AndrewsDad Reviews The Olympic Sculpture Park, Part II

Continuing my review of the Olympic Sculpture Park...

Next up is "Eagle" by Alexander Calder

It rests on the ground yet manages to convey an aspiration to flight. It's a wake you up, abstracted tribute to a rare heavyweight capable of landing lightly, its massive wings still flared before folding.

ok... maybe... but when I was looking at it, I did not hear the word "eagle" from anyone but I did hear two kids say "I think it is a whale". Now if your piece of art that is suppose to be an eagle is mistaken for a whale...
Verdict: Not art.

Next is "Accident Waiting to Happen", by SAM Planners
Put a family oriented park where the kids and dogs can run around right next to a couple of sets of busy railroad tracks. Can't wait to hear what the first wrongful death lawsuit is going to cost the taxpayers.

Next is "Typewriter Eraser, Scale X" by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van BruggenEven the Seattle P.I. can not explain the deeper meaning to this. Let me try... Typewriter Eraser, which is on loan from Microsoft co founder Paul Allen, proves that some people have so much money, they have run out of ways to spend it.
Verdict: Is this even necessary?

Next is "Competing Receptacles", artist unknownSo how is a giant eraser considered art and two garbage cans next to each other not? I am serious.
Verdict: Could be art.

Next, "Riviera" by Anthony Caro

It asserts it vision of the landscape with flat verticals locked into a horizontal line: elegant and full of its own understated muscle.

Possibly the best example of "not art" in the entire park. I am willing to bet anyone $100 that if given the needed materials and tools, in one week I can create something similar enough so that at least one third of random people off of the street could not determine which was created by Sir Anthony Caro who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his artwork and which one was created by this local Seattle blogger. Any takers?
Verdict: Not a chance this is art.

Next is "Behind Schedule" by SAM ContractorsNot listed in the official P.I. guide. Very realistic, I kind of enjoyed it.
Verdict: Art!

Finally, "Bunyon's Chess" by Mark di Suvero

Exuberantly raw,... Bunyon refers to Paul Bunyan, the mythical lumberjack playing chess with a chainsaw.

I stand corrected Sir Anthony Caro, "Riviera" is not the "best example of not art" in the park, please accept my apology. Good lord.
Verdict: I can not believe someone paid money for this.


And that concludes my review of the Olympic Sculpture Park, click here to see a slide show from someone who appears to appreciate the art more than I.