the inquirer has a piece today on tyler's relocation. the new temple-campus-facility opens in january. it's the end of an era:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/philadelphia/20080819_Tyler_School_of_Art_will_relocate.html
bonus nostalgia points go out to using a picture of willow-house-comrade ian williams in the silkscreen room, giving the piece an even more bittersweet, mid-nineties kinda vibe. ho hum.
August 19, 2008
it's official...
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8 comments:
"cramped and jerry-rigged mansion" = ghetto fabulous.
Technically I understand why Temple (an institution) would want to make this multi-million dollar move. Let's face it, they're going to make the money back by increasing: #1 the tuition by more enrollment, #2 new reputation as some sort of cutting edge facility (welcome to the mundane, average and watered-down experience), #3 tax-break incentives by employing lots and lots of new minimum wage employees (North Philly ya'll... that land cost more than money!).
They had a choice: improve the buildings on the beautiful one-of-a-kind land Tyler was built on and maintain it's legacy and reputation... or, become Parsons, The New School, SVA, The School of The Art Institute of Chicago... and a few more real estate mogul oriented business's.
Aside from much needed facility improvements to Elkins hall... Is being 20 minutes closer to Center (stinky) City that important? Is that what they are claiming as their main selling point (as the article implies)? Bullshit.
I do agree that Tyler needs some upgrading to stay relevant. They need more faculty, more visiting artists in residence, more studios. I think this move is throwing the baby out with the bath water though.
Oh well, at least they'll have a decent cafeteria now.
p.s - What the hell happens to the land Tyler is currently on? No doubt they sold it to some sort of real estate developer. There's a bit in that article which personally offends me concerning the dorms.
I lived in the near by apartments because I couldn't afford the tuition and dorm. I choose to pay the tuition and live for half the cost in Lynnewood Gardens 100 ft. from campus. How fucking arrogant especially considering the move to North Philadelphia to assume that students live outside a dorm because of lack of space.
i 100% agree with you, Aaron. couldn't have said it better myself.
when is that picture of ian from?
when is that picture of ian from?
i was wondering that too... maybe he's taking classes, or teaching, or something? i haven't spoken to ian in a while. i miss that guy.
The real crime is that with some forethought the entire plot convent etc and the widener mansion could have become the new tyler campus. (the convent is closing, the widener continues to be neglected.) soon all of that history and the region's epicenter for support of the fine arts in the early 20th century will become a ghost town. imagine 75 million dollars invested into those properties including a few modern buildings and repurposed historical spaces. perhaps even a simple overhead walkway into the widener property to lessen the risk of tyler kids getting hit by cars. I spent my last year of college at temple main campus it was horrible. it felt like i had transferred from bennington to penn state. there are so many people there and nowhere to just walk and lose yourself. my favorite parts of tyler were when i would just walk around and think. i came up with so many great ideas walking through LaMott from the willow house to the studio.
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