tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1764031298725301479.post5788764171938770343..comments2024-02-15T06:07:24.348-05:00Comments on get visual: Breathing Lightsdavid brickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07535127444912888160noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1764031298725301479.post-79405812575035539722016-11-24T10:25:27.571-05:002016-11-24T10:25:27.571-05:00Joel is right - this magical million came to the r...Joel is right - this magical million came to the region because the Breathing Lights project won the Bloomberg grant (as stated in my original post). But it got me thinking about how much impact a million bucks for art could have in our region if it weren't tied to a single project that fulfills criteria that are not altogether about art. It also gets me thinking about the overall competitive economic system we currently exist with, in which big winners are emphasized, leaving most of the rest of us as some kind of loser. It is not a coincidence that the money funding this project derives from a vast business empire steeped in capitalist values. While I've always believed it's better to try to spread the wealth around, the art world increasingly mirrors the business world in creating a few huge winners and disregarding the many, many also-rans. One more thing - Andrzej mentioned my past photography project on the neighborhood; it's worth noting that it was partially supported in 1998 by a $2,500 Community Connections grant that was distributed from NYSCA through the regional arts council, a program that still exists. Let's see, if I divide $1,000,000 by $2,500, I get ... a whole lot of artists winning grants to do projects that connect to the community. david brickmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07535127444912888160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1764031298725301479.post-81949571213007720802016-11-18T17:24:23.887-05:002016-11-18T17:24:23.887-05:00I'm not addressing Breathing Lights' effec...I'm not addressing Breathing Lights' effectiveness as a "community organizing activity," but just offering some information: I believe that The Bloomberg Philanthropies grant that's paying for the project came from one of its own programs, called "Transforming Urban Spaces with Dynamic Public Art." There wasn't an existing pot of $1,000,000 that someone in our region decided to spend on this project (rather than distribute in smaller amounts to more artists). If not for this project, that $1,000,000 wouldn't have existed for this region; the project brought the money here. In a way, the project created the funding, rather than the other way around. As with most grants from private foundations, the funders get to set the criteria and allocate the support as they see fit, hopefully in a way that fulfills those criteria.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1764031298725301479.post-63638030550938719992016-11-18T15:58:32.860-05:002016-11-18T15:58:32.860-05:00His point is well-taken: is this project primarily...His point is well-taken: is this project primarily an "art" initiative or a "fix to a sociological /economic / community development / something-other-that-art problem" initiative?<br /><br />I don't know what the mission and funding guidelines are for the donor mentioned here. They might be suitable all of those purposes listed above. <br /><br />But if not -- and if the endowment is meant for "art", period, then I think the slope has become iced.<br /><br /><br /><br /> Robert Millisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1764031298725301479.post-33553828044519454482016-11-18T15:47:31.501-05:002016-11-18T15:47:31.501-05:00A well written and thought out article by David Br...A well written and thought out article by David Brickman, an insightful veteran of the Capital District's art community. I didn't have quite the same thoughts as David as I participated in the first leg of the Breathing Lights project in Troy. But, there in North Troy it was co-presented with the wonderful people at The Sanctuary of Independent Media and community members. There were walking tours every 45 minutes or so and they were lead by Breathing Lights 'ambassadors' who either lived in the community or were raised in the community. I went on two of these walking tours with two different sets of 'ambassadors' and documented what I saw with a camera for the organization. In this context of a hands-on presentation, not a bus tour, I was deeply affected through the knowledge gathered that day from seeing and hearing about what I saw. With full disclosure here, David documented Albany's South End and Arbor Hill with his camera for almost two decades and self-published a book on these neighborhoods which were filled with abandoned houses and a decaying landscape. However, David could always find beauty and hope in his visual documentation. I think Breathing Lights is bringing that same hope to those who are open to learning, seeing and feeling about these communities and might want to help. If that 'help' is in the name of art, I welcome it enthusiastically!Andrzej Pilarczyknoreply@blogger.com