I Hate to Alarm You...

image from greatergreaterwashington.org

Happy Friday, Friends! Did you catch the radio program yesterday on the graffiti along the Red Line of the Metro? Saaret Yoseph’s documentary, The Red Line D.C. Project, is based on her belief that “in Washington, D.C., the most accessible art form isn’t in the museums. It’s on the Metro.” It was an interesting program with strong opinions on both sides of the tagging issue.

 While the destruction/improvement (depending on your perspective) of private property is obviously a sensitive subject, I have to agree that successful public art is uniquely compelling today because of its accessibility. Context definitely alters the way that we view works of art. While museums have an unquestionably important role, I am attracted to the idea of art that meets you in the midst of your day. In fact, one of the sub-objectives of AS IS is to question the distinction between fine art and street art. By installing traditional, formal paintings on the streets and inviting people to take what might otherwise be considered precious art objects right off the walls and corners of the city, I hope to blur the line a bit and ask whether fine art is really fine if it propped against a dumpster or loading dock. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Also, if you live in the greater Washington, DC area, you can listen to NPR's story on AS IS today at 1:00 PM on Metro Connection (channel 88.5 for DC folks), and if you are out of town, a podcast of the show will be available online after the program airs.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!