How Parks Lose Their Playfulness - And I am baaaack!

I am going to start posting to this site again. It is an effort to keep up with consistent content, even if I am mostly reposting articles, but its worth it. I feel a little naked without it and truthfully, it was Instagram that sapped most of my creative energy away from this little endeavor. Lets see what happens.

VIA; The NY Times

A few years ago, the Hudson River Park Trust floated an idea for a new island. Called Pier 55, it was to be a two-and-a-half-acre wavy rectangle 200 feet off Manhattan reached by two narrow bridges, replacing the remains of Pier 54 near West 14th Street, where the Lusitania used to dock. More [HERE]

Public/Private Partnerships: Will Commercialization Save Our City Parks?

Dennis Hathaway at Ban Billboard Blight is a constant source of inspiration as he follows the ins and outs of LA's outdoor advertising sign developments. This recent post asks some serious questions about LA city council members' approach to public debate and asking the hard questions that would reveal the motivations behind public/private partnerships which would bring commercial advertising to public parks in LA. Riding a wave of red ink, it would seem that the outdoor advertising industry is only too willing to step in and pick up the slack. The question Dennis raises and which should have been raised by the city council is why do we not have money for our parks when we have millions in tax breaks for real estate development and millions in outdoor advertising violations unpaid. Clearly parks aren't underfunded, we simply underfund them.

VIA Ban Billboard Blight

Public/Private partnerships. At last week’s meeting of the L.A. City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, the term kept bobbing like a life preserver grasped for by city agencies at risk of drowning in a violent tide of red ink. Councilman Bill Rosendahl, speaking of the Recreation and Parks department, said that in the absence of such partnerships “we’re not going to be able to sustain our parks, it’s as simple as that.” The other committee members who spoke–Paul Koretz, Greig Smith, and Chairman Bernard Parks–all nodded assent to Rosendahl’s declaration, apparently feeling no need to examine either its truth or its implications for the city’s future. [More Here]

Robert Lederman Explains More

I received an email today from one Robert Lederman. While I am not familiar with Robert, he obviously has taken issue with the recent move by the NYC parks department to promote NBC's new hero drama the Cape using NYC historical monuments. And he should as it seems he has been fighting for A.R.T.I.S.T rights in NYC for a long time now. What I find interesting is his knowledge that street artists, (in this case the term refers to artists selling their work on the streets of NY) are not allowed within 50 feet of public statues "based on the notion that temporary street artist displays aesthetically damage the public’s enjoyment of the Parks and of the many historical monuments within those parks."

NYC Parks Department Abuses Monuments to Advertise TV Show
by Robert Lederman (artistpres@gmail.com)
[See official NBC press release below my comments]

In its latest example of hypocritically exploiting and abusing the public property under its jurisdiction to promote private corporate interests, the NYC Department of Parks has announced a partnership with NBC TV in which it will drape “capes” over more than 30 historical monuments to promote a fantasy action show, The Cape.

Aside from the questionable aesthetic taste of using historical public art monuments like the statues of George Washington and Ghandi to promote a TV cop show, the advertising gimmick violates one of the most basic Parks Department rules concerning monuments.

The revised park rules ban street artists from setting up anywhere within 50 feet of any monument based on the notion that temporary street artist displays aesthetically damage the public’s enjoyment of the Parks and of the many historical monuments within those parks.

This joint NBC/Parks Department ad promotion uses the actual monuments for advertising, covers them with a black cape, violates all notions of artistic integrity of a public work of art and falsely conflates real heroes with NBC’s imaginary one.

There are currently three lawsuits by street artists pending in Federal and State Court against the revised Park rules. SEE this link
for details, contact info etc: http://www.scribd.com/doc/46408958/Park-Rules-Controversy

you can read what NBC and the Hollywood reporter have to say below.

NBC NEWS
http://www.nbc.com/news/2011/01/05/nbc-kicks-off-new-drama-the-cape-in-an-unprecedented-partnership-with-the-new-york-city-department-o/

NBC Kicks Off New Drama 'The Cape' In an Unprecedented Partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to 'Cape' Historic Heroes

* January 5, 2011 1:02 PM

FourSquare and Twitter to Extend "Hero Behind the Cape" Campaign with "Hero a Day" Giveaway Contest for Fans Checking in Online from January 5-9

Grand Prize Winner to Receive Hero Prize Package While Daily Winners Can Win an Apple iPad

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - January 5, 2011 - NBC will introduce a new superhero this month with the premiere of the drama series "The Cape," and in anticipation of the show's two-hour premiere on Sunday, January 9 (9-11 p.m. ET), NBC will partner with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for a unique campaign to highlight historic statues all over the city.

"The Cape" will later move to its regular time slot on Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) starting January 17.

