VISUAL
ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
3:00 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70
Notices
Explanatory documents are available for public inspection and
copying at the Arts Commission office, 25 Van Ness Ave, Ste 240,
San Francisco CA 94102 during regular business hours. Tel:
415-252-2594.
Minutes
Commissioners Present
Ralph Guggenheim, Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, Dugald Stermer,
Dede Wilsey; Absent: Stanlee Gatti.
Staff Present
Richard Newirth, Director of Cultural Affairs; Nina Dunbar,
Jessica Goodson, Rupert Jenkins, Anna Kvinsland, Debra Lehane,
Jill Manton, Judy Moran, Susan Pontious, Kristen Zaremba.
Note: All votes are unanimous unless recorded
otherwise.
The meeting commenced at 3:18 p.m.
- Consent
- Motion for the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into
contract with Stuart Dean for the conservation of the Dewey
Monument in Union Square for an amount not to exceed
$90,000.
- Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection the tile
mural by artist JoeSam titled "Wade in Water," 2001, consisting
of 900 glazed ceramic tiles 12 x 12" installed on five walls in
the new Martin Luther King Swimming Pool covering approximately
3,712 square feet.
- Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection an
installation by artists Jon Rubin and Harrell Fletcher, "Photos
of People from the Neighborhood Enlarged and Attached to the
Building, and Fortunes in the Parking Spaces," 2002, consisting
of 11 30"-34" wide porcelain-enameled steel medallions and
stenciled fortunes painted on the concrete floor at the end of
each parking space at the North Beach Parking Garage at 735
Vallejo Street.
- Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to
enter into a contract for $10,000 with Jeffrey Brown for
architectural landscape and art consulting services at the
Sunnydale Pump Station Endangered Garden Public Art
Project.
- Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to
enter into a contract for $24,000 with Glass Block Designs for
repairs and modifications to the Embarcadero Ribbon
Sculpture.
- Motion to authorize Jud Fine and Barbara McCarren to change
the color of the granite in the "Split Mound" from "Radiant
Red" to "Kenoran Sage" and the finish to an all polished
surface.
- Motion to approve the mural design by lead artist Santi
Huckaby on the exterior of Hamilton Swimming Pool at the corner
of Steiner and Post Streets, funded by Neighborhood
Beautification.
- Motion to approve the mural design by Josef Norris at 1849
Harrison Street, funded by Gerbode Foundation, Irvine
Foundation, Grants for the Arts, and a grant from the San
Francisco Arts Commission.
Motion: Motion to move the
consent calendar item.
Moved:
Stermer/Wilsey
- Moscone Center Expansion Project
Public Art Program Director Jill Manton announced that Liz
Diller, of the artist team of Diller and Scofidio, was here today
to present the proposed video program for their LED project at the
Moscone Center. She also explained that the reason for today's
specially scheduled meeting was that Ms. Diller was in Switzerland
last week at the opening of their "Blur Building". Ms. Diller
circulated photographs of the new "Blur Building". Ms. Manton also
announced that Diller and Scofidio had recently been awarded the
commission to design the new Institute of Contemporary Arts in
Boston and the Museum of Art and Technology in Manhattan.
Ms. Diller explained that because of hardware problems, their
project for the Moscone Center has experienced extended delays.
Because the large-scale LED screen is such a specialized project,
it has been difficult to find a manufacturer who could serve as a
true collaborator with this project. After three attempts with
other companies, Ms. Diller said that she believes they have found
a true collaborator in MultiMedia, the current LED company, and
that she is very happy with their service so far. MultiMedia has a
lot of experience with this type of product, and they consider
working for the City of San Francisco a high-profile job. Diller
and Scofidio are now involved in the last stages of manufacturing
details and final engineering.
Ms. Diller explained that the purpose of her visit today was to
present the content of the video program and the esthetic and
conceptual strategies. Ms. Diller explained that in order to
simulate the live feed portion of the video project, she rented
the exact camera that will be used in their project at the Moscone
Center and tested pacing, light, and focus, in a similar
environment. The camera will move at the exact same speed as the
armature. Ms. Diller showed an excerpt of the test video.
Ms. Diller then explained that the live feed will be supplemented
with pre-recorded video and animation. For example, at night or
early in the morning when the activity in the facility is minimal,
a fictionalized feed would be used. An example that Ms. Diller
presented was pre-recorded close-ups and sequences of office
scenes and hotel rooms. Another idea is to use sequences of the
city skyline from a camera placed atop the Moscone Center.
