After questions arose on whether artistic guidelines werefollowed, a Chicago Park District committee Wednesday put offaccepting four huge stainless steel sculptures now atop the IllinoisCenter Athletic Club.
The 4-ton, approximately 20-foot-tall "Sholl Wings" sculpturesby Japanese artist Susumu Shingu were offered to the Park Districtbecause the club finds upkeep and maintenance too difficult.Climbing the sculptures' rigging for regular cleaning and anti-rustapplications requires the club to close.
The Park District would pay $15,000 to remove and transport thepieces from the club, 211 N. Stetson.Erma Tranter, executive director of Friends of the Parks,questioned "why we should incur a cost to taxpayers to take this offthe club's hands" and suggested a thorough screening by an art reviewcommittee.Mary Gray, author of A Guide to Chicago's Public Sculpture andformer member of a now-defunct Park District art review committee,said the Park District "should be free to accept and sell (gifts) orkeep them, but they shouldn't be bound by them."These things should be considered carefully on all levels todetermine quality and see if there is a need," Gray said.Park District general counsel Joan Fencik said the sculpturescomplied with artistic guidelines established in 1995.Fencik said the sculptures could be placed in various parks ortogether at the proposed Northerly Island Park.The Park District cultural affairs committee Wednesday deferredacceptance of the gift until a May 15 meeting, at which it will beexplained how the district applied the guidelines."Sholl Wings" - valued around $200,000 - was commissioned by theathletic club's owners when it opened six years ago. Shingu'ssculpture "Wind Circus" was exhibited in Grant Park for severalmonths during a 1988 tour of several U.S. cities.
No comments:
Post a Comment