The City of Tulsa recently placed a large number of huge, jagged boulders along the sidewalk of the 4th and Denver Bus Station, one of the main hubs for Tulsa’s bus system. These boulders are linked, in the City’s statement, to the area’s homeless population, and the desire to give that population more robust services: the assumption being that, instead of hanging out on the sidewalks at this location, they could take the City’s free shuttle to BeHeard, which offers a daytime shelter, showers, and food. Additionally, and more bizarrely, the City has stated that the boulders are part of a “community art project.”
Community art project? Boulders on the sidewalk? You’re talking about these guys?
How funny. This is obviously an example—and quite an ugly one at that—of hostile architecture, which attempts to ward off homeless individuals through uncomfortable or impossible-to-enjoy benches, sidewalks, whatever—think of bird-deterrent spikes. It’s not even a veiled attempt by the City, whose statement directly links the boulders to the homeless population. Add it to the list of ways that the City is making life hard for the homeless.
But sure. Let’s take them at their word. These boulders (I type this with a heavy sigh) are art.
Whatever. “Art is anything you can get away with” is a quote that’s often attributed to Andy Warhol, but it was actually Marshall McLuhan (the “The Medium is the Message” guy), who studied the ways media and art could be used to send, essentially, subliminal messages. And if this is art, it’s sending a hell of a message, which I think can be summarized as: Get the fuck away from the bus station.
But that’s too clunky, too mean, too obvious! The City needed something kinder with which to render their statement. Thus: Hey, pals, it’s art!
So, dear reader, I have decided that, for the sake of the City and the homeless population it seems to think that it is serving—even as it gives them a giant, sharp, cold middle finger—I will do the City a similar backhanded favor. For this art installation, for this embarrassment of stone and hostile architecture, I will write an Artist Statement for these stupid fucking boulders.