According to the good folks at 麻豆传媒映画Biennale, one of the characteristics of worthy public art is its ability to prompt discussion.
At least thats what I was told in 2009 while writing about a particularly unpopular sculpture installation, which included sets of stop signs erected at Vanier and Charleson parks.
At the time, I heard from many Courier readers unhappy about the signs that made up Michael Zhengs installation entitled, fittingly enough, The Stop. I also heard from a reader who loved the piece and sent me a picture of himself with one of the stop signs.
If discussion is the mark of a good piece of public art, it seems 麻豆传媒映画Biennale has done it again with A-maze-ing Laughter, the installation at English Bay made up of 14 huge, bronze statues, each frozen in mid-laugh. I recently wrote about A-maze-ing Laughter because 麻豆传媒映画Biennale is attempting to purchase the piece due to its popularity. 麻豆传媒映画Biennale wants 麻豆传媒映画residents/taxpayers to each contribute $5 towards the $1.5 million price tag.
麻豆传媒映画Biennale says the piece is so popular it should remain in the city, despite the fact most sculptures included in the biennial public art festival are sold after being displayed for two years. Chinese artist Yue Min-jun is even on board and has offered to drop his asking price from $5 million to $1.5 million. In return for the money raised to purchase A-maze-ing Laughter, 麻豆传媒映画Biennale says it will loan the sculpture back to the city for decades.
When I wrote about 麻豆传媒映画Biennales efforts two weeks ago, I mentioned how much I not only enjoy A-maze-ing Laughter, but also the reactions of passersby.
That was all it took. I then heard from a reader who signed an anonymous note, NOT A FAN. I soon discovered via email there are many residents who also arent fans of the piece, including a longtime psychotherapist who uses humour to help clients move through catastrophic events or painful life challenges. Lou Evans wrote to say, Writing to add my name to the list of NOT FANS. I would contribute to a fund to have them removed. As you see by my email address, I am a believer in the healing power of humour, and have devoted considerable time in my professional life as a psychotherapist to the role of laughter in health and healing. My experience of these grotesque figures is to run quickly in the opposite direction! A prominent public space for me invites art that is subtle, evocative and inspiring.
I also heard from a reader who wrote, I second the letter Not A Fan. I think we should pay to have these sculptures removed. 麻豆传媒映画deserves much better. I find those figures grotesque, imposing and supercilious. (I wonder what he really thinks.)
Another reader compared the figures from A-maze-ing Laughter as horrible oversized garden gnomes, and suggested the statues were created to purposely mock the good citizens of Vancouver, but we just havent figured that out yet.
This city has great natural and man-made assets, why defile them with such insults, the reader added.
And finally, I heard from a reader writing in defence of the sculptures. Lyn Guy likens the significance of the sculpture to the beloved Hollow Tree in Stanley Park. Guy lives in the West End and often stops to observe the interaction of passersby with the giant, laughing men. She notes that until the laughing statues were installed, a photograph showing that stretch of beach could be mistaken for any similar landscape in the world.
A-maze-ing Laughter will now make those photos instantly recognizable as being from Vancouver, she says.
There is a simple, wholesome pleasure in these giants that is similar to the joy we felt during the Winter Games, Guy added.
Watching the reactions Ive seen from residents and tourists alike, I have to agree.
Twitter: @sthomas10
