“Conversation Peace” is the newest addition to Midtown Alliance’s growing public art program that features temporary art installations throughout the District.
Last week, “Conversation Peace” was erected on property owned by the Dewberry Capital Corporation, which leases the temporary park space at 10th and Peachtree Street to Midtown Alliance for $1 per year. The new installation is in anticipation of the upcoming exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, “Origami in the Garden,” scheduled for 2022
The artist behind the masterly symbolic art installation is New Mexico resident Kevin Box. The Fine Arts major has focused his career on public art and sculptures using casting and fabrication techniques.
According to the Midtown Alliance website, the sculpture is a play on the phrase “conversation piece,” which means an interesting object that creates conversations. This temporary art does just that! As an interpretation of Rock-Paper-Scissors, the game is played among friends and family, the statue consists of a large scissor balancing on a boulder. The commissioned artist used these objects to symbolize conflicting forces that have found balance, with “paper” winning the game and folding itself into a paper crane, traditionally regarded as a symbol of peace on top of the scissors.
Midtown Alliance is a coalition of business and civic leaders working to create an exceptional urban experience in Atlanta’s Midtown district, including everything from small street-level activation projects to large-scale transportation enhancements. The Heart in the Arts Initiative was launched to express the Midtown neighborhood’s uniquely creative atmosphere and culture. In addition to public art installations, artwork colors empty storefronts, the streets are filled with music by Atlanta’s top artists, and the Parliament of Owls parade is an annual neighborhood celebration.
Visit the Midtown Alliance website to learn more about “Conversation Peace” and the other public art installations inspired by the Heart of the Arts Initiative.
Source: Midtown Alliance Website
22 Responses
This looks awful
Why are my taxes paying for that piece of crap and not paving the terrible roads in Atlanta?
Not sure if you’re trolling or not…
The Midtown Alliance is paying for it
I work for Midtown Alliance and helped get this story published. Residential taxpayers did not fund this project. In fact, no residential taxpayer dollars are present in any of the work we do. Here’s a link to the $9 million in capital improvement projects we’re working on this year to improve Midtown’s transportation network: https://www.midtownatl2016.com/public-improvement/
Lots of opportunities to connect the dots between this new public art project and the work we do every day in partnership with the City of Atlanta to improve transportation in Midtown. Consider reading this summary to get a sense of our present-day work and future plans related to transportation: https://www.midtownatl2016.com/transportation/
Trashed that corner …… what were you thinking ….. or not !
Wow! Couldn’t have done much worse than this.
What became of the rock spinner?
Midtown Alliance signed a three-year lease for Rockspinner, and the lease expired. The artist is taking the piece to a new city. We believe Reno, NV. Here’s the info we disseminated back in December about the plans to replace Rockspinner and the selection process that involved a public art committee comprised of art industry professionals: http://www.midtownatl.com/about/programs-and-projects/planning-and-urban-design/public-art-rfp
Rockspinner’s stay in Midtown commanded global attention from as far away as Warsaw, Poland. We’re told that city has commissioned the artist to make one for them.
That makes the rock look like a masterpiece.
This is crap. How about adding more traffic lights at crosswalks?
Are you familiar with Midtown Alliance’s Traffic Operations Program that has now existed for four years to repair and improve traffic signals in Midtown at 100+ intersections? Here’s a link: http://www.midtownatl.com/about/midtown-blog/1m-of-signal-improvements-underway-in-year-four-of-midtown-traffic-operations-program
We cover this program regularly in our e-newsletter. Recently added leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) to signals on Peachtree St. to improve conditions for people walking and give them a brief headstart in the crosswalk before turning cars enter. And our Comprehensive Transportation Plan, released earlier this year and informed by thousands of Midtown residents/workers, identified two dozen priority intersections where no signals exist today but are badly needed. We’re working w/ ATL City Council to get funding commitments for these additional traffic signals.
It takes some getting used to but it’s kind of weird and cool. It certainly is eye catching and will generate discussions so in that sense, it’s great. There’s a paucity of public art in this city so I’m supportive. As for those asking for better roads and lights, a) Midtown Alliance paid for it, b) there’s more to life than driving your stupid car. Art is just as important as these mundane, utilitarian concerns you have. People from Atlanta travel all over the world to see great public art in Buenos Aires, Paris, Istanbul, and London then whine when there’s. One here at home. And before you tell me that the Autoeater isn’t art please remember it’s all in the eye of the beholder:)
The problem is that this piece of art is rather mundane. It is monochrome and detached from its setting.
I get the concept and appreciate it. But this is a junked car, something I want to see less of, not more. Design codes would (thankfully) prevent Midtown businesses from “installing” a junked car out front, so why is it acceptable for Midtown Alliance? This neighborhood is rich with artists and art collectors; why not involve them? Have you met the people at Midtown Alliance? Smart and well meaning, yes. Chic arbiters of style, in my opinion, no.
Here’s the info Midtown Alliance disseminated back in December about the plans to replace Rockspinner and the selection process that involved a public art committee comprised of art industry professionals, most of whom have direct ties to Midtown as residents, business owners or Board members: http://www.midtownatl.com/about/programs-and-projects/planning-and-urban-design/public-art-rfp
This is an interesting and exciting piece of art by two highly respected international artists. We are lucky to have it here and the Alliance is to be congratulated for supporting innovative and interesting work for what is otherwise an empty corner lot. Viewed it this morning and the marble is exquisite. The junk car surrounded by beautiful marble is a great allegory for Atlanta – a beautiful city marred by cars.
It just feels wrong for that corner. I get that all art doesn’t have to be beautiful, but this feels misplaced & looks like a scene out of a junk yard.
Midtown deserves better.
I, for one, love this. The process and the outcome. Don’t mind the haters, folks!
I think this thing is amazing. It’s arresting, odd, and it’s a conversation starter.
“Look over there, Ed, it’s a giant condom with an old junk car sticking out of it.”
“Yep…makes me proud to be an Atlantan……say, Bob, have you seen the Big Chicken up on 41 in Marietta ?” “Why certainly,….it’s “art” like the Chicken and the Condom that makes this region the cultural capital that it is.”
If the anecdotal evidence from here and those of us around Midtown is to be believed the feedback is overwhelmingly negative. We went from a work of art that was interactive and fun to one that is mono-tone and staid. Why this was selected for a vibrant corner is beyond me. The front of it is trite and the back looks like a junked underside of a car. And for 3 years?!! Ouch.
I am an artist. I love all kinds of art. This is not art. This is horrible and an eyesore. I will say this crap piece gets people talking. “Hey, did you see the new crap art? What is it? A catfish swallowing a car?” I guess it does bring the community together. Talking about how bad this poo is. gross!!!!