Art, Books, Films and Conversations - The Urban Landscape

Art

As I walked into The Sculpture Center that displayed a giant cardboard and metal installation titled, “Universe” by artist, Mark Schatz. I couldn’t help thinking what cities mean to me. First, this installation used corrugated cardboard from boxes that held things - Girl Scout Cookies or Shout fabric softener; the artist created miniature cities on top and underneath. There were skyscrapers close together while low rise buildings were scattered further away. Underneath however, there were small wooden models of the same structure duplicated.

I asked the artist if the bottom represented “urban sprawl?” He didn’t exactly answer the question but told me this is his view from an airplane window. It doesn’t matter what development you fly over from an airplane window, the terrain looks the same. How astute I thought - a very interesting concept, indeed. I was taken aback; I never thought of it like that. That’s what art does, explores ideas into infinite possibilities.

Conversations

I went to a talk at the Cleveland Public Library and Dave Hill, a comedian, said something that stuck with me. Why can’t we all live close from one another? Why do people feel compelled to live so far away? I cannot agree more. He prefaced this statement by talking with his father who wasn’t at all disturbed that a deer frequented his yard daily. “Dad, don’t you think this is unnatural?” I think deer wandering around city developments is definitely unnatural. We are taking land away from animals that need natural resources to survive.

Films

I finally watched a documentary, titled “You’ve Been Trumped” where Donald Trump wanted to build the most amazing golf course in the world. The trouble with that concept is that he destroyed a natural sand dune, unlike anything in the world to achieve his goal. I was so upset by watching a beautiful country side decimated so a billionaire can invite his rich friends to play a round of golf. When will developers get it in their heads that clearing out land that should be preserved is just not cool? Do they realize they are displacing animals that need that land to survive?


A recent documentary at the Cleveland International Film Festival, titled “Musicwood” told a story where rare wood is used to make acoustic guitars. Harvesting the Sitka Spruce trees in the Tongass National Forest is using a logging practice called clearcutting - this wood will ultimately be sold to guitar manufacturers. The manufacturers had no idea how this wood was harvested and shipped until they visited the Alaskan forest. They were outraged and now they are working with Greenpeace to preserve this land. Moreover, it’s the Native American’s who own the land, and they are adamant about changing their ways. Until people see how our land is being destroyed, will they understand the importance of preserving it.

Last week’s story about the Canadian Keystone pipeline is badly needed so American’s can get our oil fix; we have to drive our SUV’s. Please! I recommend everyone read, “Run to Failure” that describes in great detail how the BP oil spill happened. I am empathic to growing jobs but we have to rid ourselves from our dependence of oil. We should spend our R & D funds to develop better sustainable ways to create jobs. This status quo will not sustain us into the future.

Cleveland has lost many residents and so many homes are in foreclosure, I agree with the Dan Hill’s statement, we should live close together. We need to share our resources locally and stop trying to destroy our cities so a limited few want to live as far away as possible. I think walking around in a heavily dense community is how it should be. Until that happens, we will need more oil and gas to sustain our cars; increase our energy levels to red alert so we can have air conditioners and furnaces going in our massive homes. Now that family’s are having less kids, do they really need a 4 or 5 bedroom home?

Book

I read a while ago, “Green Metropolis,” and the author describes that New York City is the most sustainable city because per block, there are more people sharing resources than urban towns. After I read that book, I think more about how cities can be better equipped to share resources. Until we are all on the same page on shrinking cities and the depletion of our natural resources will we be able to make an impact. Until then, I will continue to recycle, reuse and conserve. 

The Sculpture Center
http://www.sculpturecenter.org/show_details/2013_W2S_Momeni_Schatz.html#Schatz

Land-Studio - What it means to be a Clevelander!
http://www.land-studio.org/events/2013/05/tell-us-what-it-means-to-be-a-clevelander-now--may-24th

You’ve Been Trumped
http://www.youvebeentrumped.com/youvebeentrumped.com/THE_MOVIE.html

Musicwood
http://musicwoodthefilm.com/take-action/