Monday, April 27, 2009

New Queens Table monuments?

A small group of anonymous donors is proposing a set of new public monuments for Charlotte. The monuments would sit beside the South Tryon Street bridge at I-277.

Click here to see the proposal. (Rendering is on page 7).

The donors established the Queen’s Table Fund in 1991. Prior gifts include Sculptures on the Square; Hezekiah Alexander House, Charlotte Museum of History; Queen Charlotte at Douglas International Airport; Aspire, bronze sculpture on the CPCC central campus; and Wind Sculpture on West Trade Street.

The group hopes to install two monuments at at the north bridge approach of S. Tryon Street Bridge by late summer or early fall.

Annual maintenance costs for the city are estimated at $ 8,450.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

me likey

Anonymous said...

I think they should add super soaker cannons at the corners as well; charge $1 to shot water at cars on I-277 for 30 seconds (fun for the family, free car wash for the drivers on the interstate). That would make the afternoon commute more interesting. XD

Anonymous said...

since people want to donate money for pretty art during these times i have a good idea....install a large barrell and fill it with money and gasoline and then set the money on fire...it would provide the same artistic appeal and would keep people warm during the winter

Anonymous said...

Well, I hope they come up with something better than that Queen Charlotte thing at the airport. You know, the one that looks like she's being blown backwards by jet exhaust?

Anonymous said...

Looks like 2 unreachable parks. I do not understand what the statues representent. Why not put the money and the $5,000 a year from the city into a trust to fund more housing for the homeless. We need alot more of that.

Anonymous said...

don't fall for the smoke and mirrors - there's a master plan for that overpass to be built up and turn into a shopping/entertainment area - installing art parks simply moves the pawn one step closer for those who stand to make a lot of money developing it. There are FAR better places for the "art" to go.

Anonymous said...

They look like oversized bus stops. Those glassy curves will get so dirty!

Anonymous said...

elegant and simple, thumbs up

Anonymous said...

such a waste of money, like those "loop" by the BlueLine. Invest the money into something that is going to make a difference, a child-day care, crisis assistance, even donate to one of the children's wing at the hospitals.

dharmamama said...

It looks like a satellite dish - all we need is a mobile home underneath it, and we'd be set!

Anonymous said...

Wow, more mediocre public art. At least they're not wasting my money making a freeway overpass "pretty."

Anonymous said...

More public art? Right. Except the public has no input regarding what the art will look like or where it will be placed.

Anonymous said...

EEWWW! I hate art! I hate public art! I hate people with money! I hate people with money givin' us thangs I hate! I hate YANkees! I don't want no art! Don't need no art! Need me a truck, real big! An' uh big ole road to drive it on! Pansies like art! Don't like pansies! Hate 'em!Blahbuhdeeblahbuhdee...

Anonymous said...

Pardon me while I dumb-ask, but why don't the Queen's Table members give the money to CMS so we can keep teachers, instead of funneling it toward this stupid, stupid looking "art." While we're at it, why doesn't someone suggest that the Panthers and Bobcats (each one of them) give $100,000 or some such small amount to CMS to keep the system going. This "art" is just one of the many reasons this country is in the mess it currently is in. Someone, anyone, please, if you're giving away money, give it to the organizations and people who need it! The South Tryon Street bridge sure as heck isn't the place.

Anonymous said...

9:04,

If $100,000 is "some small amount" to you, then YOU give it.

Anonymous said...

I'll tell you why, 9:04 (I am 9:03.) Because it's their money and they can do with it as they please. Further, CMS ought to be supported by the citizenry and shouldn't need largesse from wealthy people and professional sports teams. If the people don't think enough of their own schools in this (relatively)prosperous community to fund them adequately, why should a benefactor step in? And this assertion: "This "art" is just one of the many reasons this country is in the mess it currently is in" is just silly bulltihs with absolutely no basis in fact other than your own prejudices.

Anonymous said...

Thank god for the Queens's Table. It's all important, folks. Art. Teachers. Schools. Roads, etc etc.

Anonymous said...

I don't mind people discussing the aesthetic value of the art, but I question those who simply question the value of art itself.

Art is part of a city's culture and if you don't like or accept that fact you need to question why you are in the city.

As for those who questions why not donate money to a school or a charity instead I ask how exactly do you know that they (the individual anonymous donors) don't do that in other gifts?

How many of you taking apart this donation made an effort to applaud the Critical Need Response Fund? I checked some old observer stories and it seems the comments for those are not as many... where were you all then?

How many of you are putting forth your own money to support art, schools, homeless?

Don't have money? What about time? You certainly have time to write against others who are doing what they feel is good, so why not donate some of that extra time that you use to knock down charitable actions in this city that don't meet your approval to the causes you feel do.

Personally, I applaud the donation and am glad to live in a city that has citizens who want to make a difference