More on the City of Alexandria and the Torpedo Factory

Last month I was pretty harsh in examining, reviewing, and criticizing  the City of Alexandria’s Torpedo Factory “new” artist/studio selection process, which as the many, many comments both here and in various social media platforms gave evidence to, has been and remains a contentious point at the Factory.

My focus was on the process, but some commenters felt that my critical approach to the process problem also reached to the new artists’ themselves – that was not my intention and for that I apologize, and must note that as recent as December of last year I lauded several of the new artists.

Bottom line: The process; not the artists.

Next month, after communicating with various City officials, I will have part two of my thoughts on the City of Alexandria and its handling of the Factory and its artists.

Last year, former Congressman and former fellow U.S. Navy Officer Joe Sestak authored a brilliant OP-ED here titled “No Higher Honor” Than to Preserve Torpedo Factory Artist Space Against City’s “Vibrancy” Plan.

Sestak notes:

The Council needs to decide if the Torpedo Factory’s new purpose is to become like Tik Tok — or remain the inspiration and appreciation one can only imagine from visitors watching such an artist making fantastic art...

This Op-Ed is more than worth the read -- it's also an intelligent view and opinion from someone who "sees" the Torpedo Factory from an angle that me (as an opinionated insider) and artists (as subjective participants) and City officials (as ????) cannot. 

Read it here.