For the back of the LED screen, which will face indoors, Ms.
Diller proposed four lines of text: the lower line would be a very
long, run-on sentence; the other lines would be a combination of
verbs, nouns, and adjectives at varying speeds.
Ms. Diller said that the cost of the armature and LED hardware has
turned out to be a very large part of the project budget. In order
to stay within the design budget, Ms. Diller proposed to use the
same frames, such as the office or crowd scene, in close-up work
and post-production. The video production will be paid for by
what's left over in the project budget after LED fabrication and
installation, and the entire project should be up and running by
late October or early November.
Commissioner Guggenheim asked if the motion of the camera will be
aligned with the speed of the armature, and also how the armature
will know when it hits the end point of the track. Ms. Diller
responded that there are end point triggers on the track that
signal the armature, and that if animation were used, alignment
will be crucial. She predicts that the image will be slightly
distorted. Commissioner Guggenheim commented that he liked the
whimsical effect of the proposed images.
Ms. Manton asked Ms. Diller how she had dealt with the fret
pattern and camera angle, and Ms. Diller responded that at optimum
height, the camera angle falls in the right place and doesn't
interfere.
Ms. Manton announced that representatives from Moscone Center were
present at the meeting today, and she invited them to comment on
the proposed video presentation. In response to a concern by Ninya
Ayah that there are no cubicles in the pre-function space, Ms.
Diller responded that the pre-recorded sequences do not
necessarily reflect reality, and that the building's identity has
intentionally been altered. Responding to Ms. Ayah's request that
Moscone staff be used in the pre-recorded feed, Ms. Diller said
that at this point, timing is of the essence, and that the rush is
on to get the proposed program worked out. Ms. Diller suggested
that using staff in the pre-recorded program is something that
could possibly be done in the future. Also, it was never the
intent of this art project to be used for marketing, or a
promotion of what's actually going on inside the building.
Commissioner Stauffacher Solomon asked if there will only be one
pre-recorded program and if it would run 24 hours a day. Ms.
Manton replied that the program would run from approximately
7:00am - 11:00pm, and that she hopes that there will be a live
feed and two pre-recorded programs. Ms. Manton added that because
of down time in the building, the artists think they need more
programs. Ms. Manton hopes that after construction of the armature
and track, there will be some remaining funds for more programs.
Commissioner Stauffacher Solomon also asked if additional artists
could be hired to produce more programs, and Ms. Manton replied
that if that were the case, then Ms. Diller and Mr. Scofidio would
only be serving as project managers, and not artists. Ms. Diller
added that in order to develop this project and have ongoing
involvement, perhaps they could serve as curators for video
programs by other artists in the future.
Motion: Motion to approve content of
video program for Diller/Scofidio public art project at Moscone
Center Expansion Project.
Moved: Stermer/Stauffacher
Solomon
- Moscone Interior Art Update
Project Manager Nina Dunbar reported that the carving phase of
"Tree" is complete, and that today she is seeking approval of this
phase of the project. Ms. Dunbar said that many individuals and
companies have been involved in this project, including artists
Hilda Shum, Po Shu Wang, and David Gordon, structural engineers
Faye Bernstein and Associates and W.J.E, milling company Joinery
Structures, crane company Sheedy, as well as a wood specialist and
a New York-based lighting consultant. Ms. Dunbar showed images of
the artwork's fabrication process, including photos of the artists
at work, slabs of Redwood before carving, carvings in progress,
and repairs made to the piece correcting natural cracking from the
wood's uneven drying. The piece is designed so that the top and
base of the tree have been left uncarved. The carved section
between the stairs appears like folding cloth or drapery. Ms.
Dunbar explained that there are a lot of flat surfaces with some
folds in order to provide an extremely tactile experience. The
piece is comprised of twelve sections, with four sections
intentionally uncarved, but de-barked.
Ms. Dunbar said that this summer the piece would receive an
application of fire retardant by a certified professional and then
a coat of retardant-treated varnish prior to its installation at
the Moscone Center in September. Ms. Dunbar concluded her report
by saying that the project was on schedule and generally on
budget, despite some major alterations to the site to accommodate
the installation. The main challenges of the project have been in
its unique engineering and the dynamics of managing a group of
very different artists.
