Public Art in Ventura

Re “Let There Be Art,” Oct. 16.

This article about the city of Ventura’s public art program made my blood boil. What is wrong with this city and its perception of “art”? Since when is a “Hot Vomit Machine” and Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls having sex considered art? Not in my lifetime.

Even the thought of it disgusts me. This is Ventura, not Venice.

Ventura is a friendly family town made up of good, hard-working people--a town with great potential if allowed to be the town that it is. It is not a town in which a few outrageous, radical “artists” should be allowed to dictate to us what they perceive to be art. Especially if this so-called public art is to be paid for by the citizens of Ventura. How can they begin to know the kind of art we should have displayed? Especially art that will become a permanent part of our landscape.

If we have so much money to spend on the arts, why not spend it to help our own local artists--with a permanent place to display their work? Doesn’t that make more sense than to commission a few already-established artists to come into our town with their grotesque and outlandish ideas and so-called artwork?

How many of us recall that other ugly public art debacle, the “sculpture” that defaced our pier until, happily, it was destroyed in a winter storm.

We have it all here. We don’t have to look any further than our own backyard.

JOAN HIGGINS

Ventura