Editorial note: For the second month in a row, the SAIC community exhibited a disappointing lack of humor in their answers to a somewhat sarcastic question.
There
should be city-sponsored art student grants that give [studio]
spaces, rather than money, to qualifying recipients of the
awards. The spaces could be in one building, thus creating
an art community in one area. Such a program can build a spine
for creators, but still allow for change which is important
for a thriving art community.
— Christine Taylor, Senior, Photography
Giving artists special exemptions like “let us buy spray
paint” is somehow a kind of goofy elitism. Providing
more funding for artists is a more positive way of support.
— Arthur Lam, 1st Year, MFA
Maybe the city should allow me to be an artist. I had just
purchased an SX-70 camera and was excited to take some photos
of buildings. I was standing next to the Calder sculpture
taking a few Polaroids, and I took a picture of the lobby
of the building that is next door. A man approached me and
told me that it is a federal offense to take pictures of federal
buildings. He requested my identification, social security
number, and address. He questioned me about my reasons for
taking photos of this building, searched my photo bag, and
took the photo of the lobby that I had taken (which was blurry)
and wrote down all of my personal information on it.
He then told me that he was giving me a warning, and that
next time I would be arrested and all my equipment woulf be
taken from me. I was shocked, since there were no signs or
warnings informing me of this. Later, I went into the federal
building to ask for the officer’s name. Another officer
approached me and identified himself as a representative of
the Department of Homeland Security. I just wanted to get
out of that building as fast as I could before I was thrown
in federal prison forever. It really made me realize how I
was a powerless citizen against the word of these men. I felt
lucky to get out of there. I always see tourists taking photos
of the Calder and the buildings — why was I singled
out? As I was leaving I saw a man on the other side taking
photos and warned him of my experience. He said that it was
ridiculous, and that this was public property. Try telling
that to the department of homeland security.
— Name withheld
Why should artists get treated any differently from other
people? By granting special treatment to a specific group
of people, you are endorsing inequality. Another problem would
be the identification of an artist. What makes someone an
artist? I think it becomes too complex a situation.
— Chico, Sophomore, Painting and Drawing
I guess I’m more interested in what the artist can do
for the city. If you aren’t giving back to the community,
then how can you expect it to give you anything?
Let’s start with the artists here at SAIC. How many
of us actually go out and experience what the City of Chicago
has to offer aside from gallery openings?
Does anyone care that not too long ago, mothers in the Little
Village community held a hunger strike to have a new school
built? Or the fact that police have now put in cameras in
the city’s North Lawndale area instead of addressing
that community’s problems? ...With the city offering
us “Artist Month,” use it wisely, because the
city should be worrying about larger issues. Not whether or
not an artist has special privileges for making the world
more “beautiful.”
— Esmeralda Baltazar, Junior, Art Education
Thinking about what most artists and student artists have
in common made me think about all the coffee we consume. What
better monopoly than Starbucks could possibly afford to support
our habit? An agreement could be made to offer both professional
artists and student artists “a coffee a day.”
In order to regulate one per customer per day, a “Chicago
Artists Month” coffee punch card could be distributed
with the verification of either a university ID or business
card.
— Alyssa Miserendino, Senior, Photography
I would say you’re right on the mark with the “let
us buy spray paint” suggestion. But I would certainly
take it one step further, and suggest making graffiti and
other public art legal. It would give the population a chance
to reclaim the space that we pass through daily, but have
little or no control over. It would be a much-needed injection
of personal power over our space and daily lives, and I think
that would give everyone a chance to be an “artist.”
— Steve Bell, Sophomore, Photography
Having worked at the Department of Cultural Affairs in the
Division of Cultural Planning, I can tell you firsthand that
a lot of this type of stuff is already in the works (or at
least being tried). Unfortunately, the biggest problem is
that artists don’t bring their voices/concerns to the
table to be heard.
— Name withheld