs then got a whole new team of candidates. The same will happen to ACT Labor when they’re kicked out. We will be given the choice of some new, perhaps better quality Labor candidates to choose from.

Skidbladnir said :

troll-sniffer said :

This lot of ingrates would have decried the Sistine Chapel or any other ‘waste of perfectly good money’.

Walked straight into that one, didn’t you?

au contraire mein good ami, public finances in those days were so immeasurably different to today’s setup that any definition of public vs private money not be meaningfully compared. Touche I believe.

Are we able to establish if the Chief Minister is of sound mind?

His pronouncements on this subject are worrying, to say the least.

Gerry-Built said :

Very Busy said :

I’m more angry with the Canberra voters for continuing to reward this fool again and again.

are you kidding? Did you SEE what the other choice was??? 😉

I like the way that people who defend the indefensible (Stanhope Inc.) are now claiming that they only voted for him because the opposition was weak. I continually ask myself how fabulously arrogant, how disastrously incompetent a Labor government has to be before it can be voted out in this town.

Stanhope increasingly doesn’t care what he says and does exactly as he pleases. Why should he? Around a third of Canberra will vote Labor like Pavlov’s dogs, and that’s enough.

Very Busy said :

The opposition simply can be no worse than the incompetent, wasteful mugs that are currently running the show.

You’ve never lived under a Liberal government, have you?

Maybe a few words will ring some bells: implosion, Queensland grass, green spray paint, futsal, Gungahlin.

I think it’s great. $400,000 is nothing in the scheme of things. If we followed the logic of not funding anything else until the problem of ‘hospital beds, better roads et al’ is completely ‘fixed’ then sport, community activities, music and cultural events shouldn’t ever get any funding either. What a boring city that would be.

I’m rusted-on Labor . . . but maybe it is time for a change.

I think this bloke is seriously out of touch. I’d like to see a show of hands if anyone has voted for this goose in the past, and keep your hand up if you plan to vote for him in the future (I assume a lot of people have their hands in their pockets now). I do see the value in public art and I appreciate most of what we currently have (to some degree) but not at the expense of higher priority spending. Perhaps other under funded corners of our community will receive a boost in funding if they label themselves as an “artistic venture” and apply for a grant. I hope anyone who has been offended by comments made by our Cheif Ministers has memory long enough to last until the next election.

Pommy bastard said :

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Pommy bastard said :

That the man thinks he has a god given right to lash out taxpayers dollars on whatever HE considers art just goes to show the grandiose narcissism of the man.

What would you prefer? Paintings of dogs playing poker at every bus stop?

Ah, now, that’s almost what we call “debating”, a shame you cannot do it without the personal attack, but small steps, small steps.

What I would like to see would be a range of options, presented at a local library or such, by a range of artists, on which the public could comment if they saw fit. This could take the form of a touring display around ACT libraries.

When the public have had a chance to comment on what their money is going to be spent on, then the commission could be given if sufficient support for the particular work which gathered the most plaudits.

See, that is what we call “putting a viewpoint forward for discussion”, you should try it.

I like that you have accused me of a personal attack in such a condascending post.

Very Busy said :

chewy14 said :

How out of touch can one man be?
If only we had a decent opposition and a public that would stop voting the same way out of habit.

Well, out of touch? yes. But far worse is the plain incompetence. However, I’m beyond being angry with Stanhope about the destruction of this town over the past 10 years. I’m more angry with the Canberra voters for continuing to reward this fool again and again. Once regarded as being highly educated the Canberra community have on a large scale tried to teach ACT labor a lesson by voting for an alternative…..and who did they choose?.. the Greens, OMG blind Fredy knows that the Labor/Greens coalition is alive and well and thriving.

As far as a decent opposition goes, it is now well beyond that. The opposition simply can be no worse than the incompetent, wasteful mugs that are currently running the show. We should be giving the alternative a go, there is nothing to lose. If they don’t prove themselves, then they too should be booted out after 4 years. If we keep voting for the same incompetence there will be much less turnover in candidates and the same lack of quality will be back term after term.

I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Honestly, you summed up my feelings on the issue perfectly. I couldn’t have said it better.

Skidbladnir said :

Walked straight into that one, didn’t you?

I was just sitting here thinking how wonderful and superior he was, and you’ve gone and ruined it.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Pommy bastard said :

That the man thinks he has a god given right to lash out taxpayers dollars on whatever HE considers art just goes to show the grandiose narcissism of the man.

What would you prefer? Paintings of dogs playing poker at every bus stop?

