The relative value of public art is debatable, but let’s keep in mind our budget here is about $50,000 of $150,000,000, or around a dollar per capita. While I generally hate corporate-creep into civic affairs, in this case I think the sponsor who underwrote the second phase was acceptable; Sam Yates’ shed both mocks and honors the famous site at 367 Addison.

This story does a disservice to the case. See the follow up or watch this 30 minute excerpt from the Feb. 21 PAPAC meeting.

The gist of the matter is that the artist’s contract says he has copyright and now we are trying to negotiate a licensing agreement for use of the photos he owns, something that was discussed but never agreed to. That members of PAHA and PAST complain is really looking a gift horse in the mouth, to say the least. (i.e. he finished the project long ago but has been working pro bono to add this bonus feature but not being nice enough fast enough for those two people whose squeaky wheels provoked the recent discussion).

I like the piece and to the extent that it is or was temporary, abstract, and process-oriented, at least it gets it beyond the fate of the sculptural work that one of the comment-makes abhors.

There’s no disputing matters of taste…

The credits at the end of the staff report has Sam Yates thanking the dozens of Palo Altans he met during his time here who helped him or “The Color of Palo Alto”.

(i think i invented this kind of weird mash-up in which wordpress and youtube allow me, on some computers, with a large enough screen, to play two videos simultaneously, for somewhat amusing effect; for example, previously I did something juxtaposing Superchunk and Richard Serra; I said previously that reducing Sam Yates “The Color of Palo Alto” to the 17,000 parcels data-based would be like Plato’s “Allegory of The Cave”; sussing that famous concept made me realize that this popular song by Mumford and Sons — viewed here 16 million times — is loosely based on the same story. That their video features a bunch of scooters and riders made me want to see how this document looks next to Sam’s trailer  — seen only 6,000 times; see also “Dark Side of the Rainbow” wiki; Errol Morris only in that “Fast Cheap And Out of Control” I saw in theatres in 1997 and claim to be influenced by it, especially for “Plastic Alto” which I admit does not mean I am successful at achieving its effect; but distinct from Craig Baldwin or Christian Marclay; A.O. Scott does a decent synopsis of Morris here).