BY ALEXA ALTMAN John Hatfi eld, executive director and a sculptor himself, stands in front of one of 15 new pieces debuting at Socrates Sculpture Park. TAKING RISKS AT SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK An interview with John Hatfield, Executive Director Rachel Rowberry at 5 Pointz 36interview BY ALAN CAPPER “We believe in taking risks with what we show. We also have to counter the negative feelings about art today by providing openness and access to stimulating work,” says John Hatfi eld, Executive Director of Long Island City’s Socrates Sculpture Park. He was standing in the center of the park two days before the opening of the new show, EAF13, emerging artists and fellows, with 15 new pieces being shown. The park is looking very attractive, even with artists and workers putting the fi nal touches on their work. This once barren piece of landscape has become a real mixed art center under Hatfi eld’s leadership. During this time the park has staged yoga and Tai Chi, a series of foreign fi lms in conjunction with Manhattan’s Film Forum, Little Bastille Day and Opera and Shakespeare on the Waterfront, all of which have boosted the garden’s attendance and enhanced its reputation. “It certainly was a barren place,” says Hatfi eld. ”Although it is in a spectacular position at the confl uence of the Harlem and East Rivers, this four-and-a-half acre site was used as a landfi ll and illegal dumping site, with no trees at all.” Interestingly, the area had one asset that linked it to sculpture and that was good quality of stone. That was one of the things that persuaded Noguchi to set up his studio there. Hatfi eld is justifi ably proud of the remarkable coalition of the artists and community leaders under the leadership of sculptor Mark Di Suvero, who had the vision and tenacity to persuade the city to allow it to be turned into a sculpture park. He believes that alongside the Noguchi Museum SEPTEMBER 2013 I LIC COURIER I www.queenscourier.com and the Sculpture Center, Long Island City has become the sculpture center of the city. He is himself a sculptor, although these days it is for private pleasure only. “I no longer have the pressure of having to sell my work,” he says. “I am a facilitator and I have two curators who initially select the work, and I do not always like what has been chosen. I have a simple method of evaluating an artist’s work -- should this be seen, and what does it communicate?” He believes that his background more than prepared him to face the challenges and opportunities he must now deal with. He describes himself as an “army brat,” having seen a great deal of the country through his father’s travels and postings. He was always attracted to sculpture, and eventually spent 17 years at the New Museum of
LIC092013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above