Visual_Arts_Committee
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
3:00 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70
Minutes
Commissioners Present: Jeannine Przyblyski, Lawrence Rinder, Leonard Hunter
Absent: Pop Zhao, Dede Wilsey
Staff Present: Regina Almaguer, Marcus Davies, Nancy Gonchar, Joyce Grimm, Tonia Macneil, Jill Manton, Judy Moran, Ellen Shershow, Susan Pontious
Note: All votes are unanimous unless recorded otherwise.
The meeting commenced at 3:25 p.m.
- Consent
1. Motion to approve the six final poster designs by artist Helena Keeffe for the Art on Market Street program to be reproduced and installed in twenty-four kiosks on Market Street between Van Ness Avenue and the Embarcadero from July 16 to November 8, 2007.
Motion: Motion to adopt the consent calendar items.
Moved: Hunter/Rinder
- Bill Fontana Project
This discussion was continued to the Executive Committee meeting
- Laguna Honda Hospital
Project Manager Susan Pontious presented plans for a new gate in front of the Link Building at Laguna Honda Hospital. Ms. Pontious stated the staff at Laguna Honda Hospital expressed interest in an artist-designed gate, as opposed to the originally planned standard roll-down gate. The budget for the gate is still under discussion, although there will be an architectural credit to augment the art allocation.
Ms. Pontious recommended Diana Pumpelly Bates as an excellent candidate to design this gate. Ms. Bates was one of three finalists for the Joseph Lee Recreational Center as well as the Pulgas gate project, and as such has already been vetted by the Commission. Commissioner Hunter stated that he was on the panel for the Joseph Lee Recreational Center and found Ms. Bates’ work to be of high quality.
Ms. Pontious presented her investigations into the feasibility of the Cliff Garten handrail. She explained that Mr. Garten had originally planned to work with a colored urethane material, but after consulting with three other fabricators, Ms. Pontious discovered that toxic materials were used in the fabrication, which was one of the reasons the cost was so high. In addition, some fabricators raised questions about the feasibility of the metal inserts and the likely difficulty of making any future repairs. Ms. Pontious stated that this handrail is meant to lead visually impaired people and to provide a tactile stimulus. For reasons associated with the high cost and experimental nature of the fabrication process and the potential challenges of future repairs, Ms. Pontious recommended researching bronze as an alternate material.
Commissioner Przyblyski stated that she appreciated the switch to bronze, explaining that she had concerns regarding the technical aspects of the urethane material. Ms. Pontious went on to explain that Mr. Garten is excited as bronze is more malleable than urethane and will therefore give him the freedom to be more playful in his design. Mr. Garten will rethink the handrail design based on the new bronze material.
Commissioner Przyblyski closed the discussion by stating that Laguna Honda Hospital will not have a bond measure like this again in our lifetime, and that she is pleased with the lasting legacy we will be leaving.
Motion: Motion to approve Link Building gate entry as an art project site.
Moved: Hunter/Rinder
Motion: Motion to authorize the Interim Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a $3,000 design contract with Diana Pumpelly Bates for the Link Building entry gate.
Moved: Rinder/Hunter
- Gallery Report
Meg Shiffler
PowerPoint presentation on the next gallery exhibition, Conversation 4: Jillian Mcdonald & Mark Lee Morris
As Gallery Director Meg Shiffler was unable to attend the Visual Arts Committee meeting, Joyce Grimm, Gallery Assistant, appeared in her place and distributed a press release statement for Conversation 4: Jillian Mcdonald & Mark Lee Morris. Commissioner Przyblyski stated that Ms. Shiffler has an impressive and successful track record, and, based on that, she felt confident considering the following motion in her absence.
Motion: Motion to approve an honorarium to Mark Lee Morris for $1000 and an honorarium to Jillian Mcdonald for $1000 for their participation in the SFAC Gallery exhibition Conversation 4: Jillian Mcdonald & Mark Lee Morris (June 29–August 25, 2007).
Moved: Rinder/Hunter
- Collections Report
Collections Registrar Marcus Davies reported on a plan to deaccession from the Civic Art Collection one untitled tapestry by Hal Painter and one unidentified textile, due to severe insect infestation and resulting damage.
