The Construction Safety Monster made its brief but stunning debut on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, thrilling motorists and pedestrians alike. The only problem is, Joe Carnevale, the man who built it has been arrested for destruction of property and larceny as he used the materials to build it without asking. But I like it. It is creative and seems to fit snugly in the category of spontaneous urban art which serves graffiti artists so well. The city ought to resurrect the Monster and pay the construction company for the materials Carnevale used as his commission while dropping all charges.
Meanwhile, across town sits the Time and Light Tower in the middle of a nondescript highway median. To be honest, I drove by the tower every weekday for nearly a year and always wondered what it was, but never guessed that it was a work of art. My best guess was that it powered some mundane piece of electrical equipment like a nearby crosswalk signal. Do I think it is a lesser work of art than the Construction Safety Monster? No, but it certainly isn't as audacious or conspicuous and in a way I think it is audacity that powers great art.
Art enriches our lives and our communities. The city should recognize any creative effort that makes the city a more interesting place and ultimately a better place to live.