Art isn't valued at this 'shopping mall'

Privatization is bad for public art.
That's the impression I got this week when I interviewed Eli Bornstein, a distinguished Saskatchewan artist whose Structurist Relief in Fifteen Parts can be seen at Winnipeg's international airport.
Bornstein talked to me by phone about getting commissioned to create the mural circa 1962, the intent of the artwork, and the uncertainty his colourful creation faces as a new airport terminal nears completion.
The mural was commissioned at a time when the Canadian government was encouraging public art at all its international airports.
“Curiously enough, the artwork happened because of (the airport)," Bornstein said, "but the artwork was never really treasured nor was great pride taken in it.
"In fact, I don’t think my name was ever on the work for maybe the first 25 years or so. And then they ended up completely ignoring it and not cleaning it and not lighting it the way it should be lit, and putting up all kinds of kiosks right in front of it or hanging (model) airplanes right in front of it.
"I have a file over three inches thick of correspondence with airport officials over the problems of not looking after the mural properly or not even finishing (its installation) as it was supposed to be finished.
“And then, of course, (the airport) was privatized. That was the beginning of the end. I mean, then they changed the whole concept of the airport, putting all sorts of things on the mezzanine.
“The last time I was there, they had things hanging in front of (the mural) and they still had all kinds of banking machines and different kiosks right in front of the artwork. And when it was first conceived, all they had was very nice benches for people to sit and look at the work and respond to the work and so forth.
"When it was privatized, the push was on to turn the space into a shopping mall and they didn’t really give a darn about the art.”