Beginning Wednesday, January 5 through Sunday, January 9, 30 of New York City's historic statues will be outfitted with custom capes along with a plaque describing each hero's greatest achievement and the similarities between the character traits of the star of "The Cape" Vince Faraday (David Lyons).

The statues range from a Revolutionary War hero who was the nation's first President, to the leader in the fight for Cuban independence and to the world's greatest playwright, New York City is home to a plethora of monuments and statues that pay homage to many great heroes.

Statue visitors will also be able to enter the "Hero Behind the Cape" giveaway contest using FourSquare and Twitter.

Statues and locations include such heroes as George Washington in Union Square Park and Brooklyn, William Shakespeare in Central Park, Benjamin Franklin Downtown and Eleanor Roosevelt on the Upper West Side. For all locations of the 'caped' statues and official rules of the sweepstakes, which will last the entire duration of the promotion (January 5-9), go to www.herobehindthecape.com.

"We are really honored to partner with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for this unique opportunity," said Adam Stotsky, President, NBC Marketing. "There is no bigger stage than New York City, which is home to dozens of statues honoring some of the most accomplished men and women in history. We wanted to introduce New Yorkers to the latest hero hitting the small screen - 'The Cape's' Vince Faraday - and pay homage to the heroes behind the City's historic statues."

"This sponsorship will benefit the preservation of New York's collection of public art in the parks while drawing new audiences to them," said Vickie Karp, Director of Public Information for New York City Parks & Recreation. "The new NBC series is a novel way to remind even the most jaded New Yorker that heroes are all around us."

Participants can enter the sweepstakes by visiting any one of the 30 caped statues all over New York City and checking in via their FourSquare account. Also, visitors can enter by taking a photo of themselves at any of the statue locations and posting their photo to Twitter. Users will simply need to direct message the official Twitter handle (www.twitter.com/NBCTheCape) or use the hashtag #herobehindthecapeswps when they post their picture.

One winner will be chosen each day as the "Hero a Day" from all the daily entries between January 5-9 and each will receive an Apple iPad. The grand-prize winner will receive the ultimate New York City "Hero" treatment including a luxurious dinner for two, limo service, two tickets to the taping of an NBC audience show and an Apple iPad.

From the producing team of Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun comes "The Cape," about a man who lost everything -- and is about to take it all back.

Lyons ("ER") stars as Vince Faraday, a cop framed for crimes he did not commit, forcing him to team up with a group of carnival misfits to take a new identity, fight crime and win his family back. Fueled by a desire to reunite with his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, "Life on Mars") and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, "Flash Forward"), Faraday becomes "The Cape" -- his son's favorite comic book superhero -- taking the law into his own hands and battling the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City.

Rounding out the cast are James Frain ("True Blood," "The Tudors") as billionaire Peter Fleming -- The Cape's nemesis -- who moonlights as the twisted killer, Chess; Keith David ("Death at A Funeral") as Max Malini, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Faraday and trains him to be The Cape; Summer Glau ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City.

Also starring are Dorian Missick ("Six Degrees") as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday; Martin Klebba ("Pirates of the Caribbean") as Rollo, member and unassuming muscle of the circus gang of bank robbers and Vinnie Jones ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels") as Scales, resident thug and cohort of Chess, The Cape's nemesis.

"The Cape" is a Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun production from executive producer/creator Tom Wheeler ("Empire"), along with executive producers Berman and Braun, John Wirth ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"), and Gene Stein ("Accidentally On Purpose").

For "The Cape" embeddable clips and full episodes, visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/the-cape/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nbc-puts-capes-nyc-statues-68678<>

NBC Kicks Off New Drama ‘The Cape’ In An Unprecedented Partnership With The New York City Department Of Parks And Recreation To ‘Cape’ Historic Heroes

Photo Via Animal NY

TV By The Numbers is reporting on a disturbing new marketing campaign that not only descerates New York City monuments, but also brings advertising far too close to one of the last public spaces on which it is not allowed. The concept is wrap 30 NYC statues with a cape similar to that worn by the protagonist on NBC's new superhero drama. Not to be taken lightly, the cultural implications of this joint venture are astounding. Read NBC's own thoughts on the marriage of historic figures and their superhero drama....

Beginning Wednesday, January 5 through Sunday, January 9, 30 of New York City’s historic statues will be outfitted with custom capes along with a plaque describing each hero’s greatest achievement and the similarities between the character traits of the star of “The Cape” Vince Faraday.

While the comparison of real life heros and heroins with a fictional character NBC is trying to make money off of seems dubious, this is not what I'm really concerned about. Outdoor advertising in New York City is policed by a strict set of rules put in place to keep intact civic qualities we have deemed important. For this reason we do not allow certain advertisements near churches and schools, we restrict advertising in residentially zoned districts, and most importantly we do not allow advertising in our city parks. In fact we prohibit ads within 200 feet of city parks so as to not desecrate the view one might have from inside this place of respite.