Ah, now, that’s almost what we call “debating”, a shame you cannot do it without the personal attack, but small steps, small steps.

What I would like to see would be a range of options, presented at a local library or such, by a range of artists, on which the public could comment if they saw fit. This could take the form of a touring display around ACT libraries.

When the public have had a chance to comment on what their money is going to be spent on, then the commission could be given if sufficient support for the particular work which gathered the most plaudits.

See, that is what we call “putting a viewpoint forward for discussion”, you should try it.

troll-sniffer said :

This lot of ingrates would have decried the Sistine Chapel or any other ‘waste of perfectly good money’.

The building itself was originally a fortress.
If you’re talking about the art inside, almost all of it was sourced from the private commissions of Pope Paul III and Pope Julius II to show off their personal wealth, institutional power, and status.

Walked straight into that one, didn’t you?

Pommy bastard said :

That the man thinks he has a god given right to lash out taxpayers dollars on whatever HE considers art just goes to show the grandiose narcissism of the man.

What would you prefer? Paintings of dogs playing poker at every bus stop?

That the man thinks he has a god given right to lash out taxpayers dollars on whatever HE considers art just goes to show the grandiose narcissism of the man.

In a city of public servants, world-renowned, nay probably legends of our galaxy, for being imaginative creative types interested in things other than Ch9, clubs and footy tipping, I find the above negative comments exactly to be what I’d expect from philistinian suburbanites.

I am no fan of half the sculptures and public art in this city but I am broad-minded enough to allow others the chance to appreciate it. This lot of ingrates would have decried the Sistine Chapel or any other ‘waste of perfectly good money’.

As for the assertion that taking the arts budget and applying it to the bottomless pit of social services would somehow have a magical fix-up effect is just plain naive. You could double the dollars poured into the health and housing sectors and you’d still have the same of number of whingers who refuse to be accountable for their own health and circumstances.

Reckon half the intelligentsia that come on here would look for the nearest Oktoberfest if you mentioned fill ‘er steins in their vicinity anyway.

Very Busy said :

Gerry-Built said :

are you kidding? Did you SEE what the other choice was??? 😉

are you kidding? Did you READ the rest of my post??? 😉

not at the time, no… then I realised you already covered it in that post – LOL 😉

Oh God its sad we voted him in because he was simply the best choice… eeek…

EvanJames said :

I think I’d prefer something that was not critically acclaimed. is that stupid bent girders thing critically acclaimed?

I think the Bridge Collapse looked better than that. At least it was spontaneous.

p1 said :

Sure, they might get some crap less critically acclaimed pieces as a result, …

Well, if what they’re currently getting is “critically acclaimed”, I think I’d prefer something that was not critically acclaimed. is that stupid bent girders thing critically acclaimed? That’s got eyebrows on it. Plenty of decent local artists and we might get something worth looking at.

p1 said :

Gerry-Built said :

Very Busy said :

I’m more angry with the Canberra voters for continuing to reward this fool again and again.

are you kidding? Did you SEE what the other choice was??? 😉

I’m pretty sure that there was no one running against him in the last election. I saw no evidence of them.

Oh c’mon!

On Polling Day Zed had all his illegally placed signage up!

http://the-riotact.com/on-the-length-of-a-piece-of-string-or-the-dobbing-in-of-cheating-cheats/9320

It speaks volumes about this city that even ‘creativity’ needs to be orchestrated, funded and implemented by public servants and the Government.

Gerry-Built said :

Very Busy said :

I’m more angry with the Canberra voters for continuing to reward this fool again and again.

are you kidding? Did you SEE what the other choice was??? 😉

I’m pretty sure that there was no one running against him in the last election. I saw no evidence of them.

Gerry-Built said :

are you kidding? Did you SEE what the other choice was??? 😉

are you kidding? Did you READ the rest of my post??? 😉

Very Busy said :

I’m more angry with the Canberra voters for continuing to reward this fool again and again.

are you kidding? Did you SEE what the other choice was??? 😉

EvanJames said :

I’m not against art, public or otherwise, and my neck isn’t red (good sunscreen) BUT I am against stupidly expensive art that looks like utter crap. There are artists making amazing stuff, and Stanhope is wasting money encouraging the ones who make weird rubbish.

The Sheep are pretty impressive (no idea what it’s about but I like them). What about that Zebra bloke, that was public art. The Bunyip statue, that’s good. Stuff on ANZAC Parade isn’t bad either.

