Around campus you may have seen these inconspicuous white signs with a minimalist white and blue scheme. These signs read The Statue of Four Lies and then at the bottom is the corresponding website, thestatueoffourlies.com.
The bronze statues, which represent two former UH students known as the Art Guys — Michael Galbreth and Jack Massing — is the newest form of public art built on our campus.
Most UH students have seen the signs all around campus, but many will miss the beauty of the artwork. The statues represent a chance for the public to personally interact with the statues and to make them their own. This is public art that is intended to be painted, altered or modified to further expression.
Public art is a perfect venue to add life and character to otherwise mundane components of Houston. The question is, why then do we only allow public art in the form of statues on a campus, and not others like graffiti on trains, sticker art on walls of buildings, or the aerosol tags and intricate stickers on electrical traffic boxes around Houston?
If you were to go out anywhere in Houston and pop the top off of a spray paint, you can can be assured that legal consequences will ensue of you’re caught by the police. Despite the risk of law enforcement, success and hard work would only remain as art for a limited time.
The Houston City Council passed an ordinance Monday that will target and abate graffiti of Houston’s Greater East End. The five-year contract will abate the graffiti at a rate of 80 dollars per hour.
The president of the Greater East End management said that “graffiti is like leaving your front door open to criminals,” Diane Schenke said.
One person’s view of graffiti is not the city’s. One council of old people does not — and should not — decide what the city finds to be crime or art. Just like “The Statue of Four Lies,” graffiti serves many Houstonians with artistic stimulation. Unfortunately, expressing your artistic side on either “The Statue of Four Lies” or a bridge in Houston will cause you to be punished, not rewarded.
Tell me where your car is parked. I'll artistically enhance for you, for the entertainment of all.
Agreed. Let us know where you live and where you park so we can give your property some artistic flavor. Hell why not let us tattoo your forehead while we're at it. Don't worry it would all be done with style.
Dumbass.
Dear Cougar Editorial Staff,
“The Statue of Four Lies” is not “intended to be painted, altered or modified to further expression.” It is true that there is an expected interactive aspect to the piece. This is due to its inherent form as traditional bronze figurative sculpture. Curiously, and perhaps for obvious reasons, people tend to interact with figurative sculpture in ways that other sculptural forms do not elicit. But interaction is very different from alteration or modification. There are many ways to interact with “The Statue of Four Lies” without causing damage. Regarding graffiti, there are many ways to express one’s artistic side without causing damage. Any thoughtful person knows the difference.
We’re very grateful to have done this piece for UH. And we’re grateful for your positive comments. Thank you.
Obviously whoever wrote this is NOT a thoughtful person. I don't think The Art Guys, or anyone for that matter, would appreciate it if someone recklessly vandalized their hard work.