Pointe of Art

Park Library Set to Open - Without Art - 10/04
by Robert Maniscalco

The Grosse Pointe Park Public Library is set to open in December, 2004. That''s the good news. The bad news is the public art that was originally intended as part of the library has been put on hold. The Board of Trustees had it right: to create a great library you must have great art. That''s why in June they allocated $165,000 for the purchase of art to enhance the new library, which is now in its final phase of construction. The money was part of over $1.25 million donated by private sources through the Grosse Pointe Library Foundation. The Board had even gone so far as to commission artists to begin work.

Then at the July meeting of the Board of Trustees a group of citizens came to asked why the Board had not involved the community in the choice of artists and the type of art selected. The citizen group, lead by local arts patrons, wanted to know why the Board commissioned out-of-state artists when there are an abundance of creative resources available locally. They also questioned how and why certain themes and colors had been selected. In response to what they perceived as complaints the Trustees abruptly canceled all art purchases, which also included tile commissioned from Pewabic Pottery.

As a result of this mis-communication everyone has lost. It''s not just that now both local and out-of-state artists are losing a piece of potential livelihood. What''s of greatest concern is that the entire community is being deprived of the artistic vision which would have distinguished this Library as a unique destination, generating immeasurable cultural and economic benefits for its citizens. Those of us in the art community know how rare public art funding can be; this is no time for squabbles. This money was wisely budgeted as an investment in our community and needs to go toward the purchase of public art.

Naturally, I would urge the Board of Trustees, staff and donors to work with local artists, patrons, galleries and consultants to find a local solution. I''m confident they will discover an incredible wealth of talent in the Detroit area to fulfill their vision for an exceptional facility. After all, there are a number of criteria for the selection of public art; shouldn''t one of them be that it reflect the culture of the people who inhabit the community? Or, more to the point, shouldn''t public art involve public participation and a transparent selection process? "Normally, yes," says library trustee, Laura Bartell. "But because these are private funds the donors have a significant role in any decisions about how the funds will be used."

This certainly wouldn''t be the first time local talent has been overlooked and it won''t be the last. For instance, former Governor Engler recently commissioned a Pennsylvania artist, Nelson Shanks, to paint his official portrait, paying over eight times the fees charged in past years by internationally renown Michigan portrait artists. Sure its an insult to the fine portrait painters of our state, but it happens all the time, all over the world. Genius is frequently taken for granted in its own backyard. I might point out that have one or two portraits in Pennsylvania collections.

The point is, if the people writing the checks want to hire an out-of-state artist, then we all need to find a way to live with it. Because, in the final analysis, when all of us are dead and gone, it is the art that will remain.

A Tribute to Marilyn Morris

In early June, our community lost a beloved art spirit. Her name was Marilyn Morris, who, without a lot of hype and fanfare, owned and operated Mack Avenue Framing near Kerby for over sixteen years. Through the years she exhibited and developed the careers of a number of local artists, enhancing our community with her humor, talent and professionalism. She made everyone''s life a little richer and fuller with her passion and dedication, not only to fine art but in her work as an expert custom framer as well. Erin, her last employee and protege remembers her as a generous and kind mentor: "A lot of our area''s top custom framers learned their trade from her over a period of many years." Erin now works at the Maniscalco Gallery where she continues her work as a master framer and interior decorator. Marilyn was trusted and appreciated by a loyal following of friends and customers. When Marilyn left this world, her business, her pride and joy, was closed, also with little hype and fanfare. She will be sorely missed.

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