Take a look at Brian Tolle’s sculpture, Tempest, as it appeared upon completion in Collins Park (left) and as it appeared before it was removed by the City of Miami earlier this year. The Art Newspaper reports on the dispute:
The US artist Brian Tolle, whose public sculpture, Tempest, 2010, was removed from Collins Park in March, accuses the City of Miami Beach of failing to maintain the work, which has been vandalised and used as a toilet. The artist says he did not authorise the removal of the piece, which is currently thought to be in storage in Miami. The sculpture, a swirling maze in blue and white, was commissioned by the City at a cost of more than $400,000 and installed in November 2010. “The City is responsible for maintaining the work,” says Donn Zaretsky, the lawyer representing Tolle. A spokesman for the City says that: “because this artwork has not been accepted by the City of Miami Beach and [is] in dispute, with potential for litigation, the City will not comment”.
The obvious question is who commissioned this work for a public park if there city doesn’t provide adequate shelters for the homeless and why was anyone surprised that this happened?
Miami enjoys a boom in public art—but at what cost? (The Art Newspaper)
