Ed I. Koch, Mayor (1924-2013)

Ed Koch, the Man, the Myth, the Artistic Legacy 1924-2013

(edited 05 Feb 2013)

    We will all greatly miss Mayor Ed Koch – a man whose personality was as big as Manhattan – the man who probably has come closest to meeting every resident of said city and has represented the city to non-New Yorkers for decades.  He was, he always will be, bigger than life.  Even his passing, the day his autobiographical film opens to the public in theatres and the day Grand Central Station, a landmark he was instrumental, as Congressperson, in helping save from demolition, turned 100, and 11 years after the murder of Daniel Pearl, whose last words were prophetically inscribed on Koch’s tombstone, cannot but add to his personal legend.

    One of the many areas in which he had a direct impact was in the arts.  Koch was brilliant throughout his life in incorporating the media and performing arts into the life of the city and into his own publicity – creating a sort of natural cameo-style appearance genre that gave life and personality to the city through spokespersons such as him.  Koch gave many such cameo appearances including First Wives Club, Muppets Take Manhattan and Sex and the City.  Koch may not have been “mayor for life”, but he was definitely its “designated spokesperson for life.”

    Koch’s passion was seemingly for media and the performing arts.  He wrote a number of books, including a biography and is being hailed as the only mayor in America to have an off-Broadway musical biography.  An autobiographical film, Koch, opened in theatres on Friday.

    Politically, Koch took the helm of the city at a time when it was literally facing bankruptcy.  He installed affordable, responsible government and took the case for his policies directly to the people.  He turned the city around and is generally credited with helping inaugurate one of the city’s longest-running building and gentrification booms.

    In 2011, Koch was honored by the city in having the Ed Koch Memorial Queensboro Bridge renamed in his honor.  Koch was delighted, remarking, “If there is any mention of putting a toll on that bridge, I shall run down to the bridge like Horatio and stand there with a sword to stop it!” (NY Daily News, 23 Mar, 2011).  Earlier, he had remarked, “It’s not soaring, beautiful, handsome, like the George Washington or the Verrazano.  This is a workhorse bridge and it’s rugged, it’s like me – I’m rugged and I’m a workhorse, so I’m delighted,” (cbslocal, 08 Dec 2010).

    Koch loved the energy, the people and the celebrity of his city.  “Have you ever lived in the suburbs?  It’s sterile.  It’s nothing.  It’s wasting your time,” and upon purchasing his burial plot at Manhattan’s Trinity Cemetery, “I don’t want to leave Manhattan, even when I’m gone.  This is my home.  The thought of having to go to New Jersey was so distressing to me.”  (2008).

    Beyond his personality, his geniality and infamous wit, Koch left an enduring legacy in support of the arts in the form of his 1982 Percent for Art public art program.  Despite tight budgets and economic woes, Koch realized the need and appeal of public art and mandated from then on that 1% of every public building project or rehabilitation would be spent on public art.

    New York City’s website indicates that since its inception, the program has spent some $41 million on some 300 pieces of public art with 70 new pieces in production. 

    By 2013, this program has spread literally around the world, supporting local public artists and craftsfolk and bringing just that much more joy to the lives of the city's urban dwellers. Now, many private enterprises and construction projects have followed suit.

    The following are the first works commissioned under the program and were approved while Koch was mayor of New York City:

Ann Gillen, Medb's Crown (1987), Aluminum Bas-relief:

David Saunders, Firehat (1988), Aluminum relief

Susan Gardner, Animal Party (1987), Painting/Relief Installation

Valerie Jaudon, Reunion, (1989) Brick and Granite Paving Plan

Abram Champanier, Alice and Friends at Coney Island Playland, WPA Mural

Stephen Antonakos, Neon for the 59th Street Marine Transfer Station, Neon Light

Charles Searles, Cultural Harmony (1990), Wall Reliefs

Jorge Luis Rodriguez, Growth (1985) Painted Steel Sculpture

Michelle Green, Railroader’s Throne (1991), Steel

Mayor Koch,...

     Peace and thank you.  You did well.

                                              ~ PACE


05 Feb 2013 - Note:
Ann Gillen's Red Flying Group was incorrectly labeled as Jorge Luis Rodriguez's "Growth".  Rodriguez's work has been correctly labeled and identified.  Gillen's Red Flying Group is not apparently part of the Percent for Arts program.  Thanks to the artist Jorge Luis Rodriguez for alerting me to the mistake.