Art for What's Sake

Now in the deep doldrums of a Soybean Island Summer--aye, in the doldrums of my incarceration upon this isolated splot of land--I have given myself ersatz projects to perform. Missions for my listless days and lassitudinous mindset.

One of these projects/missions/quixotic-non-adventures was to find and view (and catalogue for the free world to see) the artwork here on the island.

Though not all that difficult, it is nonetheless an uneasy task . . . Artwork--public artwork in public spaces--is there simply because it is there. That is, it exists because the powers who put it there think it should exist. It is an expression of expectation. A display of some psychological attempt to pacify the people into believing that they live in a nice society because, well, look around--there's artwork in our parks! In fact, there are parks!

I suppose that makes little sense to any of you who live outside of Soybean Island. You fortunate souls.

Perhaps a few photos are best . . . But first, this preface:

Setting out to see some artwork--statuary, I should say--I began my journey in Carretorgetplatz Park.

Why?

Well, as I like to say, "Why not?"

What follows is what I saw:

This edifice was erected in 2001, it says. A somewhat strange piece for the space--a space oddity, you could say . . . But, along with the following photo, it quite matches the bland surroundings with its bland and squarish design.

Nice! If only there were a depiction of an ear of corn within the gray square . . .

Here is a bit of metal scrollwork:

Here is a bit of metal face work:

The above, possibly a homage to the plastic surgery industry, most likely honors and glorifies the facial-recognition technology used throughout Soybean Island . . .

Anyway, more art . . .

Ah. Metal. Silver. Curves. Thin, bladed, sharp-edged with blunt trauma intrusions. A decapitating piece!


Here are some very interesting figurative works which deserve some contemplation. They exist separately but also as a whole beneath a grove of trees. Look:

This, obviously, depicts a boy picking ticks off a stray dog so that he has something to eat because he has been abandoned. The dog, as you can see by its unnatural posture, has been forced to submit to the homeless, starving lad.

Here we have yet another sad, hungry male youth who stands waiting for something to happen, anything, someday, somehow . . .  But in the next exhibit, we see what is waiting for him:

Yes. An unmarked grave . . . Well, not unmarked, but a gravestone lacking any pertinent inscription, that's for sure.

But cheer up--look at the next piece in this grouping:

A horse! A boy and a horse! A boy's and a horse's posterior! They are looking at the boy and the abused dog, no doubt salivating . . .

And here, a toppled unmarked gravestone!

All in one place!

Let's look at the tick-picking boy once again:

Fascinating!

And the horse with the boy, anterior:

Why is the horse smiling?

Why is the boy touching the horse?

Are there enough ticks to go around?

I think these boys are gathered here with the animals because there are no girl statues present.

Anyway, here's one more, rather pointless, photo:

Good.

But, there was more to see:

This, I think, shows us a stylized great marlin covered in blood and jumping for its life out of the heavily-mowed sea of grass.

A closer look shows us the empathy the locals have for the sharp, slicing, metallic features hewn into this fishy statue.

Here you can see the care and craftsmanship that went into the welder's labor to make this bloody obelisk come to life.

I was moved.

Well, I moved on . . .


What follows is the last work of art I looked at at Carretorgetplatz Park.

It is the only work that I felt a true connection to.

I think words are unnecessary.

Yet, here are some words anyway:

What we see here is a work of grace and subtlety. The fine ironwork and shiny hexagons give it a spidery and simian feel while overall it looks like a complete mess--a mess with a certain wiry order, if you will. And color! Yes. It has color. I can say that. I can also say, I like it quite a bit. Yes. I actually like something!

Ah well. Perchance I will visit Carretorgetplatz Park again.

Then, again, I may not.

But I will search out more art for the sake of searching out more art. I promise.


Oneninefiveseven reporting for all to see.

Until next time, if there is a next time:

Goodbye from Soybean Island