Mr. Davies stated that he and Civic Art Collection Intern Jaime Diamonds had discovered two damaged textiles while conducting an inventory of artwork for an exhibition at the San Francisco International Airport. The first textile was purchased at the 1955 Arts Festival, and has since deteriorated very badly, to the extent that a colony of moths was found infesting the piece. Mr. Davies stated that the item is unsuitable for exhibition and appears to be beyond repair, and that the moth infestation is such that the item is a hazard to other objects in the Civic Art Collection storage. The second textile is currently unidentified and bears no name, title or accession number, though it appears to be from approximately the same period as the Painter textile. Mr. Davies reported that he conducted a detailed comparison between the object and all records for textiles within the Civic Collection, but was unable to positively identify the textile in question. This second piece is also infested and unsuitable for exhibition, and the cost of repair would most likely exceed the fair market value of the piece.
Mr. Davies explained to the Commissioners that the Civic Art Collection mission specifically states that objects should be exhibited to the public. With this in mind, it does not appear to be in the public interest to maintain objects that cannot be displayed. Mr. Davies went on to explain that he spoke to Deputy City Attorney Adine Varah, and that it is her opinion that artworks purchased rather than gifted are not subject to any deaccession restrictions. The unknown provenance of the second piece presents more of a problem in regard to deaccessioning.
Commissioners Rinder and Przyblyski both agreed that a professional conservator should examine both textiles and assess actual damage and the possibility and cost of repair. Commissioner Przyblyski continued that it will behoove the Civic Art Collection, and by extension the Arts Commission, to move forward in a positive manner and to establish standard professional practices in dealing with this kind of situation. If these pieces are lost to the Collection because we lacked the ability to maintain healthy art storage practices, we should take this as an opportunity to correct our storage strategies. All of the Commissioners expressed concern regarding the unknown provenance of the second piece, and asked that Mr. Davies conduct research and contact a conservator to help determine the provenance. The discussion continued in regards to the specific results of the deaccession process.
This motion was approved based on the assumption that research will be conducted on both pieces to identify the actual value (and provenance in the case of the unidentified textile) prior to the deaccession process, and that a professional conservator will examine both pieces.
Motion: Motion to deaccession from the Civic Art Collection one untitled tapestry by Hal Painter and one unidentified textile, due to severe insect infestation and resulting damage.
Moved: Rinder/Hunter
- San Francisco International Airport
Project Manager Susan Pontious presented two items related to the art program at the San Francisco International Airport. For the first, she introduced artist Joyce Hsu.
Ms. Hsu presented her final design for her gate room project at the San Francisco International Airport. Ms. Hsu explained the components of her design for the wall-mounted flower and insect sculpture. She reported that she has designed structural steel frames upon which other elements will be mounted. These frames will function as a base layer; the second layer will be made up of laser-cut aluminum sheets attached to the frames; and the third layer, attached to the aluminum sheets, will be made up of insects and flowers. Ms. Hsu presented scaled cardboard models of flowers and insects to the Commissioners. In all, the piece will contain six flowers and twelve insects, all mounted at various angles on the cut aluminum sheets. Commissioner Hunter commented that he very much enjoyed the playful aspect of this work, adding that the dragonflies call to mind children’s model airplanes.
Motion: Motion to approve design development documents and materials by Artist Joyce Hsu for International Terminal Airport Gate Room wall.
Moved: Rinder/Hunter
Ms. Pontious reported that the painting Horse of a Different Color by Robert Hudson has been hung in a less-than-ideal location for several years. Its current location, in Terminal 3, is in an obscure part of the airport, and it is hung so high that viewers often do not see it. She presented a photograph of the installation to illustrate her point. Ms. Pontious stated that she has been searching for a new location for some time within the airport, and has finally identified a proposed new site for the painting, in Gate Room A-1. Gate Room A-1 will open in September, 2007. This gate room is adjacent to Gate Rooms 3 and 5 where new works by Hung Liu and Joyce Hsu will be located. The walls in the new location are approximately eleven feet high, requiring the City to add a frame and a glass or Plexiglas box to this formerly unframed painting. The total cost, including uninstalling, reinstalling, framing and glass or Plexiglas would be approximately $10,000-$15,000.
