Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Who would build the Toads in a Libertarian society?

I found this link on Libertarian Reddit:

A $600,000 frog sculpture that lights up, gurgles "sounds of nature" and carries a 10-foot fairy girl on its back could soon be greeting Defense Department employees who plan to start working at the $700 million Mark Center in Alexandria, Va. this fall. That is unless a new controversy over the price tag of the public art doesn't torpedo the idea.


Decried as wasteful spending that will be seen by just a couple thousand of daily workers who arrive on bus shuttles, foes have tried to delay the decision, expected tomorrow, April 1. But in an E-mail, an Army Corps of Engineers official said that the decision can't be held up because it would impact completion of the huge project.


The City of Alexandria just announced that there are four works of art being considered and that a final decision needs to be made fast. The artwork was put on display for public comment from March 24 to today. The Alexandria News first reported the hasty announcement to decide a winner.

....The four art proposals for the bus terminal include works for a wall and sculpture. But the one drawing most attention is the fairy and frog from artist Cheryl Foster. Her proposals describes the sculpture this way: "A 10-foot fairy, using an American Toad as 'transportation,' scurries to the entrance of the station. The interior of the toad is illuminated and the sounds of nature emanate from his throat." She said that nature inspired her.


While there are Philistines among us who would complain about a $600,000.00 statue of a fairy riding a toad, we must first ask ourselves "How do you really put a price on something like this?  C'mon people, it lights up and sounds of nature emanates from the frog's throat !!" 

3 comments:

CenTexTim said...

What!?! You're opposed to national defense?!?

Eliminating this sculpture is just the initial step down a slippery slope. First frog art gets cancelled, then the new strike fighter program is halted, then new ships for the Navy are eliminated. Before you know it we're defenseless before our enemies.

Next thing I know you'll be supporting Ron Paul for president...

That Damn Libertarian said...

Of the four offerings, Ms. Foster's is the most realistic.

Hot Sam said...

How would we ever get art without government?

My credo is, "If I could make that, it ain't art."

I could make that.