Posted on 11/11/2014 8:29:47 AM PST by John Semmens
The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) has received court approval of its seizure of the art studio of James Dupree. It plans to bulldoze it and sell the land to a private grocery chain. Despite renovating a dilapidated warehouse and converting it into an attractive and bustling center for artistic expression, Dupree’s property rights are being sacrificed to the PRA’s vision of what the City needs.
“It’s a question of whether the rights of the collective community should take precedence over the rights of a single individual,” PRA Executive Director Ed Covington explained. “Far more people will eat the food sold at the proposed supermarket than will ever see the works of art produced or displayed at Mr. Dupree’s studio. Social justice commands that the benefit of the greater number takes precedence over the rights of one man.”
Covington dismissed the possibility that the supermarket could be built at another location. “I suppose that if we were to search hard enough we might find such a place, but it might not be as conveniently located,” he said. “Should we really undermine the convenience of thousands of shoppers in the name of the abstract property rights of a single individual?”
if you missed any of this week's other semi-news/semi-satire posts you can find them at...
http://azconservative.org/2014/11/08/president-ready-to-use-executive-action-for-amnesty/
My cousin is a fairly well-known painter, formerly of teh Main Line and also formerly Artist in Residence at Williams College. I will forward this to her and see if she knows anyone who might be able to help.
Thank you, TBP!
AW, I am confused here, since the piece is billed as “satire”. Am I missing something?
Petulance has made Semmens’ artful perspective unwelcome here.
Given all the other aggregated, stressful news crap, it’s ridiculous he’s been singled out. And I say this as a casual reader of his satire.
I recall a FReeper openly mocking him a while back... made no sense unless there was some personal vendetta.
Semmen’s [Satire]-tagged posts are always labeled Semi-news/Semi-Satire for a reason: they are always hyperbolic reports of actual news with words put into the mouths of actors to make the outrage of their outrageous positions or actions more humorous or obvious. In this case, there is real eminent domain abuse going on in Philadelphia, and the real story without satiric embellishment is in one of the posts just down from the thread-starter and is quite outrageous.
As an old Penn man (Grad A&S ‘84), with a fondness for West Philly where my first apartment after leaving college was, I signed the petition. I encourage you to do so as well.
As a self-employed artist who lost everything during the obama administration, I really identify with this poor man. I will spread the word.
I made my posts to correct the record -- all the crap being done to James Dupree is very real.
I appreciate any and all signatures to the petition, and pings / emails to anyone who can help James keep his life's work intact in the studio he so lovingly crafted.
Thank you, LTOS!
Well, I oughta have a personal vendetta against him for all the times my blood pressure has taken a spike. I think running the gauntlet of his threads has helped me become more discriminating, though I can understand why it bothers some people.
Heh, one has to admit, attempts to satirize the current reality is an uphill battle.
Howdy, John.
Okay, thanks.
I live in Maryland, so I don’t know what good my signature will do, but I will sign.
I have some cousins who live in the Filthadelphia suburbs and I have alerted them to the situation. Fingers crossed.
Thanks for posting. BUMP for James Dupree!
“Here is a black man who has achieved a measure of success.”
Well there’s the problem right there. He must be stopped!
Mayor Nutter... His name alone says it all.
Democrats are racist. How dare this black man succeed?
I will share this everyone I know.
I’m thankful John posted this piece or I would not have known about Mr. Dupree’s oppression.
Thank you! Public pressure in Philly saved artist Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Garden from destruction. It is nealy impossible to describe or picture; but he created this enormous mosaic from found ceramics, mirrors and metal cast-offs in an outdoor empty lot on South Street when many parts of Philly were a trash heap. The mosaic covers the ground and the walls of the three-story buildings beside it, and has many standing “found-object” sculptures inside.
“Hipsters” started moving to South Street after artists took over the empty buildings for cheap rent in the late 60s and started fixing them up. Now, it’s another yuppified place where the visionary artists, now in their 70s, can barely afford their taxes.
When friends of mine tore out the inside of their row houses near there to renovate it, they gave Isaiah Zagar carloads of old mirror shards, pieces of rusted ironworks and chunks of tiles, as did many other renovators. He incorporates ceramics that he makes, stuff from flea markets and gleanings from trash night into his outdoor murals. When you pass by these buildings in the sunlight or by car headlight, the mirror chips illuminate the walls amazingly.
Videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEpXlmdyJ4A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH1kG3U8veU
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