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TH E C L A C K A M A S P R IN T
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JA N . 21, 2015
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V O L . 4 8 IS S U E 9
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by Nathan Woosley
“This violates boundaries, and th at’s p art of the
point,” music instructor Brian Rose said speaking on
behalf of the recent controversial art piece created by
street artist Cape One.
The controversy surrounding the piece is based on
those “violated boundaries,” not because of its subject
m atter or content, but due to the artist’s decision to
allow paint to make its way on to the ceiling and floor
of the Clackamas Community College Niemeyer music
hall.
The piece was created “for the students...it’s for your
generation,” Rose said.
The artwork was commissioned by Rose and CCC
to “help artists leave their world behind before entering
the recording studio.”
Originally the concept for the piece was to create
various caricatures of musicians, covering everyone
from Bob Marley to jazz musicians to classical artists,
but when the artist wasn’t liking the progression of the
piece, Rose asked him to create whatever he felt.
“He said, ‘W hat do you want me to put on here?’
I said, 1 want you to put on here what you feel,”’ said
Rose.
Rose said the reception to the piece from his stu
dents has been very positive. However, not everyone is
as thrilled about the work as Rose and his students. The
school ordered the paint on the floors to be cleaned and
stripped, although the paint on the ceiling will remain.
Prior to the floors being cleaned, Sasha Muller, an
engineer for the recording studio and CCC alum, ex
pressed his frustration with the paint splatters on the
floor saying that the work was “an embarrassment” and
he hoped that it would be cleaned up soon.
As a general rule, art murals do not typically extend
beyond the boundaries of their proposed location. For
instance the City of Portland mural permit requires that
murals ’’...shall not extend more than 6 inches from
the plane of the wall upon which it is tiled or painted
or to which it is affixed.” But that’s Portland, and this
is CCC, in an art hall where creativity is encouraged.
In any case, the artist was asked to create something
th at he felt, a work o f self-expression. A rt im itates
life, and that can clearly be seen in the mural. Often
times others repel us just as much as we are attracted
to them, not unlike different forms of art. Although
Cape One asked to not be quoted on the m ural itself,
he did say “If you’re not doing what you love doing,
then it’s not worth doing,” maybe that’s what the piece
is about? It’s hard to say for sure since it’s abstract, and
we see in it what we want to see.
Ironically, while working on the mural, Cape One
was simultaneously preparing an art exhibit in The
Alexander Gallery also in Niemeyer. The exhibit is
called ‘CapeOne’s Fantastic Disaster’ and will be open
to be viewed through Feb. 5.
W hetherthe hallway piece repels or attracts you,
it’s w orth considering how others view it or see it.
Maybe some boundaries should be explored, maybe
it’s okay if we let a little paint drip or splash or spray
outside thedines.
Students and instructors oberserve Cape One's mural in the Niemeyer music hall.
To see more o f Cape Ones art-work, visit theclackamasprini.com
photo by A"^rew Koczian