LETTERS Arena sculpture, GOP letter to Iran

$8 million for what?

Re “Council backs buying Koons art for arena” (Page A1, March 11): I watched the City Council meeting online, and no surprise: The voices of reason were drowned out by the voices of power and influence. So now Sacramento will have an arena, which many of us did not want, adorned with an 18-foot hunk of plastic that nobody wants.

Way to go, Sacramento.

A world-class joke

If you’ve ever wondered about the term “California’s got a screw loose,” this will prove it. The arts commission promises the Koons sculpture will put Sacramento on the world art map. I think it will make us a world-class joke.

These people remind me of pseudo wine snobs who don’t dare say the Royal DeMaria $10,000 bottle of ice wine tastes like moldy pancake syrup.

The $800,000 red rabbit is bad enough. The “touch-me-not,” $8 million, sad excuse for art that will have to be maintained after being in our hot sun and 100-plus-degree temperatures will make us a worldwide joke.

Will sculpture wilt in sun?

I watched the televised City Council meeting Tuesday. There was an even mix of speakers for and against the project. My main concern was not so much about the art itself or even the selection process, but rather the durability, permanence and cost of maintenance for such a costly sculpture.

The council seemed satisfied with the arts commission representative’s answers to questions regarding this issue and approved the project. But one astute question posed by a Sac State student was ignored. She asked how the colored finish on the sculpture would stand up under the hot Sacramento sun. The arts commission representative had said that the finish was similar to an automobile finish, and that similar work has held up well outdoors for 14 years. But no one on the council asked where that work is.

If in a rainy and cloudy part of the country, there would be no comparison to Sacramento’s blazing summer sun.

Appreciate this unique place

Re “Rise above local politics, approve Koons sculpture” (Editorials, March 10): Really? We’re political and parochial? I’m a transplant to Sacramento and love this city. You want a world-class city? Then love and respect this place. Parisians, New Yorkers and all I’ve met in world-class cities love their cities for their uniqueness. We aren’t parochial for loving Sacramento; we’re world class. Display Sacramento and its unique art.

It’s not just local artists

Apparently, The Sacramento Bee’s editorial writers don’t read the letters on the editorial pages. It’s not just “some local artists” that don’t like the proposed Koons sculpture. Many of us citizens don’t like the garish monstrosity.

The editorial writers seem to be blinded by the millions of dollars often mentioned in the editorials, the idea of an internationally known supposed artist and the perception it will bring Sacramento some glory in the art world. I don’t care whether our public art is by a local artist or whether it brings us art fame. I just would like something I can identify with and understand without having to get someone to explain it to me. So much of our public art in Sacramento makes me wonder how in the devil the arts commission picks them.

Sculpture is not the problem

Re “Is sculpture the right fit for arena?” (Viewpoints, March 10): All the artist renderings of the public plaza for the downtown arena look the same – vast expanses of concrete, stone, brick, with nary a tree in sight.

Do the architects not know it gets hot here in the summer? That hard, impermeable surfaces will reflect heat, making the plaza a toaster oven most days of the year? That Sacramento prides itself on being “the City of Trees”?

I don’t care what sculpture, or any, are put in the plaza. Just put in some big shade trees.

Oh, why not buy it?

Re “City could do better than ‘plop art’ if it would hold an open competition” (Viewpoints, March 10): Oh, why not buy the Koons sculpture? It could quite easily be the least costly mistake the city makes trying to get us famous for a crummy basketball team.

GOP interference is despicable

Despicable. It is reprehensible to see the Republican-controlled Senate attempt to sabotage the foreign policy of the president of the United States. But then, this has been going on since President Barack Obama’s first day in office. Obstruct anything and everything.

The sad part is that we have the controlling political party doing whatever it takes to try and destroy international efforts that are attempting to contain nuclear aspirations. And what’s more sinister is that they have never read the deal because it’s not finished. But the GOP doesn’t care: If it’s Obama, regardless of its worth, the answer is obstruct it.

The GOP couldn’t care less about the security of this country. Their No. 1 priority has always been to undermine what could be very positive to this country.

It’s just an appalling way to govern.

This story was originally published March 11, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "LETTERS Arena sculpture, GOP letter to Iran."