“The Monument of an Anonymous Passerby,” in Wroclaw, Poland
No, the sculpture on display here is certainly not the best sculpture in the world, but it’s head and shoulders above most of what the artistic establishment considers the best – that is, twisted contortions of metal, symbols arrayed as insults, the usual junk, some which fetches millions. People do not want to be seen as uncool, so the question is why a definition of “cool” that rejects genuine creativity and beauty that enthralls or amuses average people, often in league with locale, in favor of bogus aesthetic frippery that often requires explication to be understood. (See Tom Wolfe’s The Painted Word.)
The sculptors whose work is collected here have braved the obloquy of the establishment, so give them credit for that. Some of these are better than others, but if my love for this sort of thing marks me as a Philistine, then I embrace the appellation and defy its meaning. Beauty and talent abound here, and the work represents art deep enough for the public to love. Tell me something’s wrong with that and I’ll smack you.
About David Brussat
This blog was begun in 2009 as a feature of the Providence Journal, where I was on the editorial board and wrote a weekly column of architecture criticism for three decades. Architecture Here and There fights the style wars for classical architecture and against modern architecture, no holds barred.
History Press asked me to write and in August 2017 published my first book, "Lost Providence." I am now writing my second book.
My freelance writing on architecture and other topics addresses issues of design and culture locally and globally.
I am a member of the board of the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, which bestowed an Arthur Ross Award on me in 2002.
I work from Providence, R.I., where I live with my wife Victoria, my son Billy and our cat Gato.
If you would like to employ my writing and editing to improve your work, please email me at my consultancy, dbrussat@gmail.com, or call 401.351.0457.
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- Nikos Salingaros, mathematician at the University of Texas, architectural theorist and author of many books.
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