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Rainbow Arch Paint?
updated: Oct 20, 2012, 10:10 PM

By Edhat Subscriber

Question: what is happening with the repainting of the Rainbow Arch at Dwight Murphy Field? A fundraiser event was held a month ago, but nothing appears to be happening.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

FIRST DISTRICT	2012-10-20 11:37 PM
How about some thing happening which will cause it to totally disappear. . . Hey. . . The funds from that event could be used for that purpose and any thing left over could be for a community celebration.
COMMENT 333769P	2012-10-21 12:36 AM
Not a bad idea.
COMMENT 333773P	2012-10-21 02:45 AM
Here, here. I second that motion!
REXOFSB	2012-10-21 05:47 AM
Why not just paint the damn thing black or some other solid color and be done with it? The rainbow effect makes it look like the entrance to an amusement park. That stupid arch is, and always has been, high kitsch at its zenith.
COMMENT 333779	2012-10-21 06:29 AM
Love the Arch. Can't wait for it to be complete
COMMENT 333787P	2012-10-21 07:11 AM
Would someone like to actually answer the question?
GIZMO1	2012-10-21 07:42 AM
They have to run the funds raised thru a sive and see if there is anything left
COMMENT 333791	2012-10-21 07:44 AM
can you even really call it an arch? I thought an arch had an arc to it?
COMMENT 333794	2012-10-21 07:57 AM
Yes! Rename it "the mono-hued rectangular walk-through"
COMMENT 333799	2012-10-21 08:18 AM
Hard to believe that thing hasn't been tagged yet!
COMMENT 333810	2012-10-21 08:55 AM
Look up Herbert Bayer in Wikipedia. There are also some really nice Herbert Bayer images on the web that give an idea of his true style. Bayer developed ARCO's corporate art collection; the largest corporate art collection in the world. He also co-designed the Aspen Institute. He and by extension, his work, stand for a huge cross-section of Pre- and Post WWII cultural history (e.g. for starters like all Bauhaus artists he was labeled a "degenerate" artist by the Nazis and fled to the US, marrying the daughter of poet Mina Loy who had hung out with Djuna Barnes and Gertrude Stein).In other words, he's "good people". As with a lot of Modern art you have to look beyond the object and know that physics, etc. were often in the mix. In this case, there's a lot to his story. If you bother to look him up I think you'd agree that we don't think we want to wipe out physical symbols of that history.
NATURE BOY	2012-10-21 09:32 AM
787P: We're having a discussion. If discussing variations or tangents on a topic bothers you, you might have a rough time here on Edhat. And 810, the fact that Bayer developed ARCO's corporate art collection, to me, destroys all credibility he might have as an artist.
COMMENT 333823	2012-10-21 09:54 AM
@Nature Boy many people have sought to channel corporate money to good causes. Are you saying that all corporate contributions to charities are bad and/or shouldn't occur? Bayer was working within a concept of corporate social responsibility that is common in Europe. To us this sounds absurd. In the recent past, corporate contributions particularly to the arts were even common in the US in part because of tax breaks that were subsequently eliminated. But most importantly, it supported artists. Bottom line: arts need support to be accessible to the public or only the wealthy get to experience the arts. ARCO built a free museum in LA to showcase its art. Of course it's also PR, but again, the same can be said of all corporate contributions.
COMMENT 333824P	2012-10-21 09:54 AM
I would like to see the arch, which by the by I find the worst left-from-my-beloved-seventies art I've ever seen (who came up with the mixed metaphor of a "square" rainbow? - remember what "square" used to mean?) repainted, but in a slightly muted version of every color -- sort of like it has aged mellowly. Right now I think the rainbow is old, dirty and streaked but still jarring.
NATURE BOY	2012-10-21 10:23 AM
I guess I just prefer my artists to be of a more rebellious, edgy type. Ones who wouldn't work with a multi-billion dollar oil company to make the company appear cultured. But I do see value in the end result of sharing art with the public. To each his own, I guess, as to which artists we consider credible.
COMMENT 333841	2012-10-21 11:34 AM
Nature Boy I hear you. The unfulfilled dream of corporate social responsibility (in earnest), was far too short-lived. It did fund a lot of art, much of it rebellious in various contexts. There's always more to the story when it comes to art. For example, the David Siquieros mural of Mexican peasant revolutionaries on the steps of the SB Museum of Art would fit the definition of "rebellious" but it was acquired by a grandchild of Betsy Bloomingdale's (Bloomingdale's heir and a great friend of Nancy Reagan) where the mural decorated a home pool/garden area in Pacific Palisades. Does this negate its "rebelliousness"? Siquieros (and Diego Rivera, who took a commission from Nelson Rockefeller) thought they could use the master's tools (money) against him/her. The rich thought they were buying "radical chic" - or maybe they wanted to support the cause. Did it work?
