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The City Plaza’s New Sculptures

• seekthesummit10/23 11:23 AM

  The “Toy Defense” sculpture reminds me of the show BattleBots. Remember it?  Remote control robots destroyed each other. Man that was good TV.

• VaNC10/23 12:19 PM

  The three pieces are temporary…one year, not permanent.

• David10/23 12:22 PM

  Ah, thanks for the heads up Va, I missed that in the release.

• VaNC10/23 12:28 PM

  No prob!

  FYI- The Galucci light towers and bollards, as well as Horizon LIne, by Susan Harbage Page and Juan Logan, are permanent.  More info on Horizon Line, which is the interactive piece covering power equipment in the alley between the Marriott and the bank building:  http://www.raleighnc.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_306_207_0_43/http;/pt03/DIG_Web_Content/category/Government/arts/Cat-1C-2009812-143935-horizonline.html

• VaNC10/23 12:31 PM

  Rats…bad link…if it doesn’t work this time…I quit!

  http://www.raleighnc.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_306_207_0_43/http;/pt03/DIG_Web_Content/category/Government/arts/Cat-1C-2009812-143935-horizonline.html

• Jonathan10/23 02:01 PM

  Here are some pictures I took during the grand opening this morning:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/sets/72157622522714621/

  My one concern is that there is a big focus on lighting and nighttime with the plaza, and while it sounds like it’s going to be really impressive, I’m not sure there is much reason for people to be down there at night other than hotel guests and people who are going specifically to see the plaza.

  I know we have plenty of bars downtown, but it seems like that could have been a good use for one of the plazas, with outdoor seating.  It would have been a fantastic atmosphere at night.

• Jonathan10/23 02:01 PM

  And by one of the plazas, I meant one of the pavilions.

• Brian10/23 11:15 PM

  Still unimpressed with this boring, uninspired architectural flop of a plaza, and it cost $15 million to get completed?!

• CJT10/24 09:29 AM

  I concur with Brian.  There is actually a July 2008 estimate at over $17 million.  The towers alone were over $2 million.

• VaNC10/24 10:16 AM

  One thing you need to remember in looking at the cost of the Plaza was that it is a road built over a three story deep parking garage.  There was lots of infrastructure (engineering, electrical, plumbing, electronics) that had to be pulled out and totally redone from the old plaza and brought up to date to make the new fountain, lights, and four buildings function, as well as make this infrastructure available and flexible for the space to multi-task as a road, concert space, festival space, parade route, etc. etc. etc. All on top of a old parking garage.

• JRD10/24 10:46 AM

  ^  The parking garage is new.  Unimpressed with the art or sculptures or whatever.  Looks ridiculous.

• Justin688210/24 11:20 AM

  Actually, the parking garage under city plaza is not new - the new parking garage starts after the plaza ends.

• JRD10/24 04:29 PM

  Either way, i would hate to see the other sculptures that didnt make the cut.

• CXBJ10/24 07:06 PM

  This will be an evolving space. There has been a lot of investment, but its a public space that will shaped ultimately by the citizens. There is still a lot of room (physical, social etc) for change and shaping what ‘city plaza’ is.

• John10/24 08:56 PM

  It will feel much better when (if) the new buildings get built.

• Brian10/25 04:12 AM

  If what VaNC says is correct, then it’s great to know that those sculptures are temporary and on loan. They’re not really horrible, but they make no kind of statement about the city, they’re not interactive, nor are they very interesting. Just my opinion, and we all know the economy is in a bad way right now, but maybe in the near future, the city will come up with something better. I can’t get that giant silver bean out of my mind in Chicago.

• notenoughart10/25 05:24 PM

  JRD, it’s my guess that you would hate to see sculpture in general.  Maybe you and Brian should work on a collaboration.  What a beautiful piece it would be, the two of you on horseback, gesturing toward starbucks with that look of “anything can happen,” a warm golden brown patina. . . precious. 
  Better get crackin’, because even though art is the easiest thing in the world to do, finding a worthy steed to model with might take some time.

• smitty10/25 05:36 PM

  I think this is great.  Raleigh government of the past 20 years has been an artphobic and this possibly shows a break from that.  Ugly art is better than no art.  Ugly art gets people talking and inspires others to step up and do better.

• Veekee10/25 06:48 PM

  I love the sculptures. So excited to see some art in Raleigh that isn’t just a boring figure. It’s hilarious to read the haters, pretty much every city in the world has interesting art like this. Welcome to the present day.