But some bent pylons, and a stupid windmill-thing, if they were free they’d still be ugly, but together with their price tag, they’re offensive.

Fortunately people don’t have uniform taste in art, I certainly don’t like all art but I can understand that other people do. I don’t know how you can genuinely appreciate art but only be in favour of art that you like.

I’m not against art, public or otherwise, and my neck isn’t red (good sunscreen) BUT I am against stupidly expensive art that looks like utter crap. There are artists making amazing stuff, and Stanhope is wasting money encouraging the ones who make weird rubbish.

The Sheep are pretty impressive (no idea what it’s about but I like them). What about that Zebra bloke, that was public art. The Bunyip statue, that’s good. Stuff on ANZAC Parade isn’t bad either.

But some bent pylons, and a stupid windmill-thing, if they were free they’d still be ugly, but together with their price tag, they’re offensive.

chewy14 said :

How out of touch can one man be?
If only we had a decent opposition and a public that would stop voting the same way out of habit.

Well, out of touch? yes. But far worse is the plain incompetence. However, I’m beyond being angry with Stanhope about the destruction of this town over the past 10 years. I’m more angry with the Canberra voters for continuing to reward this fool again and again. Once regarded as being highly educated the Canberra community have on a large scale tried to teach ACT labor a lesson by voting for an alternative…..and who did they choose?.. the Greens, OMG blind Fredy knows that the Labor/Greens coalition is alive and well and thriving.

As far as a decent opposition goes, it is now well beyond that. The opposition simply can be no worse than the incompetent, wasteful mugs that are currently running the show. We should be giving the alternative a go, there is nothing to lose. If they don’t prove themselves, then they too should be booted out after 4 years. If we keep voting for the same incompetence there will be much less turnover in candidates and the same lack of quality will be back term after term.

I would like to see Comrade Stanhope be completly transparent about the tender process. Who was consulted and what were their qualifications? How much of a hand did he have to play in the process? What does he get in return for seemingly favorable treatment of “artists” and their “art”?

p1 said :

I just think it is sad that there are no artists in Canberra they could commission to build this junk vibrant and society enriching art.

Surely, rather then $400k on a big thing from interstate, they could get eight $50k bits of art from up-and-coming young locals? Sure, they might get some crap less critically acclaimed pieces as a result, but in the long run, if even one in eight turns out to be good, they are no worse off. Plus, with eight, they might be able to put some down south….

Yes, but that would mean less invitiations to lovely parties p1, and that might be what it’s all about.

Well that and being praised as a visionary at lovely parties by interesting people.

I just think it is sad that there are no artists in Canberra they could commission to build this junk vibrant and society enriching art.

Surely, rather then $400k on a big thing from interstate, they could get eight $50k bits of art from up-and-coming young locals? Sure, they might get some crap less critically acclaimed pieces as a result, but in the long run, if even one in eight turns out to be good, they are no worse off. Plus, with eight, they might be able to put some down south….

How out of touch can one man be?
If only we had a decent opposition and a public that would stop voting the same way out of habit.

That’s one way to win friends and influence people…. though might not be a vote winner.

Yet another pathetic comment from a joke of a man who is no more than an overpaid public servant who continues to prove how ridiculously out of touch he is with the community he has been untrusted with looking after.

I am sure that the people (rednecks or philistines maybe) who sit in the Canberra Hospital Emergency Department for 15 hours on a Tuesday night waiting for treatment at our underfunded and rundown hospital will be comforted by the fact their taxes continue to pay for overpriced and ugly artwork all over town while the rest of the infrastructure continues to crumble around them. What name will you give them Jon? I call them “voters”.

Let’s all hope too that following complaints from inmates about the food at the 5 star AMC criminal resort and day spa, that Stanjoke reacts accordingly like the solid leader he is and employs a 2 hat chef in there to make sure the lawbreakers have access to their lobster and Moet that they so desperately deserve and are entitled to. That’s right Jon, make sure you look after those “rednecks” and not your other tax paying, law abiding citizens.

This guy lost the plot a long time ago. If you want to start a name calling war Jon, how about we start calling you “Gadaffi” because you are no better than that dictator. You can’t even run a toy government properly you clown…

This namecalling of the wider public by Mr Stanhope shows how defensive he really is about the public art issue. I think that Mr Stanhope would find that most of his constituency are ‘philistines’. Personally, I love the idea of public art, but fail to see how it gets prioritised over far more essential services. It’s the equivalent of whitewashing the house to hide the fact that the kids are dressed in rags.
IMHO, Canberra is becoming the real struggletown, while Mr Stanhope just fiddles.

