ROTTERDAM CULTURAL HISTORIES #15: ORPHANED SCULPTURES AND PUBLIC FAVOURITES
‘Art is elitist’ is a common accusation levelled at art: a ‘taste terror’ that nobody wants, imposed by ‘so-called experts’. ‘Citizens are always obstructive when it comes to art’, is a common suspicion from the other side. It is for this reason that some call ‘art and public participation incompatible’. This edition of Rotterdam Cultural Histories offers a rather different story. Using three examples, we show how the people of Rotterdam cherish their city’s sculptures, lobbying and campaign for them and, if necessary, adopting them. Website