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Carbondale arts commission votes to decline donation of large "Scales of Justice" sculpture
Summary
The Carbondale Public Arts Commission voted to decline a donated sculpture titled Scales of Justice, citing size, mounting requirements and lack of a placement strategy.
The Carbondale Public Arts Commission on Aug. 6 voted to decline a donation of a large sculpture titled Scales of Justice by Tim Murray, a piece offered to the town from a preschool campus at Aspen Community School.
Commission members said the sculpture’s scale and the way it is suspended presented mounting and safety challenges and that the commission lacks a placement strategy for sculptures of that size.
CPAC members described the piece as “huge” and raised concerns about where and how it would be mounted, including the potential for it to attract climbers if placed near playgrounds. The donation was also discussed in the context of the commission’s ongoing effort to develop formal criteria for accepting and siting permanent public art.
After discussion the commission member moved to decline the donation “at this time” and the motion was seconded. With a quorum present (Frank, Julian, Michael and a fourth member), members voted in favor of passing on the donation.
Commission members suggested alternative paths for the donor to pursue, including offering the image and information to nearby private schools that have overhanging walkways, where the sculpture might better suit existing mounting structures.
The decision came early in a meeting that otherwise focused on the commission’s condition survey of Carbondale’s permanent collection and other items on the commission’s workplan.
