|
|
| |05.02.2008|19.02.2008| |
|
| Creativity helps make businesses become famous |
It was really interesting to see a report in this newspaper about a debate around the council table about the Wintec wall. From what I can gather Joe Di Maio was pushing for the great concrete monstrosity that is the Wintec wall to be turned into a piece of artwork. A sum of around $200,000 was mentioned. It seems this suggestion was not met with universal approval and Roger Hennebry’s name was caught up in the negative debate around it. Cr Hennebry has consistently fought against the value of arts, culture and creativity in the city and I want to take issue with this stance. From a business point of view, creativity and innovation are two of the life-bloods to survival. If you want to get the jump on your competition, keep loyal customers happy and keep growing your bottom line, you need to not only be creative and innovative, you need to encourage it across your whole organisation.
Without it we would never have seen such inventions as the ipod, TradeMe, the electric fence, microwave ovens, the bungy jump and so on. Some of these inventions have been the start of huge businesses and the basis for many more innovations.
All successful businesses have a culture that keeps a wide view of the world they operate in and an environment that encourages and nurtures ideas from every single person. Whether its an idea on how to save money on petrol or a revolutionary new product idea, if it helps build a better business, there is no such thing as a bad one.
Creativity can also do a great job in presenting yourself professionally and innovatively to your market. A fresh logo design, bright office livery, stand-out website and clever advertising can all do the job of finding a point of difference in your customers’ minds as they weigh you up against your competitors. Definitely not rocket science but as true today as it has been throughout history.
And so the case applies to how you position a city. Cr Di Maio has an excellent heritage when it comes to fine works of art adding value to a city. In 1515 Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. It took him four years to create a masterpiece that has endured centuries and continues to be a magnet for visitors from all around the world. More importantly it has helped position Rome (and Italy) as being a centre for art and culture and a hothouse for creative minds.
Which leads us to the Wintec wall. What will we want to leave behind for the visitors who come to Hamilton in the years to come. Five centuries ago, Michelangelo created something so beautiful that it will draw gasps of admiration for another five centuries hence.
It would be a bit of a hard brief for an artist to emulate this feat but why can’t we see the Wintec wall in the same way Michelangelo saw the ceiling he had to paint, ie a blank canvass on which to create a mirror to our souls and add a fresh dimension to our growing, vibrant city.
I simply can’t abide the fact that our civic leaders don’t want to see creativity expressed at every opportunity. As businesses we are supposed to be encouraged to be innovative and creative. Equally, a big part of our sustainability will come about through being able to attract and keep talented people. How the city presents itself has a big role in this as we continue to recover from the hangover of being a bit of a basic cow town.
So I say commission some local artists to create the modern-day Sistine Chapel. Create a talking point, a tourist attraction, an icon of which we can all be proud. We’re supposed to be a region of innovators and inventors so our place of work needs to be decorated as such. Get out your paint brushes!
|
|
| Annick Janson |
| May 18, 2008 8.18am |
|
| Carole's comment epitomises what Kiwis excel at: dismiss innovative ideas by focusing on an aspect of the idea that is peripheral.
I don't think Chris' idea was about graffiti kids competing with Michelangelo but rather about thinking of how we can channel the creative energy of these kids into ways that can contribute to our city. After all, the very reason why graffiti exist is as an expression and a cry for recognition.
The proposed 2008-2009 HCC Strategic Plan includes $100,000 to remove graffiti - what about investing some of this money to create public art spaces, graffiti competitions with enticing prizes, events where the whole community could watch and support them develop art etc etc etc??? |
| Carole Attwell |
| March 05, 2008 11.30am |
|
| Hi
Good call, however, I don't think that the little buggers we know as taggers could get close to the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel!! |
|
