Fwd: Joni Statue

MINGSDANCE Mon, 16 Dec 2002 13:49:25 -0800

Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2002 15:11:46 -0700
From: Sarah Gibb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Joni Statue
In-reply-to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Message-id: <a05111b10ba23fac584a8@[24.71.115.64]>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>


Dear David,

Thank you very much for your supportive email about the Joni Mitchell 
statue project, and for your suggestions and offer of photographs.

The Fund address to send the photographs to is:

Joni Mitchell's Beside Herself
P.O. Box 22100 (RPO Wildwood)
Saskatoon, SK
S7H 5P1

I'm pasting below for your interest a story about the statue fund in 
today's StarPhoenix, which is our local newspaper here in Saskatoon.

Best wishes,

Sarah





The StarPhoenix, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Monday, December 16, 2002

By Darren Bernhardt
of The StarPhoenix

A fund has been set up in Saskatoon to raise money for a bronze 
statue to honour Joni Mitchell, one of Saskatoon's most famous 
daughters, and it's getting international support.

The initiative was undertaken by Sarah Gibb, an expatriate Englander 
who moved to the city last year and has been a longtime fan of the 
accomplished painter, poet, singer and songwriter.

"My first thought when I saw the downtown was, 'What, no Joni 
Mitchell statue?'" she said.  "She's known all over the world and 
whether you like her music or not, there's no denying she's been 
tremendously influential on a whole generation of artists.  I was 
amazed Saskatoon wasn't celebrating her.

"I at least expected plaques saying, 'This is where Joni Mitchell 
lived' and 'This is where she went to school' and 'This is where she 
first sang in public'.  We do this in England with our novelists, 
artists and historical figures, and it often injects a lot of 
visitors into an area because they want to see where Charles Dickens 
stayed when he wrote Bleak House or whatever."

Mitchell is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and listed No. 5 on 
VHI's list of The 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll.  She was given 
the Order of Canada earlier this year, the nation's highest honour 
for lifetime achievement.

Gibb was inspired to take action after reading a StarPhoenix story 
about a British Columbia man who wrote a letter to Saskatoon city 
council suggesting the council commission a statue.  Mark Salzl was 
raised in Paradise Hill but plans to eventually move from B.C. to 
Saskatoon, which he calls his "home city".

But a program doesn't exist for commissioning artwork.  Salzl was 
told to look into private sponsorships.

Recognizing the difficulty of campaigning two provinces away, Gibb 
took up the venture.  A committee was created consisting of Gibb, 
Salzl and Les Irvin, founder of a Joni Mitchell Web site and 
discussion list (www.jmdl.com) in California.

"Already, in response to the fund being set up, fans on the 
discussion list are talking about a pilgrimage to Saskatoon to have 
photographs taken with the statue," said Gibb.

Salzl is amazed his suggestion garnered so much attention and that 
the process has begun.

"I have to chuckle about the power of one little letter," he said. 
"But I don't think it would have happened so quick if Sarah didn't 
take it up. I'm very pleased," he said, adding he has received 
e-mails of encouragement from people in San Francisco.

The committee's effort is The Joni Mitchell's Beside Herself Fund, 
stemming from an interview two weeks ago when Joni Mitchell talked 
about a bench with a statue of herself sitting at one end. She 
remarked that when she came here and sat on the bench, she could 
literally be beside herself.

She expressed a preference for something that wasn't "on a pedestal" 
because it's not her style. It should be functional "where people 
could sit and muse," she said.

The good-humoured Mitchell often visits her parents, who still live 
here.  She said a statue would be an honour as well as "a place for 
birds to perch."

Gibb and the rest of the committee members plan to approach local 
businesses for donations, as well as city council "who we hope will 
give us permission to locate the statue in a prominent place," she 
said. "We would love to see it overlooking the river near the 
Bessborough Hotel, as Joni Mitchell has the Bessborough featured on 
the cover of one of her early albums, Clouds."

Another option is to have it in Broadway, where Mitchell started her 
singing career in the Louis Riel coffee house, as it was known then. 
Calories now occupies that spot.  Regardless of where the statue 
goes, the coffee house site should have a commemorative plaque, said 
Gibb.

The committee is in the process of approaching artists to have a 
campaign poster designed for distribution around the city.  Joe 
Farfard, the Saskatchewan sculptor whose work in bronze is known 
internationally, has told the committee he is interested in doing the 
piece.

