Art Across The City 2012 Project Manager, Gordon Dalton, falls down in a forest, but does anyone hear him?
Four days before our launch isn’t probably the best time to get philosophical. Installation is well under way with Fiona Curran, David Marchant and Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan’s work in place, with David Blandy and Jock Mooney all ready to install.
Despite the weather, the technical team of Eifion Porter, Richard Robinson and Sean Puleston have worked tirelessly and without complaint. I’m pretty sure philosophy isn’t at the forefront of your mind when it’s blowing a gale and the rain is horizontal.
However, a comment by a passer by yesterday raised an interesting point. Battling with an umbrella, a rather dapper gentlemen said ‘No one will see it if this weather keeps up,’ and then added ‘If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?’ before he was blown down Oxford Street.
We made a concentrated effort this year to make the commissions as public as possible. They are slap bang in the city centre and all within a ten-minute walk of each other (five, if this wind keeps up). I’ve seen far too many projects go ignored, or rather, seen them hidden away by curators and artists from the most important element of public art – the people who see it.
The artworks are placed where people shop, where people socialise, where they relax and on routes where they walk to work. They are almost impossible to miss on a daily basis. A large proportion of the public will see these works at least twice a day for over 40 days and nights. Whilst that initial hit of surprise and curiosity of what has arrived in their city centre is crucial, a long-term daily relationship can be very rewarding.
We know that the people of Swansea will see the work. What we don’t know quite yet is if anyone else will. Does it have a significant effect outside of Swansea? Outside of Wales? The UK? This is why partnerships with www.a-n.co.uk are so important. We need to spread the word as far as possible. Social media allows our reach to extend further so more people get to see the work, even if it is remotely.
So maybe it should be the wittier ‘If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, where are they?’
The dapper gentlemen had a point but should maybe have asked ‘If public art is placed in regional cities but no one outside those cities are there to see it, does it exist?’
The answer, through curiosity, outreach, education, pr, social media, critical dialogue and good old word of mouth, would be an unequivocal yes.