In response to Commissioner Guggenheim's concerns about long-term
cracking, Ms. Dunbar said that the artists and their wood
specialist will continue to monitor the tree for the next three
months, but that she is fairly certain that all of the major
cracks have now stabilized. WJE will inspect, document, and
engineer repairs for any new cracks prior to installation.
Civic Art Collection Program Director Debra Lehane suggested that
a program be initiated to continue to monitor the tree at site in
Moscone Center since there could be micro-climate variations at
different levels in the building's 100' high atrium. Ms. Dunbar
thanked Ms. Lehane for her suggestion, and said that she would
talk with Moscone staff about the best way to monitor the work
after it was installed.
All of the Commissioners expressed their unanimous approval for
this artwork.
Motion: Motion to approve completion
of the interior artwork carvings by Shum, Shu, Gordon LLC for the
Moscone Expansion Project.
Moved: Stermer/Stauffacher
Solomon
- Gallery
Gallery Director Rupert Jenkins described the proposed City
Site exhibition by Reuben Lorch-Miller. He asked that the
Commissioners imagine the proposed sound exhibition as frogs
chirping in a meadow. Mr. Jenkins said that the sound would be
transmitted by four speakers in the City Site open lot on a timer
that would come on at sunset and turn off at sunrise.
Motion: Motion to approve City Site
exhibition by Reuben Lorch-Miller, to open June 30, 2002.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- Treasure Island Museum
Director of Cultural Affairs Richard Newirth explained that
five years ago, the Airport had proposed to take over the
management of the Treasure Island Museum, but due to the rapid
decline of the economy and the dwindling resources of the airport,
they are unable to do so. Subsequently, the Treasure Island Museum
staff asked if the Arts Commission would be interested in working
with them on ways in which the Treasure Island Museum and it's
collection could remain on Treasure Island. Mr. Newirth proposed
that in order to keep the collection intact and keep the museum on
Treasure Island, that the Arts Commission take an active role in
this matter. Mr. Newirth asked the Commissioners to refer to a
draft letter written by him to the Treasure Island Museum on
behalf of the Arts Commission.
Motion: Motion to approve a letter
of support encouraging the Arts Commission to work with Treasure
Island staff on the preservation of the Treasure Island
Museum.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- 525 Golden Gate Avenue New City Office Building
Ms. Manton announced that the entire 525 Golden Gate Avenue
New City Office Building project, and not just the art component,
has been canceled. When this project was planned, the rental
market was at its highest, and the City was paying millions in
rent. The City promoted the new building at 525 Golden Gate as
having many favorable features, including being the first City
building to use Green Architecture, and being able to consolidate
many city departments into one building. As an alternative to
constructing the new building at 525 Golden Gate, Project Manager
Edgar Lopez will investigate a possible retrofit of the old State
Building that was damaged in the 1989 earthquake.
Ms. Manton said that artists Ned Kahn, Anna Valentina Murch, and
Paul Kos will be paid for their design contracts even though the
project is not going forward.
- Branch Library Improvement Program
Project Manager Judy Moran explained how this art enrichment
project will provide artwork for six new or renovated library
branches, in Glen Park, Ingleside, Mission Bay, Portola, Richmond,
and Visitacion Valley, in Phase I of the Library Improvement
Program. Due to limited resources, one competition was conducted
to create a pre-qualified artist candidate pool from which artists
would be selected for each branch, rather than conducting six
separate competitions. The artist selection panel selected a pool
of 30 artists from 53 applicants. Ms. Moran explained that
Community Artist Selection Panels consisting of one librarian, one
project architect, and three community members will select three
artists from a selection of the pool of 30 approved artist
finalists to create proposals for each library project. Following
the public display of the three Finalists' proposals for each
branch, the Community Artist Selection Panel for each branch will
select one or two artists, to perform the commission.
Ms. Moran asked for approval of the Branch Library Improvement
Program Arts Master Plan, which explains the project and the
process in detail.
- Third Street Light Rail Youth Arts Program
Ms. Moran presented the Youth Arts Program booklet, a
commemorative publication of a youth arts project lead by artist
Sheila Ghidini. Ms. Ghidini worked with art teachers and youth at
Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, Bayview Opera House, and
Visitacion Valley Community Beacon Center, to create permanent
artwork for use on transit platforms along 3rd Street. Ms. Moran
invited the Commissioners to attend a celebration to honor the
student participants at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House on
June 29th where the booklets would be distributed to the youth
involved in the project and their parents.
