This afternoon, for the first time since it opened, I walked by the new Chihuly exhibit. I wasn’t going to pay $19 to get in* so I can’t speak to the exhibit itself. Still, walking by I was struck by having to walk by it. Where once you could cut through the fun forest, the area is now fenced off.
That’s been true for some time, of course, but with the construction fencing down, and seeing Seattle Center how it’s going to be for the foreseeable future, now is as good as any time to reflect what we lost.
I know thinking of privately owned silly amusement park rides as a public amenity is over the top. But it’s more of one than a walled off courtyard. And I know there are plenty of areas in Seattle Center that are walled off. I’ve been to enough plays and concerts there. I know with the Science Center, the Children’s Museum and the Children’s Theater, (not to mention plenty of open space) Seattle Center is still more family friendly than much of the rest of the urban core. But it still feels like the loss of a public good.
* This isn’t a value judgement on anyone who would pay $19 to get in. It’s just not worth it to me. Also, it’s not a dig on Chihuly whose art is well liked with good reason. From what I could see on the outside, it looked very nice. It’s also not about holding a grudge because I disagreed with the exhibit; I mentioned earlier today that I go to Mariners games regularly despite thinking the funding was bad for the stadium.
Chihuly Glass is one of those things where, you’ve seen one, really you’ve seen them all.
He’s overrated as an artist. Really, all he is is a commander of artists. He does none of it himself. And don’t ever try to use any of the skills you learned in his school, he’ll sue your pants off.
I still think that he’s missing ou on a good thing by not making glass eyes in the ‘Chihuly’ style.
Columbo was a good show, but think how much more entertaining it would have been if Columgo had gone about his business with lttle yellow and red squiggles of glass poking out of his right eye.
Really? I hadn’t heard that – though it’s not a surprise, as he seems very focused on the business of art, rather than art.
I too find his ‘work’ tiresome, and the breathless adoration one finds around here for him misplaced. It does seem to be the same thing over and over.
It may be partly the medium, for me. I love the idea of glass – turning sand into a super-viscous fluid with tremendous heat – but most glass pieces I find sterile and cold. I much prefer ceramic or clay – the earthiness appeals to me.
He’s the de Grazia of WA
@4
This de Grazia? The self-proclaimed “Legendary Landmark of Art and Architecture”? Seems kinda grandiose.
Ted de Grazia’s art was omnipresent in the AZ of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. We grew up with it.
By the time the 80’s rolled around, AZ baby boomers had come to the conclusion that de Grazia had done a few good things, but he was a businessman first and foremost.
There is a local journalist (Seattle) who does a blog about growing up in Phx. the baby boomer years. He can give you a professional writer’s view on de Grazia and I’m sure you’ll see the similarities with Chihuly.
http://roguecolumnist.typepad.com/rogue_columnist/
@ 3
He considers techniques methods and shapes that are thousands of years old to be his own and has copyrighted them.
He’s a total hack.
Fuck Dale Chihuly. All he is is a thief.
Chihuly is a businessman selling a commodity (similar to carbonated sugar water) at a premium price (because he puts it in a different shape of bottle).
@ 8
He’s a hack selling designs he has no right to possess. He copyrighted designs and methods that have been the entirety of glasswork since the industry began over 2000 years ago.
He’s a thief.
Sounds a little like another Thomas Kinkaide…
Maybe it’s just me, but Chihuly seems to keep getting lots of accolades (not to mention lots of money) for his creations, while there are lots and lots of lesser-known glass artists here and elsewhere laboring away in little shops (being displaced from time to time by the march of “gentrification” through Belltown, Ballard, SLU, SODO and probably South Park once there’s a new bridge) turning out some pretty high-quality stuff. I’d much rather see a “gallery” in a public space like Seattle Center presenting the work of more than one practitioner of a given craft.