In a way, this phantom public art at the Broward County Aviation Department is a lot like Manti Te'o's girl friend.
Maybe it exists, and maybe it doesn't.
A recent Sun Sentinel story by reporter Brittany Wallman convinced me that sure enough, some of this pricey artwork does actually exist. And even though most of us peons will never see it, we sure do pay for it.
Public art that isn't for the public. You gotta love it.
The nature prints in the Aviation Department — supposedly very nice, although who has seen them? — hang out of sight, for viewing by appointment only by the public. Seems there was so much public art and no place to put it all. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not rushing to make an appointment to see public art hanging across from a janitor's closet or the toilet in the Aviation Deparment.
Apparently, no one else is, either.
But public funds paid for this art you can't see, except by appointment. It paid for other public art you probably have never seen hidden in administrative offices at Port Everglades. If anybody actually goes to the offices at Port Everglades.
As for the public art that you actually can see in the airport or the courthouse or in other public buildings— do you want to pay for this stuff? There are better ways, which I will explain momentarily.
Sorry, but I'm not big on paying big bucks for art in public places, for one big reason — when I am in an airport, or the courthouse or some other public building, I usually want to get in and out as quickly as I can. I am not there to stare at whatever it is on the walls.
Some people are art fanatics. More power to you. We have museums for you. Knock yourself out.
True, I did go to Louvre once, but only because it was deathly hot and the Louvre was the only building with air conditioning. I stopped in, saw Mona's smile, grabbed a Coke, cooled off, and went on my way.
I have to believe most people, when they go to airports, are only concerned that their bag is under the limit so they don't have to pay another outrageous fee. And then they are concerned about taking their shoes off and wondering who might see their naked security picture. Art isn't really on anybody's mind.
The county's public art program used to insist that 2 percent of the cost of public construction projects go towards art. That requirement is usually waived now, and the Broward County Commission has to vote on any art project over $100,000.
Still, we wind up with $610,000 going for some kind of artistic breezeway at the yet-to-be-completed Broward County Courthouse. I'm sure it will be a favorite viewing spot for thugs awaiting trial, or people being dragged to jury duty.
The breezeway is lighted, by the way, which is interesting because the courthouse isn't open at night. The public didn't vote for the courthouse, and they didn't vote for $610,000 worth of artwork, but they get both.
Which brings me to my brilliant solution.
We have art students at various colleges in the area. We have high school art students We have retired artists in retirement homes. We have all sorts of local artists who I have to believe would love to put their artwork on display for a few months for a nominal amount, just to get the exposure. Use them. Often. Certainly more than they are being used now.
I call it a win-win.
And Broward County commissioner Chip LaMarca, for one, agrees with me.
"Highlight the best and brightest of the (local) artwork, frame it, put it in the airport and the courthouse," LaMarca said.
"We have a lot of young artists here. I know there's a bidding process, but we're bringing in people from outside (to create art). We should try and cultivate what we have here."
Oh, and one other important thing:
"If we have it," LaMarca said, "we should display it for the public."
Yep. Public art that the public can see. What a concept.
Gary Stein can be reached at gstein@sunsentinel.com, or 954-356-4616. On Twitter@SSEditorial.