As a graduate in useless studies (art history) I had to laugh at Stanhope’s outburst. I think the vast majority of the public arts that has been commissioned during Stanhope’s time as Chief Minister has been of questionable quality and worth and tax payer funds could have been utilised in a much better way. My aesthetic judgements aside I also have issue with the funding of such an activity when essential services that benefit all members of the ACT community such as hospitals, schools, police, emergency services etc are not adequately funded. Priorities please.

gooterz said :

Apart from the silly windmill thingo’s has there been any public art on the south side of the lake or any spending really?

There is some public art on the south side of the lake but you would have to look hard to find it – the sculpture I am thinking of is on Alexandrina Drive just past the Yacht Club

Arrogance:
1) Highhanded self interest;
2) Contempt for others.

The solution to the problem is right there in the article:
Mr Stanhope said community response to public art was becoming more muted and said the majority of the feedback he now received was positive.
”I believe there is a growing community acceptance of the influence and value of public art,” he said.

Apparently the majority of detractors have resigned themselves to the Government’s (and the Arts Panel’s) total lack of substantial or quality consultation, so any remaining detractors have been sidelined as uncultured rednecks, regardless of any validity to their comments, or the fact they’re actually the dissenting taxpayers getting stuck with the bill.
Why does the ACT Arts Panel, made entirely of arts academics and art establishment, keep buying from interstate artists who are at the peak of their popularity and price cycle, and now considered part of that same arts establishment?
The Panel are probably under the illusion taxpayers are simply offering art criticism, instead of having legitimate concerns about the decisions being made and the fact that even though they might think something is priceless so needs to be bought regardless of the price tag it carries, its not actually their money they’re spending.

Disabuse them of those beliefs, whinge in writing directly to the Minister, and don’t bother with pleasantry.
Educate him about anything that strikes you as a stupid idea of his, question the budgetary basis of his procurement, or just hold him responsible for the decisions of five member Arts Panel that answer directly to him.

Email is free and results in a Ministerial reply, ideally your question will cross multiple bureaucracies and result in some kind of investigation, helping clog a bureaucracy if your questions are phrased interestingly around an unusual (but coherent) topic.

(For example: “homeless people can’t eat bronze, and blue\orange lit sculptures will not keep them warm.
How many homeless families would benefit from a a similar-scale injection of public funds into the social services system?
Using FY10-11 DHCS estimates, how many warm meals, blankets, and referrals to the Commonwealth SAAP would be provided if an extra $600,000 were to be provided to soup kitchen or Outreach?
Were the itinerant population of Mount Ainslie used as a stakeholder reference group? Etc…)

gooterz said :

Apart from the silly windmill thingo’s has there been any public art on the south side of the lake or any spending really?

Fair point, the last one I can remember south of LBG was that head in Deakin.
We must have missed the policy announcement that public art will only ever get placed where Stanhope or the Arts Panel gets to see it or want their property values maintained.

In principle I’m in favour of public art. But having spent 10 to 15 minutes waiting on hold every single time I have phoned Canberra Connect in the last few months, like Jack Waterford in the Canberra Times I would prefer Mr Stanhope invested the money in the ACT Govt call centre 132281. Those call centre operators tell me they are critically short-staffed, copping abuse from the public, and stressed. Arrogant, rude Labor government deserves the NSW treatment at the next election.

Apart from the silly windmill thingo’s has there been any public art on the south side of the lake or any spending really?

I’m not going to judge if $400,000 is worth it for the artwork, but wouldnt it be nicer if they did alot of art for alot of people not just really amazing half a million dollar art for people to stare at while on a smoke break!

Sadly in adversarial politics, its not enough that a person disagrees with you. In adversarial politics they are wrong, and somehow morally questionable.

Stanhope is a joke and a worthless leader. Calling his constituents “redneck or have philistine-type instincts” because they have a difference of opinion on an expensive and unnecessary art installation, is immature and just show’s how out of touch with reality he is.
Has he ever done anything that is actually good and not trivial??

Ah “philistines”. Haven’t heard that for a while, one of the favourite put-down terms used by Phillip Adams and others in the chardonnay left.

When I was involved with the student newspaper at the CCAE (Uni of Canberra) in the late 1980s it was common for student newspapers to have an anonymous column called On the Right Side. I wanted to write such a column for our paper but our very left wing editor-in-chief wouldn’t allow it. I then hit on the idea of calling it On the Right Side by Phil E. Stein and it was allowed 🙂