Motion: Motion to approve relocation of Robert Hudson’s Horse of a Different Color to Gate Room 1 in Boarding Area A
Moved: Hunter/Rinder
- Zoo
Ms. Pontious reported on the public art activities at the San Francisco Zoo. She reported that Gwynn Murrill completed her life-size bronze sculptures of a tiger and a cougar in 2002, and that they are beginning to show signs of age due to the popularity of the artwork. The funds we have available for the Zoo are bond money, and therefore cannot be used for maintenance. This is an ongoing issue for the Arts Commission involving all bond-funded public art projects.
In order to use the remaining bond funds before they expire, Ms. Pontious proposed that the Commission consider the acquisition of TAXA, a suite of six prints, individually entitled Gone, Back, Ascendent, Descendent, Collection and Trade, by Isabella Kirkland. These elaborate, richly colored prints will hang in the Zoo’s Great Hall, a location that is used for events, parties and educational programs. The Commissioners agreed that these were wonderful prints, and perfectly suited for the Zoo.
Motion: Motion to approve purchase of TAXA, a suite of six prints, individually entitled Gone, Back, Ascendent, Descendent, Collection and Trade, by Isabella Kirkland, for an amount not to exceed $15,000 for the San Francisco Zoo pending Zoo approval.
Moved: Rinder/Hunter
- Third Street Light Rail Art Enrichment Program
Project Manager Judy Moran was pleased to report that the Third Street Light Rail Project is completed. She has worked on the Art Enrichment for the Project for the past ten years. Ms. Moran read the Third Street Light Rail Art Enrichment design principles, prepared by Arts Commission staff in cooperation with Muni staff in 1997:
-Enhance the quality of the transit experience for passengers.
-Reflect the City’s enduring commitment to high quality design of civic space
-Create an overall systemwide identity as well as distinguishing characteristics unique to each station.
-Develop artwork that meets the City’s safety and ADA standards, is durable, graffiti- and stain-resistant, and easily maintained.
-Explore ways that functional elements and passenger amenities can be designed by artists.
-Work closely with communities adjacent to the light rail line to provide numerous opportunities for them to provide feedback and input for all art enrichment projects.
The Arts Commission worked with three artist teams to design and fabricate artwork for each of the 28 Third Street Light Rail platforms, with ten platforms in more heavily trafficked areas receiving more public art elements. Ms. Moran presented images from each of these ten platforms, including pole-mounted sculptures, canopy shadow casters, paving elements and windscreen display case posters. Commissioner Przyblyski requested that Ms. Moran make this presentation at the June full Commission meeting, commenting that the Public Art Program’s major projects should be shared with the full Commission. Ms. Moran will therefore present this project at the Monday, June 4, 2007 full Commission meeting.
Due to Commissioner Przyblyski’s request, the following motion will be revised and continued to the full Commission meeting on June 4, 2007. At Public Art Program Director Jill Manton’s suggestion, the windscreen posters will not be accepted into the Civic Art Collection because they are long-term temporary rather than permanent artworks.
Motion: Motion to approve the installation of and accept into the Civic Art Collection the series of permanent public artworks designed for and installed on the 28 T-Third Street Light Rail transit platforms by the three Third Street Light Rail Artist Teams, including Bill and Mary Buchen (Mission Bay); Horace Washington, Frederick Hayes, and JoeSam (Bayview Hunters Point); and Anita Margrill and Nobuho Nagasawa (Visitacion Valley and the standard pole mounted sculptures), to include 28 pole mounted metal sculptures (9 specialty pole mounted sculptures and 19 standard pole mounted sculptures); and 10 sets of metal laser cut panel canopy shadow casters; metal, mosaic tile, granite, and sandblasted and painted paving insets on 14 platforms.
Motion: Motion to approve the long-term temporary installation in windscreen display cases on the 28 T-Third Street Light Rail platforms of 20 posters designed by the three Third Street Light Rail Artist Teams, including Bill and Mary Buchen (Mission Bay); Horace Washington, Frederick Hayes, and JoeSam (Bayview Hunters Point); and Anita Margrill and Nobuho Nagasawa (Visitacion Valley), as well as 40 posters designed by 14 youth as part of the Third Street Light Rail Youth Arts Program.
- Potrero Branch Library
This item was continued to a future Visual Arts Committee meeting.
- Ingleside Branch Library
This item was continued to a future Visual Arts Committee meeting.
