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January 29, 2007
Coda: The "Atlantic Yards"
n + 1
n+1 ran two articles on the project in November, and received a number of letters in response. A reply to the letters from one of our authors provoked yet more letters, which are posted below.
From Jonathan Lethem:
Dear Mr. Liu,
Okay, let's make it even simpler. You and I seem to agree: a creative dialogue between community activists and Mr. Ratner or Mr. Gehry would be ideal. Guess which side has utterly cold-shouldered such a dialogue? Were you under the impression that they'd made themselves available? When you write as if 'negotiation' was presently an option, you're either mistaken or disingenuous.
From Daniel Goldstein:
I invite Jonathan Liu to come say this:
"…What seems quite untenable, however, is the current strategy employed by folks like the ‘Atlantic Yards’ opposition in the name of progressive ends: namely, the appeal to historically regressive positions regarding, for instance, the mistrust of eminent domain and the conservative-populist denigration of avant-garde architecture..."
to our faces. If he is willing to do so he might learn a thing (or a thing + 1) about which he writes, from our mouths, instead of the caricature with which he comforts and satisfies his threadbare, predetermined views.
From Malcolm Armstrong, Ft. Greene:
Given the horrendous track record of centrally planned mega projects, I am surprised to here anyone not in the payroll of Forest City supporting Atlantic Yards, but Jon Liu seems to do just that in his response to Jonathan Lethem.
"Why not engage in the process and ask Frank Gehry, a fellow artist, for better?"
We have Jon, his response, we’re horse and buggy people picketing Henry Ford.
Click here for the complete letters.
Posted by lumi at January 29, 2007 7:47 PM