Laskin: Will the process of selecting a “Justice” sculpture be just?
Letter to the editor
Several years ago, the Alachua County Commission held a contest for artists to submit a design for a sculpture for the then-empty concrete slab located at University Ave. and Main St., near the old courthouse.
I designed and submitted a thoughtful sculpture based on the concept of “We the People.” It showed faces and hands of various ethnicities facing inwards with hands raised. The contest ended with no submission selected as a winner, and mine was not even seen by most of the judges.
They then re-ran the contest and chose a large wooden megaphone design that was plagiarized from sculptures in Europe. Of course, that was never constructed, as the chosen corner was a noisy busy intersection and the originals in Europe were designed to be in a quiet forest.Â
Well, the Alachua County government is at it again, as they just announced a contest for artists to design a sculpture that embodies the theme of “Justice” for the new courthouse. I totally believe in the concept of justice for all. I did a sculpture named “Justice,” which I feel illustrates my view of what the goddess of Justice has become under the Alachua County government and, unfortunately, in many other places.Â
Jeff Laskin, Gainesville
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If they don’t pick your design, then I’d say their selection process is working just fine.
This sculpture is NOT my submission. They could use my prior submission “We the People.”
Jeff, can you provide more detail about the “process” and what people were involved for the county?
I’m not happy with a lot of public art here, including on campus and the well done but weird surrealism popular on the sides of downtown buildings. Who would do that to their house? The replacement for Old Joe – good riddance to him – is particularly obtuse and unintelligible, though no doubt well meaning. But public art should be inclusive and easily understood, at least on some level and not an ego trip for artists who’s skill may not be up to their ego.
It’s intelligible. Unfortunately only by the so-called, “highly intelligent” voters of Gainesville.
Scary…don’t know if it’s our future or the art.
I replied to your comment. Thx!
I like my idea better.
“I’d be okay if they sculpted an image of a person and money on opposite sides of a scale, and it wasn’t weighted to favor either position.
Use a rolled version of the US Constitution, (with the Preamble or other identifiable feature), pronounced and visible as the beam connecting the 2 trays, to illustrate the intended equality of justice.” – From original story.
Make an image of a person, no color, no facial structures that may insinuate one gender or ethnic group gets better treatment over another. Should be easy enough, many people can’t identify the heap of “art” that stands at the County Admin Building.
I definitely don’t like that impaled person under the scales…
I like a striped convict with ball & chain better…
Will make you think twice about being a convicted felon and getting caught with a gun.
10, 20, life!
I don’t know how they selected the judges, but current Alachua County Commissioner MHW was in charge of the contest and no, she never saw my submission, We the People.
You know how things are in this county, the Commission has selective blindness.
I think the sculpture shown is lovely. Mr. Laskin is a very talented and imaginative sculptor.
Thank you!! The creative process is priceless.
No doubt the winning entry will be another amateurish Woke distortion of history. Enjoy.
ACLUSPLCDNC 👹👺🤡👿💩
🤣🤣🤣 If your’s isn’t picked, then the process is “unjust”? I can’t believe you would publicly expose yourself to ridicule this way. They didn’t want your design. They also didn’t want the other designs! Was the process unjust for the other artists, too, or just you?