- Harvey Milk Center
Project Manager Tonia Macneil reported on the design development phase for artwork at the Harvey Milk Recreational Center. The Recreational Arts Center is located near Duboce Park and serves multiple communities. The artists have proposed to place artwork at several locations throughout the building. Conceptually, the artists feel it makes sense to have different kinds of work throughout, as the Recreation Center itself is a conglomeration of different activities. In the lobby leading to the performance venue at Harvey Milk, the artists will create a number of vitrines that contain artifacts from the Center’s large collections, including such items as costumes made years ago by mothers for their children and handmade dolls. In the main building lobby, Harvey Milk will be remembered with images from his life integrated into the window wall and into a freestanding ladder-like sculpture that includes a camera obscura focused on the park. At the entrance to the photography studio on the lower level, a montage of photographs from past and present users of the darkroom will be integrated into the window wall. The artists have proposed an additional element: a phrase excerpted from the writings of Harvey Milk in very large type for the rear wall of the building facing the park, to be painted a contrasting color to stand out from the wall.
The Commissioners echoed their past response to this proposal, to the effect that the proposal seems fragmented. They questioned the lack of focus and visual impact. Commissioner Rinder remarked that the text for the back wall seemed too open-ended. Overall, the Commissioners felt that the information presented did not clearly indicate the specifics of each element and that a more developed presentation would be necessary, along with further thought about the overall impact of the art.
This item was tabled pending further development of the presentation.
Motion: Motion to approve design development for artwork at Harvey Milk Recreational Center.
- Juniper Serra Playground
Project Manager Tonia Macneil reported on Artist Bean Finneran’s proposal for Juniper Serra Playground. Ms. Macneil showed images of the playground, which includes a new children’s play area and new clubhouse. Ms. Finneran proposes a mosaic tile piece above the door on the south side of this building. This colorful piece consists of 336 tiles in two shapes and varying shades of purple, orange, yellow, white and red. The artist has met with the building designers and the community and her approach and previous artwork were well-received. The Commissioners responded favorably to the design but thought that the colors needed to be modified.
Motion: Motion to approve conceptual proposal by Bean Finneran for tile artwork for the façade of Junipero Serra Playground, pending evidence of support from the Friends of Junipero Serra Playground and resolution of final colors to be used.
Moved: Rinder/Hunter
Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Bean Finneran for the completion of design development, fabrication, transportation, and installation of artwork at Junipero Serra Playground, for an amount not to exceed $23,000.
Moved: Rinder/Hunter
- Central Subway
Public Art Program Director Jill Manton and Project Manager Judy Moran were joined by Municipal Transportation Authority (“MTA”) Project Manager John Funghi and Kwan Henmi Architecture and Planning Director and Associate Robert Jansen to present an overview of the scope of work for the Central Subway project.
Mr. Funghi began by explaining that the Central Subway will provide a north/south rail system for San Francisco. This began as part of the ‘Four Corridors’ plan in the early 1990’s, and more recently has been buoyed by local and federal funding associated with the T-Third Street line. The plan was approved in June, 2005, when the San Francisco MTA adopted the 1.7-mile Fourth Street/Stockton Street alignment with three subway stations: Moscone Station, Union Square/Market Street Station and Chinatown Station. The plan was then modified based on public input; consultants added a surface platform at Fourth and Brannan Streets and a construction variation into North Beach to allow for a future transit station. The North Beach variant will be utilized to help streamline underground construction for the subway station in Chinatown. The environmental review process is underway and will culminate with a Record of Decision (“ROD”) constituting final environmental approval from the Federal Transit Administration in 2008. This approval will allow the agency to purchase the property necessary for the construction. Following this, the utility contract should be sent out by the close of 2009, with construction continuing through 2015. The subway will be operational by 2016, and will relieve ‘pain points’ in the current T-Third Street line, including providing extra service to the ball park during games. By 2030, the Central Subway is estimated to carry over 90,000 riders per day.
Mr. Jansen reported that the architectural design of the stations has just begun, so now is the perfect time to begin thinking about art elements. Ninety-nine percent of the construction is taking place underground, providing very little daylight. The Union Square/Market Street station will be the deepest underground, as it will need to go below the existing Bart and MUNI lines. This depth will provide a vaulted ceiling, along with a very long corridor that will stretch from Union Square to Powell Street, both of which could inspire art elements. At this time, it is not clear whether or not the corridor will include commercial enterprise, though the MTA is working in partnership with Macy’s Department store, and hopes to include an entrance similar to the one that currently exists between Bloomingdales and the Powell Street Bart/MUNI station.
