Community Corner
HAMMERED ART
On Friday, 15 November 2013, 16:28, David Clisset <frenchworld@yahoo.com> wrote:
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
HAMMERED ART
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Safety Harbor not so safe for sophisticated Art. International fine Artist's painting destroyed by local teens in Public Park.
In a creative and innovative effort to enhance appreciation for the Arts, the City of Safety Harbor, which borders on the west side of upper Tampa Bay, has hosted a unique outdoor display of Paintings and "Chiclet" tile art pieces in their beautiful new Mullet Creek Park. Co-sponsored by the Safety Harbor Public Art Appreciation Group and the city Parks Department, the yearlong display and competition is now finished, with the results of voting just recently announced. The first two finishers were 2 votes apart with over 400 votes each. The second place piece was created by internationally-known fine artist Queirolo Martini. Her works are displayed throughout the Caribbean and hang in galleries and private collections ranging from Belize, Brazil, Colombia, and Italy. Martini loaned her large format, specially formulated marine outdoor quality painting, 'Dandelion Parachute Ball,' to the local display for the competition. Unfortunately, after 11 months, it was literally hammered to destruction by a group of local teens the day after the results were announced. One of the teens, a 14 year old young man was apprehended by local police when the others fled.
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Such a tragedy is actually destructive to more than a beautifully sensitive painting. It seems that such an experience must also be damaging to the young adults' characters who were involved, the families and futures of those young people, as well as the entire atmosphere of art appreciation in the community. This is the bigger picture of what is obviously so terribly damaging to the artist and her beautiful work. The painting, valued at gallery retail of $2,500 is a huge loss economically, but for the painter it is far more personal, as each work of art is a treasure and unique creation of a spiritual nature and meant to be a lasting and inspirational gift to all who view it. Its loss can never be replaced.
In France, reportedly, works of art have 'personhood' and their own "right to life" and cannot even be destroyed by the artist who created them without legal implications and possible repercussions.
It is so sad to see such a lofty goal of promoting Public Art Appreciation end with such a devastating impact. Hopefully the young adults (and their families) that were involved may come forward and find a new way of looking at art. QueiroloMartini, a lifelong artist and sincere Christian, has indicated that in her view, the best result could be for them to develop the character that seems so lacking in this wantonly destructive act and turn it around by offering some type of restitution to the artist for such a foolish course of behavior. Hopefully it would be an opportunity to build character and bring transformation to their lives and the community.
As a natural food connoisseur, Queirolo Martini also has a taste for dandelion greens, one of the healthiest wild foods on the planet. A little like how a Dandelion gives up its life to create seeds that have the opportunity to create new life, the artist has expressed hope that somehow the life of this painting will be given to increase art appreciation throughout the community and in the lives of the young people involved for a lifetime to come. Restitution is better than retribution. It certainly seems a loftier goal, and a more positive outcome, then seeing another 14 year old end up in juvenile detention.