April 30, 2004
Painting Pandas
There are two words Gothamist has in our mind and they are "road trip" - what with the upcoming May 10th unveiling of the Washington D.C. public arts program, Panda Mania. Readers Eugene, Matt and corie let us know that the Washington Post glimpsed inside the artists' studios where many of the pandas are being painted, complete with slideshow of panda painting. Plus, one of the artists, Victoria Palley, gave us some more details on the "on-site studios": 40 other artists are working there, and then 110 other pandas were dispersed to studios and homes. She also sent us some photographs of the and let us know her panda (pictured right) will be in front of the National Theatre.
Plan your trip to D.C., either by car or by train. And if you go to D.C., you must see the real pandas at the National Zoo.
Gothamist on Pandamania.
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You've got to be kidding with the enthusiasm. A panda version of the horrible Cow Parade is the last thing any city needs.
Actually, it could be worse. San Francisco is getting hearts:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/04/23/MNG5I69UIN1.DTL
If they are going to do it, I'd rather it be with Pandas. And since I like Pandas, I'd be happy for a Panda Parade.
It's actually a beautiful time of year to visit dc (spring time, duh). The Olmsted designed Capitol Grounds gardens are peaking at that time. Although I do have to kinda agree with Berry, as I hate that city wide painted sculpture crap, but I'm not as much of a pandafanatic as jen.
Yes, DO enjoy the pandas at the National Zoo. Especially as they're about the only animals still alive there anymore...
did you even *see* the cows??? they were awesome. i think public art is wonderful and fun and you jaded fools should just adjust your trucker hats, buy another ironic graphic tee and choke on your pbr
maybe san francisco should have done fiberglass hippies.
Having fled to the city from Arkansas, trust me I do not wear a trucker hat. I've seen enough of them worn without irony.
You live in NYC and you think the cows were art? I realize the public art here isn't that great most of the time, but those were just embarassing, and the alleged "sale for charity" seemed to disappear into the mists. Thankfully so did the cows.
Before I moved up here, my hometown (Tulsa, OK) did a similar thing with penguins (the point was to raise money to build a penguin exhibit at the Zoo). It was really popular, when I was home last there were even still a few on their street corners. The thing I enjoyed about it was it livened up the old ordinary places I'd been driving around my whole life. But maybe that's just the Midwesterner in me talking ...
Panda Monium.
It amazes me this see any dismissal for projects that offer a great opportunity raise money for a worthy cause, give the locals AND tourists an excuse to re-discover parts of the city they haven't seen before, and lend a zap of color and whimsy to each cityscape. Yes, the canvas may be unusual, but I assure you - there is a lot of real art. In the DC's project, for instace, there are so many serious painters/illistrators/sculptors/art profesors involved, that many people who were painting at the on-site studios with me were stressing out about their upcoming shows all over the world - for some, it was the pressure of returning to their day jobs (Parsons, Corcoran, etc.). For others, it energized and lifted them form a slump and shared the cerative energy. (I was one of those). Just from the 30 or so bears that I've seen and the friendships made, the experience has been uplifting. (can one say that about a 600 pound bear?)(We are off to a see a new friends 'proper' gallery exhibit this afternoon!) This is also the first year that the tourism level may be able to return to pre 9/11 level - a good reason to celebrate. And yes, the Zoo has had its' share of problems - keeping the interest level up and reminding people to visit it and it's precious residents is also very important. I brought my friends' kids with me once to look around - their reactions, if I even doubted the purpose of the project, blew us away. They ran around, jumped, touched and went home eager to paint and sculpt. They comapred textures, techniques, colors - you name it. It made them think. It motivated them... and that's worth a lot. They saw tromp lois, faux, decorative and hight art. They wanted to see more and to create. There is virtually every type of art represented. For those visiting DC - check out pop-art 'Pandela Anderson' (on Dupont Circle) that should carry a PG rating.
From a practical stand point - it's not just DC or 'tourists' that benefit - Virginians and Marylanders alike enjoy it as well. So, give this (and other projects like ours) a shot -you just may appreciate work for a moment. If not in person - sneak a peek at the book when it comes out. :)
Come visit DC and its surroundings this summer - and, perhaps, touch a panda. (Don't forget the real ones at the Zoo and the the Amazonia exhibit!) Cheers!
Check these people's work out just as a small sampling of what's in store and about some of the artists: http://www.karlisima.com/gallery7.html
http://www.loftgallery.org/gallery7.shtml
http://www.wis.edu/new/
http://www.gazette.net/200418/silverspring/news/213896-1.html
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=34316&paper=61&cat=104
I LOVE the pandas! I think they are sooo cute. I am enjoying them much more than the donkey and elephants we had here a couple years ago. I thought those were kind of hokey. More pandas please!