Tilted Arc

This is Richard Serra's 'Tilted Arc' that was commissioned for the federal plaza in New York. At a height of 4 meters and 40 meters long, it cuts right through the heart of the plaza. I think the idea behind the piece is that of social and economic divides within society, and the federal plaza was a perfect location to display it. The sheer scale of it makes it very intrusive and quite menacing to people who come into contact with it. It reminds me of the monolith in the film '2001: A Space Odyssey' which appears at intermittent points in the film. The characters in the film interact with it in an apprehensive yet curious way. I think people must have reacted the same way to the arc. However, the public relationship with it soon soured as many saw it as an eyesore and an inconvenience as they had to walk around it. It also attracted graffiti before it was eventually dismantled. I think graffiti is an important symbol to the piece. It is a way of personalizing the space in which we live, taking ownership and making it our own. Its interesting to think about this and the initial concept behind the piece. Eventually, the arc was dismantled due to huge public uproar.