Public art installations often cause controversies because art truly is a subjective topic. What is a creative masterpiece to one person is a trashy eyesore to another. Some citizens of Detroit may love their upcoming RoboCop statue, while others in the city may find the movie icon unfit for their home town. I’m guessing not all residents of Milan appreciated an 36-foot tall hand flipping the bird taking up space in their city.
For once, a public art display can be all things to all people.
In New Orleans, an abandoned home has become a place to think about your ultimate goals and write them down for posterity in an upcoming book. The Before I Die project allows passers-by to pick up a piece of chalk and add to the wall the one thing they would like to accomplish before their time on this planet comes to an end. Some of the goals are lighthearted (like owning a monkey, but hopefully not a karate-trained monkey), while others are more profound (like wanting to cure cancer).
What would you write on the wall?