The “High Bench” by Brad Downey and Mike Wrobel sat 10 feet high in the air on Manhattan’s lower east side. The project attempted to raise questions about urban spaces and the objects that pervade public envitonments. Although the bench was removed by the Department of Transportation, it still makes an interesting comment on the state of public art in the city.
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18 thoughts on “High bench makes you wonder why there’s so little public art in the city”
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the statement this is attempting to make is either extremely shallow and trivial, or extremely deep and beyond me. otherwise, it looks like it was more effort than it was worth.
still like it though. go figure.
I’d call this more of a prank than art. It needs a sign like “Courtesy seating” too.
Anytime someone says something like this “it still makes an interesting comment on the state of public art in the city” they should be required to elaborate on the statement they think it’s making. Because it won’t be making the same statement to everyone who looks at it.
I thought we were surrounded by art. I thought you all called it graffiti.
If it’s like art that’s supposed to make you think, then it worked.
I’d pondered how it could be a statement about public sevices that while exist, but aren’t really accessible.
Maybe the reason there isn’t more “public art” is because the public doesn’t like it, and causes their agent to remove it.
The statement I think it makes about public art is “There is to much useless art around here, give us more park benches so I can sit down once in a while.”
You guys are sure a bunch of drags. Since when does art need to have a meaning? Why can’t it just be something fun/funny to look at? Not everybody is going to like it it but show me a piece of art that everybody digs.
To whom it may concern. Wow! I almost died when I saw this picture! My bands name is, “Highbench”. We live here in the NYC area. About 3 years ago we had made sketch drawings of benches with exaggerated & elongated legs on them. This as an artistic effect for our band t-shirts. Anyway, I absolutely love this amazing sculpture! Bravo! Also the fact it was actually installed in the middle of the street downtown is sick! So, I was wondering who I can get in contact with, concerning the possibility of using this image/sculpture on our new album cover? Also, maybe to use it on our Facebook, Myspace and or any other digital realms we have our bands images on? Who do I contact for this? You can reach me on my email at davidewestern@gmail.com. Please get back to me if you can soon. I would also like to explore the possibility of putting the high bench sculpture up around where ever we may play around the city. Possibly on our forth coming tour as well? Just some thoughts? Hope to hear from whomever this may concern!
Best Regards,
D. Western
Check out Highbench on iTunes!