The Commissioners thanked Ms. Moran for her work on this project
and agreed that the booklet was very nice.
- Airport
Project Manger Susan Pontious explained that she would like to
enter into contract with Atthowe Fine Arts to transport, install,
design, and engineer the bases for a sculpture by Robert Arneson
and a sculpture by Debra Butterfield, and possibly more sculptures
in the future, at San Francisco International Airport.
Motion: Motion to authorize the
Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an Agreement with
Atthowe Fine Arts for an amount not to exceed $50,000 to design
and engineer and construct sculpture footings and bases and to
transport and install 4 - 6 sculptures at San Francisco
International Airport.
Moved: Stermer/Stauffacher
Solomon
- Administration
Ms. Pontious called attention to the explanatory document that
summarized the changes to the revised guidelines. Ms. Pontious
explained that the changes include general reorganization and
editing, an interface between Civic Design and Public Art,
incorporation of revised art enrichment ordinance provisions,
increased authority of the Director of Cultural Affairs as it
applies to Public Art, ineligible costs, changes in the artist
selection process for public art projects under $25,000, as well
as some miscellaneous changes.
Motion: Motion to approve the
Revised Public Art Guidelines, dated May 1, 2002.
Moved: Wilsey/Stermer
- Laguna Honda Hospital Project
Ms. Pontious explained that she would like to increase Owen
Smith's contract by $3,000 to develop a design proposal for a
mural that is similar in design to the existing murals in the link
lobby that were created as a WPA project. Ms. Pontious showed
slides of Mr. Smith's previous work.
Next, Ms. Pontious explained that the Hospital had identified an
additional opportunity for artwork in the third floor elevator
lobby of the link building. Ms. Pontious proposed that she look to
a selection of pre-qualified pool of artists from the original
call to artists rather than take the time and go to the expense of
advertising the competition again. Ms. Pontious said that using a
pre-qualified pool for subsequent public art opportunities at the
hospital was a possibility that was noted in the original request
for qualifications. The Commissioners thought that using the
pre-qualified pool was the best option with regard to time and
money. In response to the Commissioners' decision, Ms. Pontious
proceeded to show slides of artwork by the pre-qualified pool of
artists.
Motion: Motion to increase Owen
Smith's contract by $3,000 to develop a design proposal for
paintings for the link building lobby.
Moved: Stauffacher
Solomon/Stermer
The following motion was modified.
Motion: Motion to approve Mark Henry Campbell, Mike
Mandel, Ellen Oppenheimer, Ann Preston, Merle Axelrad Serlin, and
Nita Winter as a pre-qualified pool of artists to be considered by
Laguna Honda Hospital for a commission to design artwork for the
third floor elevator lobby of the link building.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
The following motion was removed.
Motion: Motion to readvertise the commission to
design artwork for the third floor elevator lobby of the link
building.
- Ocean View Recreation Center
Ms. Manton reported for Project Manager Tonia Macneil, who is
on vacation, that the proposed list of selection panelists for the
Ocean View Recreation Center include Chris Johnson, Marie Lovelace
O'Neil, Winifred Day, and Katherine Spencer.
The following motion was modified.
Motion: Motion to approve Chris Johnson, Marie
Lovelace O'Neil, Winifred Day, and Katherine Spencer as selection
panelists for Ocean View Recreation Center.
Moved: Stauffacher
Solomon/Wilsey
- Public Art Program Assessment
Ms. Manton announced that because of the length of the meeting
today, that this item would be addressed at the next Visual Arts
Committee meeting.
- New Business
- Old Business
Ms. Lehane explained that the Emperor Norton Project had not
been on the agenda today because the project sponsors had been
directed by the Visual Arts Committee to meet with the Telegraph
Hill Dwellers before further consideration of the item by the Arts
Commission. She reported that at the Telegraph Hill Dweller
meeting, three positions were presented: one opposing the Emperor
Norton Project, the Emperor Norton Project and the Kearny Street
Improvements. The Board of Directors for the Telegraph Hill
Dwellers recommended that the three groups agree to enter into
mediation to determine whether a unified position could be agreed
upon concerning the project.
- Adjournment
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at
5:10 p.m.
Submitted by Anna Kvinsland, Public Art Program Assistant
Approved by Richard Newirth, Director of Cultural Affairs,
6/21/02
6/21/02