Bronze statue to grace new plaza in Geneva

Like it or not - and some aldermen didn't - a bronze statue of a man underneath an umbrella, titled "When It Rains It Pours," is going to be part of the new public plaza on South Third Street.

Developer Kent Shodeen, who is building the plaza as part of the Dodson Place work on the west side of Third, is donating the $40,000 limited-edition statue by artist Miles Metzger of California.

Water will pour over the umbrella, via a pump-and-reservoir system.

The city will pick up the bill for installing the statue and the waterworks, at an estimated cost of $9,000. It will put off installing a pedestrian light and a map table at the plaza, which were expected to cost about $13,000.

But that's not what bothered some aldermen Monday. While expressing gratitude for the donation, Alderman Ray Pawlak looked askance at the art (www.milesmetzger sculpture.com/art_pages/fountains_thumbs.html): "It's not symbolic or emblematic of Geneva. I don't know that I would want it in my yard," he said.

A photo of public works director Dan Dinges standing next to the statue, included in the council's agenda packet, prompted Alderman Paul DesCoteaux to say, "I'd rather have a statue of Dan Dinges holding an umbrella over his head."

Pawlak, Alderman Ron Singer and Alderman Craig Maladra voted against accepting the gift and doing the installation. Maladra said he didn't think city dollars should be spent on art, given that people have different opinions about what they like.

"Are we voting on what we like? Are we voting on what we don't like?" Maladra said.

But Alderman Dawn Vogelsberg said that just because people have different opinions about a piece is not a reason not to display it.

"Clearly, everyone has had some sort of emotional reaction, and that's the purpose of art, to start the public conversation," she said.

The statue will be installed by the end of the year.