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Two Percent For Art

Jno Cook

Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri -- Horace

For Joyce Neimanas, really

Representing the State of Illinois, I once found myself in a meeting with City officials, the CTA, and members from the supervising architectural firm, discussing cost estimates for the extension of the CTA Rapid Transit line to O'Hare airport, when one of the architects added yet another line item to the budget. "And two percent for Art," he said.

I piped up, "Who is Art?" Art turned out to be Art like in Public Art. What did I know, I hadn't tossed my career yet for life as an artist.

I first proposed these in 1984, but no-one would hear of doing murals of common objects. Murals were to be Collages, and have Social and Political Content, Enpower the Designers, and Reflect Community Values. Things ain't much different today.

Half-toned Face, 5 Stories tall

$100 Dollar Bill

Soft Toy

Potato Peeler on Morton Wing

Potato Peeler on Orchestra Hall

Stack of read Newspapers (or Sunday Tribune)

Security Chain Link Fence

Bat on Tree Twig (and dried up leaf)

Lake Trout

Little Red Wagon on Parking Garage

Union Station, redone as Paint Sampler

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