“Sunbather” design approved Oct. 26
Nov. 4, 2015 By Jackie Strawbridge
A large, pink sculpture that sparked considerable debate last year has been approved for installation on Jackson Avenue.
“Sunbather” by artist Ohad Meromi received final design approval from the Public Design Commission at an Oct. 26 meeting, according to the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA). It will be built at Jackson Avenue/43rd Avenue before the end of next year.
As the LIC Post reported in October, DCLA refused to make updated renderings of the sculpture publicly available ahead of this meeting, which was scheduled with minimal community notification or opportunity for public input.
However, now that the sculpture has been approved, the agency has released a new rendering.
A spokesperson said the final design is “very similar” to plans that were presented to the Community Board last year, although its orientation on the street median has shifted.
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29 Comments
I would like to take this opportunity to commend this unique artist on his work. Aside from the bureaucracy of it all, I think this piece is stunning. Bravo!
To R185, the second comment above, Count me among those who would be happier with the actual rotting and stinking corpse of a dead governor in that space than the Sunbather.
Bestis, You aren’t addressing the main beef people have, so please have a little respect and stop repeating the strawman arguments above. People might not particularly like the sculpture (and I include myself among them), but that isn’t the real issue to be angry about. I’m not a barbarian, an idiot, or a simpleton for disliking how this sculpture was approved. I object to what appears to be an underhanded and opaque process of funneling a very large amount of public money to a well-connected artist by an agency operating in the shadows. Can you not see how sleazy this arrangement is? If we were talking about a city contract to award money to concrete suppliers, people would be unanimous in condemning the shady deal. But because it has to do with art, the elitists feel compelled to keep quiet for fear of appearing like undereducated rubes. And that’s really shameful because wrong is wrong.
Very well stated.
Sounds like many on here have been watching too many episodes of Scandal.
I think the sculpture is unique, powerful and beautiful. People have the right to dislike an art piece as much as they have the right to admire it. We live in NYC and public art forms can be very subjective. I may not like to listen to certain types of music however i would not suggest that we try to regulate what street musicians play. All these different opinions and expression make NYC a better place to live.
Street musicians come and go. They are not permanent, and tax payers don’t foot the bill. Nor is there some shady process and committee.
Also opposed to the elitism, sneakiness and lack of openness with the selection process. How can anyone have trust in the DCLA if this is the model for how they select and spend public money on street art? All my worst fears about the waste and corruption of city government in NYC have been encapsulated by this sad story.
Didn’t we sign a petition over the summer to kill this project? Five points was art and it didn’t cost us taxpayers a cent. This is costing us all a lot, not to mention the likely traffic accidents that will ensue based on it’s placement. Aside from that it’s ugly and I heard the artist was sleeping with one of the members of the selection committee. So there’s that.
Good point. Five Points was Queens. It should have been saved. It attracted people from all over the world.This will just attract flies. This money should have been spent disassembling those walls and moving them to a museum or at least incorporating them into the design of the new buildings. That developer was very shortsighted and almost criminal in his disregard for the neighborhood. He could have built something amazing, instead, he is building another cheap, stale tower.
Not opposed to art. Opposed to the offensive cost.
I think how loud and obnoxious this art is, considering it’s placement is a big part of the problem. It’s in the middle of a road that is ATROCIOUS to say the least, the whole neighborhood suffers from some of the worst pothole ridden streets in the city, with it’s infrastructure constantly being dug up to allow for developers high rise buildings that the neighborhood can’t support. This sculpture stands more of a slap in the face on how out of touch the local government is by facing art down our throats funded by OUR money, when we really need is better roads and a lot more things that the government should supplying, not art, we have museums for that.
Pink represents compassion, nurturing and love, a sense that everything will be okay.
Pretty awesome…giants are cool =)
What is more important than everyone else liking your art is if YOU actually like it. I am happy about the sculpture! It has a spark of originality (unfamiliarity). If the artist wanted the sculpture to be liked by everyone, then they would of chosen safe work, which would of been painfully unoriginal and trite.
Well then the artist should pay for it.
AND have it installed at his front door!
I like art but the last two public art projects I have seen have been atrocious. The green and pink painted bike lane concrete dividers and now this pink thing. Personally, I think art is important, but maybe we can vote on the next project rather than have some tasteless person decide for us.
Sit down and think about what it is that disturbs you. Try to put your finger on it. The more you think, the more it helps you realize why you *feel* things … the more it is art. There’s no law that says art has to be liked by everyone. I see it as an amazing piece! And if art is intended to evoke emotions, the artist succeeded.
I am a graphic designer who graduated from art school. What bothers me about it is it is ugly. On top of that, it is pink. In my opinion, when choosing public art that is taxpayer funded, the pieces should be appealing to the masses. This type of art is not appealing to the masses. Also, I don’t believe art needs to be overanalyzed. Either you like it or you don’t. Simple.
If you’re against this waste of taxpayer money, feel free to contact the mayor with a few choice words about it. It’s easy – just go here:
http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/contact-the-mayor.page
This pink piece of shit will be installed unless we start raising our voices beyond internet comments…
Better yet, let the “artist” who is trying to pawn off this piece of crap on the taxpayer know what you think of his “art”.
http://www.ohadmeromi.com/contact/
ohad@ohadmeromi.com
City Hall to LIC: You don’t need more schools or first responders – or even paved and cleaned streets – we’re going to give you some shitty bubble gum art instead. http://ltvsquad.com/2015/05/18/reopen-closed-lic-williamsburg-fire-houses/
An absolute disgrace. Please don’t build this piece of s….!
We New Yorkers are paying taxes, tolls, hidden taxes up to our ears, and OUR hard earned money is handed over to be spent by these people to do what they damn want, completely disregarding what we want.
What an eyesore. We should be paid for having this pink piece of shit in the area vs paying the “artist” for inflicting it on us.
Pull your nose away from a computer monitor and visit a museum in the flesh, expand your mind and your vocabulary.
I dnt need to go to a museum to know a piece of shit being rammed down my throat courtesy of my tax dollars when I see it.
I like it. Better than a statue of a dead governor.
This is a travisty. A true waste of taxpayer dollars when we have crumbling infrastructure and lack of schools in the area.