This media partnership breaks those rules and potentially opens the floodgates to other similar advances on our public spaces. As I have said before, advertising has an interest in being the only voice spoken in public space. Because of this, its intrusion into every imaginable opportunity is inevitable due to its very nature. This partnership is a prime example of this tendency in action and should not be taken lightly.

Nike Park Tokyo Controversy

This is just another flagrant example of corporate desires trumping the needs of the residents of our great metropolises. It is one thing to allow our private/public institutions, like sports stadiums, to be renamed and thus branded by corporate iconography. Its another thing to imagine the last vestiges of our public environment being coded by corporate identity and therefore made to conform to the usage that private institutions will require once their name is attached to such a space.

via Hypebeast by Eugene Kan on 9/18/08

In a move considered controversial by many, Nike Japan recently purchased the naming rights to a central park in Tokyo within the Shibuya business district. Originally named Miyashita Park, the run-down space was largely reserved for a small population of 34 homeless people. However with the transfer of rights to Nike to create Nike Park, the homeless people will be required to find a new space. Among Nike’s plans are to create a skate park with cafe which will require an entrance fee. Although allowing companies to buy the rights to certain landmarks is not uncommon in Japan, the eviction of a homeless community has raised questions regarding the power of the dollar and resulted in the “Keep it Miyashita” campaign. In addition commentary from local skater Daniel Pulvermacher over at his blog YWS outlines the pros/cons of this move by Nike.

Source: YWS, The Observers, Global Voices

See more at Nike Park Tokyo Controversy

NYT: Coming to Central Park - A 7,500-Square-Foot Mobile Chanel Ad With an Artistic Mission

I was originally made aware of this debacle on July 25th when an article in AM NY caught my attention. Now it seems the NY Times is putting in their two cents on the 7,500 square foot advertisement for Chanel to be located in Central Park. (article)

Steve Lambert of the Anti-Advertising Agency made some very interesting comments about the article that are worth repeating for lack of better thought on my part.

VIA-Anti-Advertising Agency

Basically Chanel is renting out Central Park for millions of dollars to install a temporary exhibition (the structure is in the photograph above) of artist responses to their handbags called “Mobile Art.” Including the word art in the title is evidence of a defensive posture – Central Park doesn’t have billboards in it for a reason.

The guise of art also enables the city to cite “precedents like Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s ‘Gates’… or the four waterfalls designed by the artist Olafur Eliasson” as if the Chanel promotion were in the same category. Sure cynics can say there’s not much difference between big business and blue chip artists, but to put individual artists in the same classification as a multi-billion dollar company employing nearly one thousand people and retail stores on six continents… is kind of overstating it.

Moving on.

Douglas Blonsky, president of the Central Park Conservancy… and Mr. Benepe (Parks Commissioner) described Chanel’s donation as a windfall for the park. The money will go toward enhancing its horticulture, particularly in the area from 85th Street to the Harlem Meer.

Asked whether he anticipated criticism for allowing Chanel to advertise one of its products in the park, Mr. Benepe countered, “Everything has a sponsor.”

As we’ve discussed before, parks and city infrastructure are what government is for. (The lack of funding and related neglect is what brought about the non-profit Central Park Conservancy to begin with.) This is one of the reasons taxes are good! And why you should fight back when two-thirds of the corporations doing business in the United States don’t pay them. Otherwise we end up relying on a thousand points of light and a corporation on a white horse. When governments cut taxes and/or spend them on unnecessary wars we make shitty deals with corporations giving up the sacredness of our public parks in a desperate attempt to keep them around. That and bridges fail.

And what do we get when we resign ourselves to the statement, “everything has a sponsor”? Anne has written a whole book about it. Inauthentic culture.

“Artists in 17th-century Italy wouldn’t have been in business were it not for their patrons,” he added,

Really? Is that our standard? Our level of success is an over three hundred year old monarchy?

We can do better.

Metro NY 07-25-08 Central Park Ads

I woke up early this morning to get to work and found this article in AM NY being passed to me by an unassuming young gentleman at 14th st. This was obviously of concern to me because the marketing of any commercial products within the NYC parks department system is a severe loss of public control over public space. NYC parks have been co-operated by private park conservancy groups as a way for neighborhoods and businesses to control the conditions of select NYC recreational facilities within their area. These few and far between moments of rest in the commercial hum of NYC have long been off limits to advertising. Until April 2006, the amount of money that could be made by park conservancies (private organizations put in charge of running most parks in the city these days) was limited to an amount not worth the conservancies troubles. A new contract was reached with the city allowing unlimited profits on commercial endeavors that made it worth the backlash in public opinion. The result is a million dollar contract between the Central Park Conservancy, NYC, and Chanel clothing, which will allow a commercial "art" project based on Chanel bags to run for 3 weeks in the center of Central Park. This is yet another example of why the private public partnership is so troublesome.