[TheForge] New

[Andrew Vida]

xlch58 at swbell.net wrote:

> The first time I heard about it was via Kirsten Skiles's Leaflady 
> blog.    I seem to recall she tried it, but I may be misremembering, I 
> may have found the link off of one of the links on her blog page.    It 
> is really a neat idea I think, though better suited maybe to artists 
> that can create something unique and then semi mass produce.  Postcard 
> art seems to be popular.  Think about the effect a small handforged 
> object might have on the finder though.  Simple forged details often 
> escape the notice of most non smiths, who have never invested themselves 
> in a piece of iron.  Leaving a small and sparingly worked bit of iron 
> for someone to find changes the equation -- the chance event of finding 
> it draws the finder in.  Finding the object makes them special, and they 
> in turn make the object special.  A simple scroll or even a small forged 
> leaf now enjoys a far different appraisal in the eyes of the finder than 
> the glance it might have received on a table of wares for sale or as a 
> faint detail of a larger work.  Obscurity banished by circumstance -- 
> participatory art for blacksmiths, forcing the finder to complete the 
> piece with their imagination.   Or maybe it is just me that has a half 
> dozen cheap single earrings found in parking lots around the country 
> that I can't seem to toss out......

	In 1973 one of my classmates was killed in a car accident.  In 1999 I 
finally made a sign that says "Remember <his name>".  I put it up on a 
tree right by the corner where his car went off the road.  I figured 
someone would remove or vandalize it, but it is still there.  I've even 
gone by once and there were people taking photos of it.  I was surprised 
at the degree of peoples' interest.  The now-retired principle of 
Freehold Twp. HS is an old friend of mine.  Even he knew about it.

	I remember when that eye-talian sculptor fella did the stealth-install 
of the bronze bull down on Wall Street.  I had to laugh as the assholes 
in city hall got up in a bunch over it and immediately wanted to find 
the artist and put him in jail and remove the bull.  The public 
sentiment was so strong in favor of keeping the bull and canonizing the 
artist that the bozo cadre was forced to back down and eat their words. 
  I thought that was a very good day for art, individualism, public 
opinion, control of the commons, and all that is good in the world.

	I think stealth installations of art in public places is a great thing 
to engage in.  Makes for interesting diversions and may in some cases to 
serve to remind some who the real bosses are. :)

	-Andy