Example, Would Whips Be Left Here and Not in the Room in Which

example, would whips be left here and not in political powers, inadequate and limiting the room in which other riding tackle—the laws, and bureaucrats or government stirrup, saddle etc.—would be store? It is not officials with conflicting interests. Talking that we should assume that these whips about any project of this nature would be like would have been used for any other narrating a long, farcical soap. Opera about purposes, such as self-flagellation or the useless meetings, arbitrary decision-making like. Indeed, we need not assume that items and simply baffling scenes, worth turning into left left on display need to have a direct a comic strip. I am referring to projects that utilitarian significance. the average house, do not exactly fit the patterns of the recent for example, is full of items that are never sculpture show on Reforma Boulevard, but used as such, but are kept on display for a are rather pieces that are made base don the purely symbolic reason. Rather we might connects in which they are shown and that question whether sub items might have a aim to establish a dialogue with this specific certain suggestive potential to open up space. particular corporeally embedded ideas. The become objects of the crucifix. They become It seems appropriate, to mention but one objects of contemplation that allow us to example, to refer to the reasons why Cesar image the possibility of pain. By extension, Martinez changed the color of his piece they also allow us to imagine the possibility Piedad entubada (Piety in a Pipe) – an of pleasure. intervention he did last year on a section of the Viaducto expressway as part of the Could these whips, then, not hold a clue to Agua/Wasser exhibition. Using blue paint, Barragan’s whole Outlook on aesthetics? Martínez wanted to outline what had once Are we able to glimpse within the orchid like been the course of the La Piedad River.41 beauty of Barragan’s interiors a certain However, after over a year of negotiations, erotics of pain, but so too an erotic of Mexico City government officials “invited” pleasure? And could these erotics not be him to change the color he had proposed to understood within religious terms as part of use, arguing that it made reference to a the operations of the ecstatic? Might this particular political party. 42 Thus, the give us an insight not only into the nature of intervention that can be seen today on the Barragan’s own aesthetic vision, but also Viaducto is a qua green, ―a color that instead into the nature of the very discipline of recalls the one in high schools kindergarten architecture? Is Barragan’s work, in other handrails, or public restrooms, ― to quote the words, not a perfect example of the artist. And this is just one of countless stories operations of jouissance, of a religio-erotic of how government officials and/or bylaws aesthetics that lies at the heart of all good have transformed (sometimes willfully, architecture? sometimes unintentionally) art projects in public spaces. POLITICS FOR PUBLIC ART? Lorena Wolffer Yet, to discuss the role that art plays in public spaces in this city we must first, in my To speak of politics concerning art in public mind, deal with the complex organization of, spaces “I prefer to use this expression ―our public space per se. As has surely been rather tan more problematic ―public art” – in discussed in this symposium´s precious the current context of Mexico City inevitably panel, our public space consists of a series involves a whole series of complications. of territories that are not necessarily clearly Those of us who have undertaken – or have set, outlined or regulated, and there are no attempted to undertake—art projects in this standards to determine the “quality” city´s public sphere know that, in doing so, of one public space vis-à-vis another. we are forced to act as negotiators between Certain city planners and sociologist have argued that they in fact may never have factor within the re-conceptualization of been public domain, but rather parochial public space. I am not proposing to create spaces. As Martin Hajer and Arnold organizations like the Toronto Public Space Reijndorp state in their book In search of the Committee – devoted to the New Public Domain: “… what most people “democratizations of public space”, mainly experiences as a pleasant public space is by means of ad campaigns – but rather to actually often dominated by a relatively understand art as a way of interpreting – and homogeneous group. (…) Public domains not decorating –our city in the context of because one belongs to that specific much broader discussions about the policies dominant group.” that the city needs to implement. In Mexico City, considering everything from For over a year, Saul Villa – my collaborator the unbridled proliferation of outdoor in the projects La belleza esta en la calle advertising to the building of private homes (Beauty is in the Streets) – and I have in public parks or forest preserves, the discussed the problems of public space and border between what we call public space the place that contemporary art can or and private space is redrawn every day and should occupy within it. The countless changes from one moment to another. The meetings we have held with government historic absence of law regulating outdoors officials, artists, curators, city planners, advertising, of the general legal void in this architects, businesspeople and even field. Public spaces in Mexico City are highly members of parliament regarding these problematic areas of interactions- almost issues – and the fact that subject of art in always defined by business and consumer public spaces must necessarily be pursued interest—fulfilling a wide range of private within the context of discussions about the functions, confirming Hajer and Peijndorp´s shaping of our city, In an attempt to delve theories. But how could it be otherwise if it is deeper into the issue, Villa and I organized a precisely in a city´s organization that a colloquium entitled public – that took place society´s lingering inequites are clearly at the Sala de Arte Publico Siqueiros in July represented? If we contemplate public space 2002 and that was also coordinated by as a medium through which notions about architect Arturo Ortiz – involving a wide citizenship and one´s belonging to a city can range of professionals, from artist to be constructed – as Lynn A. Staehelinand businesspeople. Albert Thompson state in their article “Citizenship, Community and Struggles for Based on my experiences and the many Public space” – then shape of Mexico City is questions that were posed during public am nothing but a map of its residents’ social, convinced that insisting on introducing economic and political realities. policies designed specifically and exclusively for art in public spaces would not only be Taking this intrinsic into account, i think we useless but also requires that we take into should begin by discussing the shape of our account other kinds of apparently basic city, including an analysis on the possible considerations: what do we mean when we place of art, to the purpose the necessary talk about art in public spaces? What kind of politics. art practices are we talking about? Made by which artists? Sanctioned by whom? It is a fact that Mexico City has no adequate Addressed at which audiences? If some of policies for dealing with art in public spaces the most interesting projects developed in and, hence, developing projects in that the public arena were presented in that context can almost be considered a heroic specific space precisely in order to escape feat impose policies on art, but rather the art world´s processes of legitimization consider it as a fundamental, necessary and to address audiences that are more heterogeneous tan those that usually attend the Millennium, states ―what I sell aren´t openings (among other reasons), would the really products but rather “vapors” which hip- creation a commission or institution devoted hop lingo, refers to public presentation of to art in public to art spaces not perpetuate certain often invisible sectors of society. I am the patterns characteristic of established art not only attracted bye the truly great work of venues? And most importantly: in developing graffiti artists such as Humo –a member of policies for art in public spaces, how can we the DNC crew (Designing New Culture) who guarantee that they will include a understands and uses graffiti as a heterogeneous range of practice? contemporary tool to reinterpret and reclaim history – but also by the fact that graffiti I do not have slightest doubt about the artists appropriate and christen public space- relevance and need for conceiving certain and often private space of ―presentationǁ. It projects for art in public spaces that act as is true that graffiti is an imposition, but so is catalytic and incentive resources, promoting official public art and the so-called ―brandingǁ people to reflect n the city in which we live of the city. Un like the latter, however, graffiti and its complexities. However, taking into –As Powers says – is not about selling account the aforesaid problems and being products. Those of us who travel around in reliant to enter into limited discussions about the city have noticed local, national and specific polices concerning art in public multinational companies´ increasingly spaces. I have decided to simply discuss a obvious commercialization of public space: few projects. These Works have managed many walls and fences are covered by to establish a refreshing dialogue with the billboards nowadays, street sings in the context in which they were presented and Miguel Hidalgo District have been privatized, consequently with the communities residing sporting Coca Cola logos and the policemen in or traveling through this context.

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