July 21, 2010

Commissioners Present: JD Beltran, Lorraine Garcia-Nakata, PJ Johnston

Staff Present: Eleanor Beaton, Allison Cummings, Carol Marie Daniels, Marcus Davies, Tyra Fennell, Jennifer Lovvorn, Jill Manton, Susan Pontious

Note: All votes are unanimous unless recorded otherwise.

The meeting commenced at 3:15 p.m.

1. Consent Calendar

1. Motion to increase Magnolia Editions' Contract DPAR10000212, to design and prepare nineteen artist finalists' proposal boards for the Central Subway Public Art Program, by an amount not to exceed $5,000, for a total new contract amount not to exceed $15,000, for additional design work required by the artists to prepare their images and text for their proposal boards.

2. Motion to grant approval to the Port of San Francisco to modify the Art Ribbon where adjacent to Pier 30-32 on The Embarcadero Promenade, to allow raised sections to be reconstructed flush with the adjacent pavement. Reconstructed sections would continue the light concrete paving and glass block as per established Art Ribbon specifications.

3. Motion to allow the Port of San Francisco to make modifications to the Art Ribbon where previously authorized by the Arts Commission without including electrical lighting components.

Motion: Approve consent calendar items
Moved:

2. Cayuga Playground
Jennifer Lovvorn

Public Art Project Manager Jennifer Lovvorn presented the final designs for artist Eric Powell’s two gates for Cayuga Playground, to be located at the park’s main entrance on Cayuga Avenue and a pedestrian entrance on Alemany Boulevard. Ms. Lovvorn noted that the design changes were made in order to comply with codes requiring that any gaps or spaces in the gate be smaller than four inches or larger than nine inches for safety. Ms. Lovvorn assured the commissioners that the artist has addressed all areas of concern and will conduct a second examination after final fabrication, at which point any further adjustments will be made. Director of Programs Jill Manton suggested that staff from the Recreation and Park Department accompany Mr. Powell for the final inspection.

Motion: Motion to approve the final design by Eric Powell for artwork gates for Cayuga Playground.
Moved: Johnston/Beltran

3. Community Arts and Education (“CAE”) Market Street Kiosk Poster Series
Tyra Fennell

Arts Education Manager Tyra Fennell presented designs developed by Adrienne Aquino for the Community Arts and Education Market Street Kiosk Poster Series publicizing Where Art Lives, a collaborative educational initiative developed by the Arts Commission and the San Francisco Unified School District. Upon review of the posters, Director of Cultural Affairs Luis Cancel requested that copy mentioning the school district’s art supply budget be changed to read “School District Enrichment Budget” in order to more accurately convey the range of programs funded by the figure mentioned on that particular poster.

Motion: Motion to approve designs developed by designer Adrienne Aquino for the CAE Market Street Kiosk Poster Series based on the youth mural artwork from the San Francisco Arts Commission's Where Art Lives program. Exhibition will be displayed in 24 kiosks on Market Street from Monday August 2 to Friday, October 29, 2010.
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

4. San Francisco International Airport (“SFO”) Boarding Area E Artist Selection
Eleanor Beaton

Public Art Project Manager Eleanor Beaton informed the commissioners that a selection panel had met to choose an artist to design approximately 18,000 square feet of terrazzo flooring for Boarding Area E at SFO. Of thirteen San Francisco-based artists, the panel selected Amy Ellingson based on her use of optical illusion and overall patterning. Commissioner Beltran, the selection panel's Commission representative, mentioned that the panel thought Ms. Ellingson’s work would lend itself well to either a full treatment of the floor or a frieze running down the center of the gate room, then added that Ms. Ellingson may need to simplify her designs for either approach. Ms. Beaton concluded her presentation be showing the committee images of work by Eric Hongisto, who the panel selected as an alternate based on his palette and use of organic references.

Motion: Motion to approve the artist Amy Ellingson as recommended by the SFO Boarding Area E Selection Panel with Eric Hongisto as an alternate.
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with Amy Ellingson as recommended by the SFO Boarding Are E Selection Panel, for design of artwork for the terrazzo floor in SFO Boarding Area E, in an amount not to exceed $50,000.
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

5. Recommendation for the De-Accessioning of Paul Selinger’s Untitled, 1971, located at Broderick and Bush Mini Park, 1971.44
Allison Cummings
(Staff Report)

Senior Registrar Allison Cummings began her report by reminding the committee that as the City’s art enrichment collection enters into its fortieth year an increase in condition and maintenance challenges should be anticipated. In the case of Paul Selinger’s Untitled, the Recreation and Park Department identified the artwork as a potential hazard due to advanced deterioration and contacted the Arts Commission requesting permission to remove the piece from the park in which it is currently sited.