"We don't know when we'll be in a position to commission something, 
as we have no idea how long it will take to raise the money," said 
Gibb. "We estimate we're going to need $100,000-$120,000, and so far 
we have $175.  But we're determined to raise the rest."

If anyone would like to help, the committee can be reached at 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Donations can be made directly to the fund at the Saskatoon Credit 
Union, Broadway Avenue branch, account number 7230444.  Or cheques 
and money orders can be sent to Joni Mitchell's Beside Herself, P.O. 
Box 22100 (RPO Wildwood), Saskatoon, S7H 5P1.















>Dear Committee Members:
>
>I have two photos of Joni taken at the 2000 Both Sides Now tour in 
>West Palm Beach which I would like to submit for consideration. 
> Each was published in the JoniMitchell.com Both Sides Now Tour 
>Report, entitled "Mars Music Amphitheater West Palm Beach, FL 
>5/17/2000".  I believe both of these photos depict a very lovely, 
>statuesque Joni.  The one where she's looking up is particularly 
>reverent.  Her shimmering hair and the pleated detail of her gown 
>electrifies her image, presenting an artistic challenge to the 
>sculptor which would age beautifully.  I am often taken aback by the 
>staring eyes of bronze statues, and believe that her pose looking up 
>with eyes closed would enhance, and not detract from, this tribute. 
> We remember Joni from our youth -- many fond memories of her past 
>like images in a cherished album.  Yet it is today's Joni, as she 
>has evolved, which should be immortalized.  These photos present her 
>in this light.  
>
>I was privileged to be designated the JoniMitchell.com photographer 
>at her Atlanta 1998 birthday concert and the 2000 Palm Beach event. 
> I also attended her Mendel Art Gallery opening "Voices" in 
>Saskatoon in 2000.  I shall send you the photos described above 
>along with several of my favorites taken at these venues.
>
>I will admit that I have no photos of Joni sitting on a bench.  We 
>were all amused by her comment that if she were sculpted sitting on 
>a bench she could come sit besides herself -- hence, the name of 
>this project.  Although this would be a whimsical presentation, I 
>believe Joni's work deserving of a more formal tribute and one which 
>would be well received long after we're all gone.  Perhaps a nice 
>stone bench sitting nearby where we could sit and imagine her 
>singing . . .    
>
>Having visited Saskatoon I believe that Joni's statue should be 
>placed on the lawn of the Mendel Art Gallery and Civic Conservatory. 
> The lovely grounds of the Mendel overlook the river which Joni 
>often featured in song and on canvas.  This venue is particularly 
>fitting because Joni cherishes her visual art career as much (if not 
>more) than her more universally renowned music career.  Indeed, she 
>chose the Mendel to unveil her vast work of visual art to the 
>public.  Also, Joni has a personal connection to the founding family 
>of the Gallery.  
>
>I would entrust the maintenance and preservation of this tribute to 
>a gallery's Board of Trustees before I would the father's of a 
>municipality.  Those enjoying the sculpture would also be more 
>protective (and not inclined to deface) if it were presented in an 
>atmosphere of artistic sensitivity.  Although the City has another 
>lovely park on the river near the beautiful Bessbourgh Hotel (where 
>Joni has often stayed) where there is more pedestrian traffic, I 
>believe the Mendel would offer more respect and, for lack of a more 
>descriptive word, more artistic spirituality.  
>
>Many area corporate sponsors are aligned with the Mendel and could 
>be a valuable source of continuing support for this project.  And I 
>understand that the founding family of the Mendel is still actively 
>involved and was a strong supporter of her exhibit.  Perhaps the 
>family could be contacted to solicit involvement in this project.
>
>Incidentally, the Mendel's then Curator and Director --  Gilles 
>Hebert, a very impressive art exhibitor --  was extremely proud to 
>premiere Joni's work in her hometown.  Based upon my conversations 
>with both Joni and Mr. Hebert, I believe they would both agree that 
>her legacy would be best preserved at the Mendel.  Hey, wouldn't it 
>be a boon to this Gallery if she also donated a piece of visual art 
>to complement this tribute.  
>
>Members of the committee are probably already acquainted with the 
>Mr. Hebert (or, if he is no longer there, his successor) and others 
>at the Gallery who could offer advice and support in this regard.
>
>Please email me with your physical address and I will have my photos 
>delivered to you.
>
>Thank you for undertaking this important work and for allowing all 
>of us to provide input.  I know that we all wish you every success!
>
>Sincerely,
>
>David Mingus
>Fort Myers, Florida
>(941) 936-7258

Fwd: Joni Statue

Reply via email to