COMMENT 333844P	2012-10-21 11:54 AM
So - all that aside, does anyone know when they are actually going to do any work on the arch?? :-)
COMMENT 333847	2012-10-21 12:08 PM
Call the SB County Arts Commission and ask them.
COMMENT 333861	2012-10-21 12:48 PM
The arch is beautiful and and icon of the gayness of santa barbara!!!! Paint as bright and rainbow as possible!!!!!
FIRST DISTRICT	2012-10-21 01:01 PM
Quite seriously. . . Look him up. There are plenty of museums which have some of his works. Example: There is an exhibition of his work in Denver right now which will be on display through July of 2013. So I'm sure there are plenty of places which would be happy to accept such a 'donation.' Another thought: He lived in Aspen from 1946 until he graced Montecito from 1974-1985. Wouldn't that piece look wonderful in Aspen, Colorado!
COMMENT 333873	2012-10-21 01:07 PM
@First District don't you dare! Aspen is landlocked. The piece was designed to be placed in the ocean so as to co-create prisms. There are a lot of public art supporters in SB County. You would find out -- Mercedes Eichholz is among them.
COMMENT 333894P	2012-10-21 01:32 PM
Because it's Santa Barbara and they have to wait for permits!
STRAY	2012-10-21 01:41 PM
@847. Thanks for the tip. I'll contact the SB Arts Commission for further info on what is gonna happen when to this art work.
COMMENT 333912	2012-10-21 01:51 PM
The city decided it was a sign declaring bring us your gay and lesbians and decided to change colors.
COMMENT 333921	2012-10-21 02:11 PM
@912 the idea behind public art is that while the masses cannot enjoy the same fine dining as the rich, art can be made available for public consumption. When a gross misinterpretation of public art is made in a public forum such as this, it bolsters those who think art should only be in museums or private collections, not available to the public in public space because the public "can't handle art". We are probably the only first world country where people proudly express complete ignorance of art in a public forum. Seattle has a huge public art program and nearly every other major US city has public art. Cities the size of Santa Barbara generally don't so we are unique. Look up Herbert Bayer (try Wikipedia), and see what his art actually means. Or we could have no public art. Fountain decorations are nice, but not art.
COMMENT 333927	2012-10-21 02:24 PM
The Chromatic Gate is NOT at Dwight Murphey Field. It is at the area adjacent to The Red Lion.
MESAJIM	2012-10-21 03:06 PM
In Santa Barbara there is an actual rule as to what colour you can/cannot paint your house and/or place of business unless it adheres to the spanish/adobe style prevalent throughout the city. There's a list of "acceptable shades" property owners are supposed to choose from. In keeping with the theme, I find it absurd that they allowed this monstrosity to be erected. It's a hypocritical, laughable blight on the nose of the City.
NATURE BOY	2012-10-21 03:13 PM
921, Just because many people don't care for this particular piece of art doesn't mean that we can't handle art, or that we are ignorant of art. Is is this one piece that many people have a problem with, especially since it has been allowed to become stained, run-down, and frankly ugly. If this were a constant theme, say, people bad-mouthing the sculpture in front of the Art Museum, or the dolphin fountain, then i'd see your point. But to assume that when large numbers of people voice their dislike to a particular piece, it's off-base to call us ignorant of public art in general.
NATURE BOY	2012-10-21 03:19 PM
Email mayor Schneider & ask what's being planned for the sculpture -- i just did! HSchneider@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
COMMENT 333960	2012-10-21 03:26 PM
@Mesa Jim - Pretty sure Chromatic Gate is outside of the El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District but in the event that it's not, the El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District Guidelines p. 43 refers to the City's Visual Art in Public Places Public Art Review Guidelines, which establish the public art program in the City of SB. Also see comment #921. Is there an ulterior motive here? Like on the part of the Fess Parker hotel operator? This level of blind hostility usually has a political/economic or personal purpose behind it. The sculpture needs to be better taken care of, that's all. Fresh paint and a falcon to keep away the gulls.
AUNTIE S.	2012-10-21 04:10 PM
Well said, 921. Santa Barbara, of all places, should have a citizenry cosmopolitan enough not to make ignorant comments about its public art.