• JRD10/25 07:03 PM

  notenoughart,

  I actually like sculpture, what I dont like is having to stare at it for two hours trying to figure out what it is or what it means or represents.  People like seeing artistic representations of familiar objects and images.  Looking at these sculptures, I see nothing.  I just dont get it.  A couple of them look like giant toys.  Not very inspiring at all IMO and I think most people would agree with that. 
  But hey, your smart ass comment actually inspires me.  I will try to come up with something.  Perhaps soon.

• JYu10/25 08:22 PM

  While I applaud the efforts of the city and artists involved in the new City Plaza public art pieces, I had much much higher hopes. Imagine what could have been considering that Jaume Plensa was once on board to create an art installation unique to downtown Raleigh.

• Drew B10/25 08:24 PM

  On first impression, I am very impressed with the results of this square. Can’t be completely sure until I check it out during the day, and see how flexible it is though.

  As far as the sculpture is concerned, Opposing Forces looks great, and Bow is okay. Not too impressed with toy defense, but to each his own…

  There are probably a couple reasons to use fairly abstract pieces in a situation like this. 1, Since the pieces are meant to be rotated out, you won’t be getting anything built just for the location/situation. 2, Anything with a very specific meaning, will color all activities in the square and this sort of public space needs to be as flexible as possible.

• boylanhghts10/25 08:27 PM

  the most compelling part of the square is probably the fountain… I was a skeptic at first, but when you discover the motion detectors that allow you to literally run around it and interact with it can be pretty cool, especially while lit up at night…

• Brian10/25 09:39 PM

  From the vitriol from notenoughart, I imagine s/he is one of the sculptors on display. If that’s so, I can see why negative comments would hit a nerve. If you read my comments, they are not as hateful or sarcastic as yours were. Why do I bother writing comments on this site when people overreact so?

• arthurb310/26 10:44 AM

  I like the view from the Capital to Memorial Auditorium! I am not a fan of art but aslong as they keep them up and maintained its better than just dead trees. Although I would love to see big fountains or something of the like downtown. The roundabouts on Hillsborough St would be great for a fountain like the one in Wilmington’s rough about.

• smitty10/27 08:13 AM

  So they can bring back AAF with BYOB now?

• JRD10/27 01:22 PM

  Smitty,

  that sounds like the best idea ive heard.

• notenoughart10/27 11:10 PM

  Sorry for the snide remarks.  Newraleigh brings out the best in some of us.  I read these criticisms of growth, be they a gamble of a previously struggling bar in 5Points, or the unappreciated toil of artists, and I get filled with disdain. 
  But it’s a message board.  I should expect it, and not further fuel it.
  p.s. JRD, I can’t say that I’m a big fan of abstraction either.  If you need any help with your project let me know.

• JZ10/28 06:13 AM

  Given the energy and resources expended, the plaza is the biggest letdown in the reopening of Fayetteville Street. Previously I bestowed my disappointment on the interstate-quality Marriott our City Council approved.  Clearly, mediocrity is contagious as it is literally spreading north toward the center of downtown….

  This plaza looks like it was cobbled together from several different controlling interest.  I stood at the counter at Krispy Kreme on the Sunday afternoon TRYING to look out over the plaza.  Try as I might, the design would not allow me:  A light tower was placed directly in my field of view….

  Not to mention the delicacy of the bollards which are sure to get the hell beat out of them….the acorns on the top look like a cluster of phalluses…..

  Which brings me to my next point: why do we feel it necessary to obsessively explicate that we are the City of Oaks?!!  I GET IT.  Let’s show some sophistication people.  If one just has to render flora, there are plenty of examples (Louis Sullivan comes to mind) of how to do it right.  These light towers are cheap looking and amateurish.  From the guy who built the Exploris/Marbles gates, I am truly surprised…..

  And an astroturf lawn panel?!  Does John Kane/North Hills have a controlling interest here?  Will we see approved and paid buskers in this perpetually fertile, plastic green space?  Please tell me this is temporary…..

  I’m not a complete curmudgeon, however….I was thrilled to see the reintroduction of the old chess/checkers tables.  A great, everyday people-oriented feature that does not rely on some City-sponsored ploy to draw people downtown.

• JZ10/28 06:49 AM

  sorry that rant was bit off topic….the art seems to be consistent with the general mileau, however…..(unfortunately).

• Chad12/01 03:37 PM

  Life size Z-Bot!

  

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