Monday, February 20, 2006

Clueless Art Critic Rips ABC State Street Studio Signage

As a postscript to our post of February 9th, Tribune art critic Alan Artner has weighed in with an amazingly clueless piece ripping of the new ABC State Street studio LED, having apparently swallowed hook, line and sinker, without any evidence of independent thought, the station's PR declaring the 40 foot high video board a "sculpture" rather than signage. Artner bitches and moans how - surprise, surprise, surprise - it's not really a work of art, but a source of light pollution. Earth to critic: this is an entertainment district, not his empty idea of elysium. Artner is more than old enough to remember State and Randolph in their primes, when they were ablaze with gloriously over-the-top signage, such as the late, lamented marquee of the United Artists. The ABC concoction is a modern day counterpoint to the iconic Chicago theater sign and marquee, which is in no need of Artner's wagging finger to more than hold its own against the newcomer across the street.

1 comment:

Edward Lifson said...

He's right about "entertainment" but I was surprised to see no mention of "Cloudgate" by Anish Kapoor, in Milennium Park. That new sculpture entertains and has aesthetic and artistic value. It rivals the Picasso.