Not everybody on the Wichita City Council had a favorable first impression Tuesday of the $150,000 light sculpture proposed for the Rock Road overpass at Kellogg. That’s not surprising. By definition, art and design strike each viewer differently. Part of the success of Wichita’s 16-year public art program has been its breadth, from traditional to contemporary. As council members take another month to consider the design, by artist Todd Whipple in collaboration with Dan Gegen and Chris Frank, they may better understand what prompted the 15 professionals on the city’s volunteer Art and Design Review Board to give the sculpture their unanimous approval. Wichita will make a lasting statement about itself in how it chooses to adorn and enhance such a visible intersection.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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18 Comments
I don’t get it.I still remember the pikes on the “old” gateway on main.It kind of reminds me of the days when the enemies of Vlad the Impaler had their heads placed on pikes at the gates of the city.
Why not plaster the intersection with those pretty bill boards like the one on Rock and Central instead?
Anything is better nothing. Also! Is there a larger view of that artist rendition?
Public art is great, but I think what it lacks is a theme or fluidity. Too much different public art makes it “plop art” and it doesn’t feel right.
Such as mrcontroversy’s post about the Gateway on Main St., then you have the neon tubes on Meridian and Central, well maybe that is a bad example since they are far apart.
Ok, lets look at East Kellogg. Don’t get me wrong, I love that is finally coming closer to being done and I have no real complaints about it, but the fluidity of Kellogg is a bit off. It makes it a little tacky. The Oliver overpass is great, but it doesn’t match the new stretch of Kellogg expansion. And even the new part between Edgemore and Woodlawn is a different shade of color. I have no idea why they did that. The sound retainment wall of Eastburough is red brick, but the one at College Hill is grey.
It’s nice to have a bit of fluidity and generally matching theme. What they do to Rock Road I fear is that it will be the same thing.
I’ve had it. Which is it, Eagle? Fiscal restraint and fiscal repsponsibility or frivolous spending on public “wants” not “needs.” Can’t have it both ways.
Joe Blow. Just to let you know that there is a provision that any major public infrustructure in the City of Wichita that is either being built or renovated set aside 1% of the construction budget on public art for that particular project.
The $150,000 for Rock Road is only 1% of the actuall cost.
Great idea. Like the morons who drive around here with unrestrained kids need something else to gawk at as they plow into someone from behind.
I recently saw the new turned Keeper and the monstrosity of a bridge they are building around it. It looks unbelievably ugly. The bridge would have looked better with the statue (which now looks really dated) facing downriver, and no one will use it anyway. I thought the time mural stuff on the Kellogg underpasses was stupid at first, but it has grown on me. My problem isn’t that Wichita needs community improvement; it is just the public art so often is so stupid. Improved green spaces, medians with plants, etc. would be a lot more aesthetically pleasing than crummy concrete and metal “art.” The best outdoor art in Wichita is at WSU. But, there they probably have their art faculty giving more input. Plus, Wichita has a great art museum. Let’s visit it, instead of building regular old construction with some artistic crap thrown on the side, posing as public art. So, since “art strikes each viewer differently,” is there any Wichita public art anyone likes? Or, maybe sometimes bad art is just bad.
So! Seeing as to how my Tax Dollars helped to pay for this Art along the Highway, How am I suppose to see it going 65 mph. or can I stop and take pictures. Art along the Highway like this is a waste of Money rather it be only 1% or .01%. At an intersection OK cause I can stop and stare but not where traffic can’t stop, thats just plain DUMB!
I agree, Allie. I would rather see more trees, flowers and other pretty landscaping. I haven’t seen one city art piece that I like. The one that represents the enty to the city on main street is the worst. And I can’t stand those plastic looking tube lights over by Riverside.
Here here Damoon everytime I see them they make me mad knowing that our tax dollars (one way or another) went to pay for them..I think they look like spools of thread stacked up on each other!! Yuck!!!
Reminds me of the “things” at Central/McLean. Why couldn’t they have just added a bit more landscaping to a pleasant site?
I’d rather see more trees, plantings and pretty landscaping. And less of this “highly artistic crap” that the city throws up!
The “Things,” at Central and McClean, are just a joke and add nothing, in any shape or form, to the area. What were they thinking?
Exploration Place, is probably a fine building. But, Why can’t it have some color? Looks like some Russian Gulag, from the 1920’s.
I won’t even discuss the Winged mass of sheet metal, hidden by Kellogg, off of Main Street What a disgusting, inefficient waste of money!
Seems like the objective, is to see how much money we can throw away, on crap that doesn’t impact your lifestyle, one little bit. But, your street floods, potholes everywhere, trash and litter abound. Those issues, seem to get no better.
Okay, I get it guys and girls. Let’s just have our city drab as hell with a few trees and flowers thrown here and there. That way our taxes will be low and pothole or two can be fixed on some obscure street that hardly anyone drives on.
To me, a city that makes a statement with art-adorned public spaces (the beauty of which is always in the eye of the beholder) is a much better place to live than what you are describing. Every city has potholes and trash, and believe it or not, Wichita is actually better than most cities in controlling these problems (KC is a hellhole, for instance). I’m not a big fan of all the public art projects, but I know others like them. There is something for everyone to appreciate, and each piece helps make Wichita a more attractive city.
Steve-I am glad you are positive about them, but which ones do you like? Or do your friends like? Since we mostly hear negitive things about them, it has made me wonder if there is a consensus of poor choices. Maybe that is just Wichita’s major inferiority complex coming out (from all the snide comments when we go out of town?).
I respect your comments on the Keeper, Allie, but I think it is going to be spectacular when it is done. Like you, at first I thought the bridges would overpower the Keeper, but now I’m not so sure. I think the bridges will serve to center attention on the Keeper.
I love the decorative stone walls in the museum district (not really sculpture, but still qualify as public art). The Waterwall at the Hyatt is first rate. The Kellogg and Oliver underpass is probably my favorite of any right now, probably because “The Journey is the Reward” quote is something I truly believe. The lights and water feature in Old Town Square are unique and truly impressive at night.
Not a big fan of the gateway sculpture at Kellogg and Main. I think the fans are undersized compared to the berms.
I would agree that our inferiority complex has a lot to do with our view of public art. Since we see ourselves as a second class city for some reason, maybe we feel we do not need public art. I’m open to any suggestions on how to get people around here to appreciate things other than NASCAR and Elvis collector plates! :)
I agree with your choices, Steve. I also like all the improvements they made in Riverside Park and the town center in the Delano District. I guess it’s not all bad. I’d still love to see more trees and landscaping though, because mother nature gives us the best art.
Good point about Riverside, Damoon. The interactive fountain, “stonehenge,” and the new pond and gazebo really make it unique and interesting.
It’s not that I’m against landscaping, don’t get me wrong. But my father used to work in the city’s parks and recreation department, retiring a few years ago. Maintainence of landscaping is always an afterthought for the city. It budgets very little money to take care of trees, grass, flowers, etc in parks or along streets. If the city could actually maintain landscaping or at least keep these features from dying, I would be all for additional landscaping.
Can anyone tell me how to contact Todd Whipple? We were friends at Wichita State University and I have been trying to locate him since I moved back to Alaska in 1981.
Thanks – Deb Z (aka Garcia)