The Chinatown subway station will be very different, including an arched form on the roof, as well as being the crossover station to change direction from northbound to southbound. During phase 3, it may be possible to extend the subway to North Beach from the Chinatown Station.
Mr. Jansen completed his presentation with a brief description of the Moscone Station. This station will be similar to Union Square and Chinatown, though it is too early in the process to point to unique architectural elements. Mr. Jansen added that they will produce 3-D digital models of all of the stations, providing the opportunity for virtual tours.
Ms. Manton wrapped up the presentation by reporting that while we have an approved Central Subway artist pool, we would like to do additional recruiting due to the long delay in beginning this process. She added that the Arts Commission will work closely with the MTA to bring the Central Subway project to fruition and that the art enrichment budget has yet to be finalized. Commissioner Przyblyski commented that this is a very exciting opportunity.
- Public Art Policy Discussion
This item was continued to a future Visual Arts Committee Meeting.
- PUC Art Enrichment Efforts
Ms. Manton updated the Commissioners on a variety of Public Utility Commission (PUC) Art Enrichment Efforts. Eula Walters, a member of the public, commented on Ferry Park. Ms. Walters expressed her concern regarding the sort of art that would be placed, as well as the manner in which funds would be used. Ms. Walters voiced additional concerns regarding the naming of the park and the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and the Vaillancourt Fountain. Because these items were not on the published Visual Arts Committee May agenda, the Commission was not able to comment on these additional issues.
Ms. Manton reported that the PUC has approved the use of funds to temporarily install the Louise Bourgeois Spider sculpture on the Embarcadero Pier 14 site, pending Port Commission approval. The Arts Commission is working with Gallery Paule Anglim and the Port Commission to establish a loan period, discuss permit conditions and other details. If all goes as planned, the Spider will be installed in early to mid-November, 2007, and remain in place for several months. The Commissioners spoke for some time regarding various safety and security issues inherent in displaying a sculpture such as this. The Commissioners agreed that if stanchions had to be added to the perimeter of the sculpture, an alternate site should be found. If stanchions do not have to be used, Pier 14 is the ideal spot.
Ms. Manton closed by showing the work of artist John Melvin, whose work she discovered in response to an ongoing solicitation on the Arts Commission’s website for Temporary Project in Natural Settings. Mr. Melvin, a San Francisco-based artist, submitted images that document a series of transparent scrims installed above a stream in Pont Aven, France, in 2005. Ms. Manton talked at length about the environmental impact of this work, and the possibility of installing a similar piece in Lake Merced. The Commissioners found the work to be quite beautiful. Commissioner Hunter commented that it brought to mind the work of Robert Irwin. Ms. Manton asked for an indication of interest from the Visual Arts Committee to allow her to pursue discussions with the artist and other City departments with jurisdiction over the site.
- Moscone Center West
This item was continued to a future Visual Arts Committee meeting.
- McLaren Park
Project Manager Regina Almaguer and Director Jill Manton reported on the McLaren Park project, which is funded with Public Utility Commission (“PUC”) art enrichment money from the La Grande Tank Replacement Project, among others. Approximately $140,000 is available for many artwork opportunities at the park, including providing visitors with new ways of experiencing the history and ecology of the park, interactive artworks that will continue to engage visitors, and way-finding elements to guide visitors through the park’s myriad paths and trails. This project has been on the public art program roster for some time now, waiting for staff to commence work on the project. We have currently reopened the RFQ and have received approximately 30 applications. Ms. Almaguer stated that she would like to select five finalists to do proposals. Commissioner Przyblyski stated that she would prefer a single artist to produce an artwork that might have multiple components, rather than multiple, smaller art projects by different artists.
Motion: Motion to approve recommended approach for McLaren Park project development.
Moved: Hunter/Rinder
- New Business
There was no new business
- Old Business
There was no old business
- Adjournment
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:41 p.m.
Submitted by Ellen Shershow, Public Art Program Associate
Approved by Nancy Gonchar, Interim Director of Cultural Affairs
ES 5/30/2007
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: Ellen Shershow (415) 252-2594.
Public comment in regard to specific items will be taken before or during consideration of the item.
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