Ms. Cummings explained that she had completed the due diligence required by the Civic Art Collection guidelines and was unable to locate documentation of the sculpture in its original condition, making re-fabrication impossible. She was also unable to locate the artist. Upon consultation with the City Attorney’s Office it has been determined that there are no legal constraints to the de-accessioning and destruction of the artwork, as it predates both VARA and CAPA. Ms. Cummings added that the Arts Commission will post notice in a local newspaper prior to the sculpture’s removal.

Motion: Motion to recommend to the Full Commission the de-accession from the Civic Art Collection of Paul Selinger’s Untitled, 1971 located at Broderick and Bush Mini Park (Accession #1971.44).
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

Motion: Motion to approve the destruction of what remains of Paul Selinger’s sculpture, Untitled, 1971 (Accession #1971.44) due to the sculpture’s deterioration and resulting threat to public safety.
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

6. Recommendation for the De-Accessioning of Armand Trahan’s Worldscape III, 1968, previously located at City College of San Francisco, Ocean Campus, 1969.61
Allison Cummings
(Staff Report)

Ms. Cummings continued by saying that much like the case of the Paul Selinger piece at Broderick and Bush Mini Park, she was unable to locate Armand Trahan or other examples of the artist’s work. She then explained to the commissioners that the piece had collapsed during a landscaping project initiated by City College of San Francisco. Upon investigation, it was determined that the piece was never bolted together and that over time it had rusted completely from the inside out, a condition common to artwork manufactured from Corten steel. Given the overall current condition of the sculpture it would need to be completely recreated, a process that would require $60,000 to $75,000 for fabrication. Disposal and recycling of the existing sculpture would cost approximately $500.

Motion: Motion to recommend to the Full Commission the de-accession from the Civic Art Collection of Armand Trahan’s Worldscape III, 1968 (Accession #1969.61).
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

Motion: Motion to approve the destruction of what remains of Armand Trahan’s sculpture, Worldscape III, 1968 (Accession #1969.61) due to the sculpture’s deteriorated state requiring restoration and that is unjustifiable.
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

7. San Francisco General Hospital
Susan Pontious

Ms. Pontious presented the committee with two minor modifications of Rupert Garcia’s
design proposal for the lobby of San Francisco General Hospital. The first revision would change the color of the background terrazzo from turquoise to a more muted, standard blue that would better match the hospital’s flooring. The second change would entail changing the colored glass on the lobby’s pedestrian bridge from multi-colored panels to clear class. Ms. Pontious explained that not only would the change allow Mr. Garcia’s mural on the lobby’s rear wall to be more visible, but by eliminating the glass on the pedestrian bridge as an art element the Arts Commission would no longer be responsible for its cost.

Motion: Motion to approve the modification of Rupert Garcia's design proposal for the lobby of San Francisco General Hospital, which consists of changing the field color of the terrazzo and eliminating the colored glass for the pedestrian bridge.
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

8. Public Utilities Commission Building, 525 Golden Gate Avenue
Susan Pontious

THIS MOTION WAS WITHDRAWN
Motion: Motion to approve the concept for video wall and film project for the Public Utilities Commission Building, 525 Golden Gate Avenue.

9. Randall Museum
Susan Pontious

Ms. Pontious introduced artist Charles Sowers who presented two alternative mock-ups and design development materials for his art installation at the Randall Museum. The first design alternative would match the artwork’s panels to the current dimensions of the building wall, whereas the second alternative would extend the panels beyond the northwest side of the building and along its roofline in order to hide existing external duct work. Upon reviewing the two alternatives Commissioner Garcia-Nakata expressed concern that the asymmetry of the proposal hiding the ducts could look awkward when built. Mr. Cancel and Commissioner Beltran both expressed their preference for the mock-up obscuring the duct. Mr. Sowers assured the committee that despite the increase in materials needed to realize this version of the two proposals he would still be able to maintain the original project budget.

Motion: Motion to approve artist Charles Sowers’ mock-up and design development materials for the Randall Museum (with a preference for option one: panels extending beyond building to conceal duct work.)
Moved: Beltran/Johnston

10. SFO Terminal Two
Susan Pontious

Ms. Pontious presented new mock-ups of artists Janet Echelman’s proposed color palette for the netting and armature rings for her project at SFO Terminal Two. She explained that SFO administrative staff have voiced a desire for more muted colors such as silver, white, or grey, and have concerns regarding the artist’s preference for bright blue, red, magenta and deep purple in her design. Ms. Pontious reiterated her support for Ms. Echelman’s color choices, citing them as inherent to the artist’s work. The committee expressed accord and Commissioner Beltran recommended that the artist re-photograph her mock-ups against a solid white background in a way that would reflect a similar scale and perspective to what viewers might experience when seeing the work installed within SFO. Ms. Pontious agreed to request that the artist photograph the mock-ups from a distance and said that she would then redistribute the new images to SFO staff.

11. New Business

12. Old Business

13. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 4:41 p.m.

MD 7/21/10
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Notices

Explanatory documents are available for public inspection and copying at the Arts Commission office, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94102 during regular business hours. INFO: Zoe Taleporos (415) 252-3215.

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