Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011

Move the Light + Time Tower? Not so fast, admirers say

Move it – or improve it?

That’s the question at the heart of a debate over the Light + Time Tower on Capital Boulevard, a public art piece back in the spotlight nearly two decades after it was installed.

A proposal to move the tower to a more prominent location has spurred an outcry from its admirers, including many who live in North Raleigh and pass the quirky landmark on their way into downtown.

Rather than move the tower, they say, why not tidy up its current setting?

A little yard work on the grassy median where the piece stands – mainly pruning overgrown bushes – would restore a proper look of dignity, says John Parrish, a resident of the Quail Corners neighborhood.

“I thought when they put it in, it was one of the neatest things I’d ever seen,” said Parrish, a semi-retired salesman. “Every time I go down Capital Boulevard, it’s like a glimmer of hope among all those buildings that are...let’s say not modern.”

But the tower deserves a more visible location where it can be appreciated, says City Councilwoman Mary-Ann Baldwin, who asked Raleigh officials to convene talks on the possibility of a move.

Baldwin said she knew the mere suggestion would draw criticism. But she believes it’s a worthwhile discussion as Raleigh seeks to elevate the role of public art in the city’s development.

Arts boards have discussed the idea over the years but were wary of asking the city to pay several thousand dollars to move the structure.

The project has a long and colorful history. Created by Eldred and his widow Roberta Lord, the piece marked the inaugural public art project of the Raleigh Arts Commission.

Then-Mayor Tom Fetzer railed against the $51,100 price tag, saying it was wrong to make Raleigh taxpayers pay for such a frivolous undertaking.

Eldred, the famed Kansas City sculptor, died in a fall at his studio not long after winning the commission in 1993. He was 59. The piece was completed by his widow and installed by a group of his assistants.

Leave Eldred’s work in place, says Bob Rankin, a Raleigh native and arts commission member. A spot on Capital Boulevard ensures the piece can be appreciated by all, Rankin said.

“Remember, it’s public art, not elitist art,” Rankin said. “The demographic coming down that corridor is made up of every segment of society. If you put it in a museum-like setting, that can be deemed as elitist.”

The piece works so well because it stands out in a drab landscape, says Lois Underwood, a Raleigh painter and longtime advocate for the arts. The unexpected location adds to the impact.

“It was supposed to be in a different area from, say, the statues that honor great people,” Underwood said.

The tower’s refractive glass was positioned to reflect the brilliant colors of the sun. These colors are most visible on sunny mornings, when driving south toward downtown, and sunny afternoons, when driving north away from downtown, according to the arts commission.

Aside from all that, Underwood says, thousands of travelers use Capital Boulevard each day to reach downtown: “Where else would more people see it?”