Artist Tobias Rehberger wrote he would not have designed a sculpture for a ‘dog park.'
Oh oh... A clash between civic leaders and a visual artist in Miami-Dade's most artistically progressive city? Internationally-acclaimed German conceptual artist, Tobias Rehberger, has a bone to pick with Miami Beach city leaders when he learned about a planned landscaping that will surround his five-story sculpture, "Obstinate Lighthouse," which was commissioned by the city for $500,000. To add insult to injury, he objected to what the area of the park where his piece is erected has been recently designated: an off-leash area for dogs.
South Pointe Park on the very southern tip of the island underwent a $22.5 million face lift back in 2009 and has quickly become a local favorite with breathtaking views of Government Cut, Fisher Island and the Port of Miami. Miami Beach Parks & Recreation Director Kevin Smith fired back by contending that it is not a 'dog park' and that dogs can run leash-less in the area from sunrise to 10 a.m. seven days a week, and 6 to 9 p.m. on weekdays. He also mentioned it’s a pilot program that expires at the end of the year. The nearest dog park is two blocks away.
Rehberger is probably not a dog lover.
Photo by thekleerteam.com