“Torso” Statue in Venice Circle Subject of Hearing, March
17
By Jim
Smith
A hearing will be held in
downtown Los Angeles, March 17, to determine the fate of a statue, called the
Torso, which Councilmember Cindy Miscikowski and some Venetians want to install
in the Venice Circle.
The hearing date was announced at a
community meeting, Feb. 12, called to consider the future of the Circle, and art
in Venice, by the Venice Arts Council, a committee of the GrassRoots Venice
Neighborhood Council. A business owner on the Circle, who happened to be at the
meeting passed around a notice of the hearing that he had just
received.
The reaction of those at the
Arts Council meeting to the lack of notice ranged from deja vu to outrage. A
plan was adopted by consensus to demand that the hearing be postponed until
community input on the statue and the future of the Circle can be obtained.
Failing that, the hearing by the city's Public Works Department, should be moved
to Venice so that more locals can attend. And failing that, plans are being made
for carpools to downtown to attend the
hearing.
The Arts Council meeting,
which was chaired by Muralist Emily Winters, also discussed ideas for the future
use of the Circle. They ranged from building a bridge from the center of
Windward at the western edge of the Circle to the center of the Circle; closing
the Circle to auto traffic, either permanently or intermittently; bringing water
back to the Circle, which was once a lagoon, either as pools or a fountain. Also
receiving support was a proposal for a tall vertical structure in the center of
the Circle.
The discussion and debate
about the Circle is just getting started, unless it is prematurely cut off by
the city. One participant at the Arts Council meeting said that Miscikowski
wants the statue in place in time for a dedication ceremony around the 4th of
July, Venice's legendary birthday. Call GRVNC at 821-6030 or more
information.
A community meeting on the
Circle and Public Art in Venice will be
held:
Saturday, March 12 -
2-5PM
at Hama Sushi on the
Circle
Posted: Fri - April 1, 2005 at 03:05 PM