COMMENT 333981	2012-10-21 04:11 PM
Nature Boy -- no it's not off-base, but actually polite, to describe a comment here as "gross misinterpretation" when in fact, it is gross misinterpretation and an anti-gay slur! This artist has a body of work that speaks for itself. You don't need to make up what it's about. You can read about the artist, see where he's coming from, how this fits (or doesn't fit) with his body of work, and then decide. This is not a fountain decoration! This is not on private property like the art museum steps. This is public art and its purpose is to challenge viewers to engage with it. If taking two minutes to google the artist Herbert Bayer is too much to ask, then don't engage with it, but don't purposely misinterpret it out of willful ignorance and throw in a gay slur. I don't go around mindlessly bashing public baseball or soccer fields because I prefer public art. Agreed, it has been very poorly maintained (or not at all).
COMMENT 333984P	2012-10-21 04:14 PM
Natureboy, 787P here -- it's just that the OP was asking for information. What resulted is not a discussion, it's the same old rehashed hate-the-arch reaction that we go through every time the sculpture is mentioned. I'm not all that fond of the thing either, but it would be nice to get a little light instead of just heat.
NATURE BOY	2012-10-21 04:31 PM
??? I in NO way condoned any gay slurs, i simply held my point that people are allowed to DISlike art, just as people are allowed to like it. The contention that just because it's public art, it should be embraced, and anyone who doesn't embrace it is ignorant, is wrong. Don't get me involved in any "gay slur" debates here, i refuse to be attached to that. The essence of art is to get people talking. Disliking is just as relevant as liking. Art does not, by virtue of its existence, make itself valued by a community. Art inspires opinions, both positive and negative. To not accept that is to do a disservice to the very medium.
NATURE BOY	2012-10-21 04:53 PM
981: I might get nannied here, but i am extremely offended by your comment directed at me, saying " don't purposely misinterpret it out of willful ignorance and throw in a gay slur." Maybe you're looking at a different comment and mis-directing it at me, but i am EXTREMELY in support of gays, and i NEVER made ANY gay slur. And i think the record needs to show this. I have NO IDEA what you're talking about when you accuse me of making ANY gay slur, and i will say here (nanny or no) that i resent the mis-representation of ANY comments i have made, and i resent you accusing me of what you've accused me of. Read my comments. Please refrain from sullying my reputation in the future. Thanks and peace!
COMMENT 334003	2012-10-21 05:02 PM
The City has hired a Welding outfit in Goleta...THEY ARE TAKING IT OUT piece by piece starting the first week of November... YAY!!!
COMMENT 334021	2012-10-21 06:10 PM
@Nature Boy - um when I commented in #921, I was specifically responding to comment #912 as you can see in my post ("@912 the idea behind public art" etc.). So, not addressing you at all there, dude (as you can see, I employ the standard "@" to indicate replying to a specific comment/er).
NATURE BOY	2012-10-21 06:38 PM
Got it 021, i was wrong in condemning you. Sorry. This "numbering" comments gets so confusing on Edhat! I still stand by my condemnation about 981's mean slur about me! We should be able to make this easier.
COMMENT 334076P	2012-10-21 08:46 PM
@003: That's certainly a step in the right direction. Hopefully it will get lost in transit and we'll never see it again.
COMMENT 334161	2012-10-22 08:24 AM
Whether the sculpture appeals to you or not I would hope that most citizenry is more open minded and feels less of a sense of entitlement to make a determination about what the masses should and should not find visually appealing. Then there are those who feel the need to control others' thoughts and actions. Perhaps you should look in the dryer for your insecurity blanket. Cheers S'Auntie Barbara
COMMENT 334379	2012-10-22 03:19 PM
I've never known a town like Santa Barbara to have SO many haters of art in public places ? I grew up in Chicago surrounded by statues and sculptures. All these nasty comments about ANY art (permanent or temporary) that appears on our streets just continues to mystify me ???
COMMENT 334570	2012-10-23 08:39 AM
SB has so many people who hate public art because this town also attracts so many who also hate the rich. Higher aesthetics can be seen as a signature of the wealthy. Of course those same people come here because the wealthy have endowed this town with special amenities due to their personal generosity. If these haters just wanted sun, sand and water they could get this in Oxnard. But they don't move there because part of their daily adrenalin existence is to hate something they can't have. In Oxnard, they can have it all but they choose not to. So many factual mistatements in this thread, one needs to take this into consideration when assessing these same posters viewpoints on art as well. Long live the delightful Chromatic Gates. I donated to its refurbishment. You are welcome.
COMMENT 334739	2012-10-23 02:40 PM
I found a phone number 805-568-3994 and email ferri@co.santa-barbara.ca.us for Rita Ferri at the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. I've emailed her to ask when restoration will begin.

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