DORSET residents have slammed Bournemouth beach’s newest temporary art installation – with most people mistaking it for graffiti.
Bournemouth based arts charity Pavilion Dance South West, in partnership with BCP Council, have produced videos of dances and accompanying poems and street art as part of their Invisible Dances programme from Tuesday April 6 to Saturday April 10.
The remnants of the Invisibles Dances performances has left multi coloured markings along Bournemouth’s seafront promenade in chalk spray paint.
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However, people have expressed a great deal of animosity towards the artwork along Bournemouth’s promenade on social media, saying it spoils the views of the beachfront and could encourage people to graffiti public spaces.
One resident said: “It’s such a shame to trash someone else’s expression of art, but I do think a secret dance that leaves a random imprint of any kind of paint on someone else’s property sends the wrong message.
“Unfortunately, the aftermath of the event just looks like mindless vandalism. What ever happened to promoting ‘leave only footprints’?
“Even if the paint is semi-permanent chalk, the lasting impression is that the council are endorsing the notion that is it OK to spray paint on public property.”
Another resident from Bournemouth added: “It looks like a toddler has leaked paint all over the floor.
“At least I know it's not council funded now so I guess it's harmless gorilla advertising.
“It does make sense if the dance is linked. If there was a video installation or even some more information, it would even be nice. But I think the general reaction is that it's just sloppy graffiti.”
The markings, which are made using a water-based chalk paint, runs along the promenade between Sandbanks and Southbourne, as well as outside the lower entrance to the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre.
Some people have come out in support of the artwork, saying that art, in itself, is subjective and open to interpretation, and that local artists should, be supported and not lambasted.
Kate Muddle, a graphic design student said: “I can’t believe how uncultured everyone seems to be or so mindless to other people’s emotions.
“I just think there is a lack of support for local artists or for art in general and often considered as a waste of time.
“This piece of work wasn’t in anyone’s way and didn’t impact how someone could get along the beach, not did it vandalise anything but, for some reason everyone seems to have an opinion on it and how it’s ‘garbage’ or ‘mindless’.”
BCP Council have said that they agreed permissions for the Invisible Dance arts event on the seafront.
The council were advised that the chalk paint, which environmentally friendly, will wash away with rainfall, normally within three weeks.
If any of the chalk paint is visible after three weeks, the artist have been told to remove it.
Artistic Director and CEO of Pavilion Dance South West, Zannah Chisholm said: “PDSW is committed to ensuring that even in lockdown our community can continue to engage with the arts.
“The colourful traces of the dance performances are created using eco-friendly chalk that will wash away in the rain and PDSW have always said that they will ensure that the art will have disappeared into the night again by the end of April.
“This artwork is intended to be a creative celebration of dance, and we have been delighted to see so many people engage with it in a safe way.”
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