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Kelvin Patterson
Tilted Arc was commissioned by the Arts-in-Architecture program of the U.S. General Service
Administration to be installed in the Federal Plaza in New York City. The sculpture is the work of
renowned minimalist artist Richard Serra whose work of art has been known for producing provocative
reaction from the public and the art community at large. Richard Serra's sculpture was not meet with
some criticism. The loan wolf in the campaign to dismantle the Titled Arc was Judge Edward Re who
wanted to have the Arc relocated. This of course was met with resistance from the artist and a
percentage of the public as the fought to prevent the removal of the controversial art installation.
Because of outcry from Judge Edward Re, William Diamond the U.S. General Service Administration
regional administrator held a public hearing for the purpose of establishing whether or not Richard
Serra sculpture should be relocated. This hearing lasted about four years and ended in March 1985. At
the time of the hearing, testimony was heard by 180 people. Of that number only 122 were in favour of
having the sculpture retain its address on the plaza of the Federal building and these were all members
of the general public. While the remaining 58 people who advocated for the relocation of the sculpture
were members of the public who worked in the building. The arguments presented for the removal of
the sculpture was that it interfered with public use of the plaza; presents a canvas for graffiti and could
be used by terrorist as a blast wall for bombs. Needless to say, that as silly as these arguments were,
they were enough for the five member jury to vote four to one in favour of removing the sculpture.
In the mists of all the controversy surrounding the Tilted Arc, what was most unfortunate in the whole
debacle was the injustice that was done to the community of artist who are normally commissioned for
such work. The arguments that were presented in support of removing the Titled Arc were opinion
based and had little or no merit. Further more the General Service Administration was in breach of its
contract the moment they when ahead with the relocation of Serra's art work.
If there is outcry every-time the public dislikes a display of public art or every time they don't
understand its meaning, then there would be no art to appreciate in the public realm. Public art should
be allowed to exist the way the artist intended. With regards to the Titled Arc, the General Service
Administration knew what they were getting from the beginning of the process and if they did not like
it should have found a different artist to create something they would have all be happier with, without
At the end of the day, the decision was a premature one. Sad to say Richard Serra's art work never
really had a fair chance to be fully appreciated by the public for whom it was created. Never the less,
despite of the removal of the sculpture, to date it is probably the most well known of Serra's work
Citations:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/flashpoints/visualarts/tiltedarc_a.html
http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/martin/art_law/tilted_arc.htm