World Trade Center Gets an Arts Expert, May Lose an Arts Center
Art, once seen as a central piece of the World Trade Center redevelopment, has become much of an afterthought at this point. Even the giant mall planned for the site is a bigger priority, though that makes some sense, since the one destroyed on 9/11 was one of the most popular on the planet at the time. That and it will actually help generate revenue for the Port Authority, an increasingly important issue as the cost of the complex continues to grow. The surprisingly serene memorial may qualify as culture, but otherwise the site is almost all commerce at this point.
The Port is taking a step toward enlivening things by tapping Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel as a public art consultant for the World Trade Center. Part of her job will be to figure out exactly what art would be appropriate for the site, and where, but the exact aspects of the consultation is still being worked out. Read More
