There’s a thing that happens in the world of internet news from time to time where people mistake a real headline for a humorous, fake one — like you would see on The Onion.
The very serious topic of public art commemorating 100 years of Route 66 has somehow waded into those waters, with the proposal of a giant cowboy boot sculpture in the Oklahoma City Asian District. The piece involves music notes and song lyrics — “Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty” — that were apparently requested directly by the mayor’s office. But the renderings showed it angled in such a way as to be kicking at (or stomping?) the Asian District’s entrance sign. The piece itself was designed by an artist who should have realized the context, and then it had to be advanced by a committee … which happened, for some reason.
Unsurprisingly, the OKC boot finally failed last week when it went before the OKC Arts Commission for a vote. Several people spoke out against it, including a few commissioners, so here we are.
Of course, Oklahoma City is home to a couple of other questionable art pieces that have been approved in the past. A giant ring with all the letters to spell “cock” over and over comes to mind, and it’s located downtown for tourists and business people alike to enjoy. Perhaps we like our public art to be inappropriate, or perhaps we’re rubber stamping things without giving them much thought. One look at this OKC boot proposal, and it should have been a “No,” a sentiment so many people expressed once the design was revealed.
Where do we go from here? There are now more constraints and a higher level of scrutiny on this project, but I’d say that offers precisely the moment for a good artist to shine. Something positive and fun can come out of this whole situation, and it will be a great lesson for future proposals.
I’ll spare everyone the nerdy school lecture about art and context — for now.
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