This week at the Michigan Theater, Richard Linklater's
Orson Welles And Me reminds audiences of the unexpected influences of art -- admittedly, in a roundabout way. While the movie lays bare the incredible genius and unfettered arrogance of Welles, it also captures the man's all-consuming passion for theater and the arts. In charting the onstage and backstage dramas and personalities and politics of Welles' 1937 staging of
Julius Caesar, Linklater conveys the dedication, professionalism, and inspiration (as well as craven egotism) of the artists involved.
What the film skips, unfortunately, is the political relevance of Welles' production, which took its staging inspiration from the Nazi rallies in Nuremberg and confronted contemporary fascism openly. At a time when the U.S. was watching the disturbing events in Europe unfold, Welles' low budget play went on to be the longest running production of
Julius Caesar in Broadway's history, and ended up touring the country. While it would be silly to suggest that the play single-handedly inspired Americans to support our participation in WW2, it certainly became part of the national dialogue and reflected the important issues at hand.
This is what draws me to art; its ability to slip into the public's consciousness and inspire questions, concern, and even action. Whether it's a mural, a stage performance, a sculpture or challenging film, the effects can be deceptively profound. They can also be very subtle.
This past summer I was talking with my best friend in Seattle and he mentioned that a controversial arts performance was opening that weekend, and that the people in his office (mostly computer programmers) had been talking about it. Neither he nor I can recall what the event was (throw a rock in the Seattle air and you're bound to hit an artist) but I asked him at the time if he thought he and his coworkers were going to attend. He answered: "Probably not. I think we just like knowing that stuff like that goes on in the city."
I believe that sentiment reflects the attitude of most people when it comes to art, culture and recreation. You don't have to play basketball to appreciate the need for courts in our parks. You don't have to hike to see the value in dense, wooded areas. And you don't have to sculpt or paint to understand how art can inspire others. They are all jigsaw pieces in Ann Arbor's quality of life puzzle, and as such each deserves consideration and support. After all, even during the height of the Great Depression Orson Welles and his Mercury Theater company were funded by the
Works Progress Administration.
Something I hope
Concentrate's readers will consider in the coming New Year is the value of artistic expression in our community ...Or rather, keeping a fair and open mind when it comes to the issue of arts funding.
Public art has long been an all-too-easy and unfair target for those who have a political axe to grind. As I mentioned in
my column a few weeks ago, it's always easy to ask someone to give up something you don't personally care about. Shared sacrifice is quite a bit harder. Outside the politics of whether Ann Arbor's newly empowered
Public Arts Commission chose well with its first major project, I hope we, as a community, will take a longer view and start to discuss
how public art can positively impact our neighborhoods and downtown.
The Percent For Public Art (now
Half A Percent For Public Art) Program is an opportunity to celebrate and unify our community while fostering an ongoing discussion of the arts (and hopefully employ local artists). Though I personally have deep reservations about the Dreiseitl project (and
the process that spawned it) I am reminded of the scorn and controversy that accompanied the Chicago Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza in 1967. Today, the sculpture is a hugely popular landmark and world famous icon. Now, I'm not saying the Dreiseitl project is anywhere near the equivalent, but I do think it's a useful reminder that no
one project should be a litmus test for the program's success or failure.
There are many important issues for Ann Arbor to address in the coming year. Budgets are tight and the allocation of community resources is highly stressed. The funding of public art should be a part of that conversation. I only hope that it is dealt with in a fair-handed manner, one that puts it alongside all the other amenities and programs our city funds, and outside the rhetorical grandstanding of personal preference.
On a personal level, I encourage you to give what you can to those individuals and organizations that are in need. Whether it's social justice, educational outreach, community service or cultural expression, make this a season of exceptional generosity.
Have a happy and healthy holiday, and a wonderful New Year. We'll be back January 13th!
-Jeff Meyers
Editor
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