Public Art and the Culture Wars
Kerry Adams Hapner
![Kerry Adams Hapner]()
Kerry Adams Hapner
Director of Cultural Affairs; Asst. Director of Office of Economic Development & Cultural Affairs; City of San José City Manager’s Office
With the significant, contemporary dialogue happening at all levels of government in regards to monuments and artworks as symbols of representation, I invite you to read the article I authored for the latest "Arts Link," a publication of Americans for the Arts. It is a case study, offering insight into the issues of our times. This article is informed by my Stanford University thesis on the power of public art, place, politics, and cultural inclusion. #Quetzalcoatl #art #monuments #power #politics #place #culturalinclusion #artmatters #americanhistory #stanfordhumanities Click the link to read further. https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showdocument?id=58879
I read this within the context of the “Urban Confluence” efforts. But I can’t really determine how you might interpret the language and methods to elicit designs, the panel of influencers who were selected to choose from the submissions, and the narrowed pool of selected designs. The opportunity to address the concerns you raise was tragically missed, and the usual tokenism within this insular effort is in stark relief against broad efforts to address deep systemic racism.