Amen to Raleigh City Manager Russell Allen for speaking out against the Plensa-designed art project for downtown Fayetteville Street. I love the idea of public art but this particular art doesn’t make any sense.
I can’t help but think that stringing up wires with LEDs is going to attract pigeons, which will then add their own, uh, “artwork” to the wires and anyone foolish enough to be under them. The LEDs likely won’t be bright enough to be seen during the daytime, especially if they’re viewed with the sky in the background (i.e., from the ground). And what happens when it snows or ices? Boom, the whole thing comes down in an expensive, tangled mess.
I’m all for world-class, signature art. I really am. I just don’t think bird-magnet LED netting is the message we want to send to the world. If Plensa wants to take a second swing at this, let’s let him come up with something bold. Bold but fitting, too. Let’s work towards having the PR this thing generates be good PR and do it right the first time.
Let’s pull the plug on the LEDs. Please.