MISSISSAUGA CITY HALL SKATEBOARDING (painting)

MISSISSAUGA WATCH Blog:
http://www.mississaugablogs.com/Mississauga_Musings/

May 3, 2008

The Mississauga Muse reports on a painting at the Peel 35th Annual Juried Art Show called, "Allegory to Good Government". The painting shows a youth performing a wild backside skateboard maneuver (presumably) right off the steps of Mississauga City Hall. A HUGE NO NO anywhere on this Corporate property except the Skateboard Plaza (aka Sculpture Court) at the north-east corner of the building.

The video also points out the ambiguous (and ominous) Skateboard Plaza rule, "Abuse it and you will lose it." We're not sure whether "it" means that skateboarders "will lose" their skateboards (confiscated) or "lose" the privilege of using (banned from) the Skateboard Plaza --or both.

Also of interest, as I was videotaping, the unmistakeable whiff of marijuana wafted in the Mississauga Civic Centre's rainy breezes.

To my amusement, several youths had tucked themselves in a sheltered area free of raindrops and the Mississauga Corporate Security Pelco PTZ video surveillance cameras installed at Mississauga City Hall --presumably to counter such *tsk tsk* behaviour.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• MISSISSAUGA
• CITY
• HALL
• SKATEBOARDING
• CIVIC
• CENTRE
• CENTER
• CORPORATE
• SECURITY
• MARIJUANA
• WEED
• VIDEO
• SURVEILLANCE

[MelonManMedia]

Y'all should check that park by the sculptures. It's not bad. Nice morning sesh's.

If any of you are interested, my channel shows all local street spots and park. Also alot of the locals skating.

Later!

[MISSISSAUGAWATCH]

For anyone reading this, it's true. Check out MelonManMedia's for tour summaries of local skate spots.

The only thing I'd caution all skaters about is if you are using City of Mississauga parks, be EXTREMELY careful about the City's security guards. I've been researching them through Freedom of Information since January 2007 and it's disgraceful what they do to youth.

If approached by them, turn on your cells! When told to leave, do so immediately. Record, the guard's number too. Can't hurt.

[fostography]

it seems as if you are threatening people in your responses. The painting was very effecive considering all the emotions and words it has brought up. i would never have seen his paining if you didnt ridicule it.

question- who is the artist? he may have somehing to say abou this and/or some copyright issues.

last question- what are you realy securing?

[MISSISSAUGAWATCH]

Hi fostography,

You wrote, "it seems as if you are threatening people in your responses". Oh really. Please explain why you've concluded that my responses are "threatening people".

The artist and me actually had it out in my Blog. You might find his name by Googling "Allegory of Good Government" because that's what he named the thing.

To be clear, and here's the truth.

I'd have had ZERO problem with this painting had he called it "60 Seconds Before Being Banned 30 Days".

[ELEMENTFAN4EVER]

man now its under construcktion by march if its gona be done its gona be filled with skaters :P

[MISSISSAUGAWATCH]

fostography, you didn't read my comments, did you? I TOLD YOU, I'm not a security guard! Also, it's totally absurd of you to compare smoking pot and prostitution to rape.

The first two are consenual. The latter ASSAULT.

[fostography]

ok, so your didnt kick out the stoners because there are no signs that say "no pot smoking"; only "no skateboarding"

there are also no signs saying "no prostitution" or "no rape allowed" but im sure you would get involved with those situations.

[MISSISSAUGAWATCH]

Hi again fostography,

I've given this painting tons of thought and am a bit of an artist myself. Studied it at university --even taught it.

I'm sure you know about propaganda paintings. Paintings from the 30-40's showing the glory of German supremity. Soviet glory paintings... etc

That's what you're looking at here. The painting was created for display --in a government Art Show.

I could do a terrific painting of four skaters arrested by two guards at City Hall. Think that would hang?

[MISSISSAUGAWATCH]

Hi fostography,

Actually I took great offense to this painting because it's a LIE. It creates the impression that skaters are welcome to skate off those City Hall steps. Any skater doing that would be told to LEAVE.

Next, I am not a City of Mississauga Security guard --I am RESEARCHING them. Freedom of Information has confirmed that they ban kids as young as 9/10 and my particular interest is how they treat skateboarders.

I have a HUGE problem with these guards' treatment of youth! HUGE!

[fostography]

quesion - do you think the artist was looking at the correlation or hypocracy of a guard kicking out a skater and not he woman in the wheel-chair? give it some thought before your answer. there is no need to answer any of these questions with a ho head. you should have given consructive criicism, and not bad mouthed the paining.