Visual_Arts_Committee
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
3:00 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70
Notes
Commissioners Present:
Leonard Hunter, Jeannene Przyblyski
Absent: Lawrence Rinder, Dede Wilsey, Pop Zhao
Staff Present:
Nancy Gonchar, Sarah Lenoue, Jennifer Lovvorn, Jill Manton, Judy Moran, Susan Pontious
Note: As there was no quorum, no votes were recorded. All motions will be continued to the next Full Commission meeting except as noted.
The meeting commenced at 3:00 p.m.
- Consent
- Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection Shining Paths—San Francisco Sister Cities, 16 silvered glass gobos, projectors, mount brackets and mirrors, by Lewis deSoto for San Francisco International Airport.
- Motion to approve the multi-panel mural design by Deidre De Franceaux and Santie Huckaby on the retaining wall on the 1700 block of Quesada Avenue, celebrating the Quesada Avenue community garden and funded by the Mayor’s Neighborhood Beautification Fund.
- Motion to approve the temporary installation by Jen Pack of a fifty-foot-long green fabric “grass” line to be located on the north slope of Bernal Hill for two weeks in January 2007.
- Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection From the Heart Outwards, 19 cold-cast bronze and aluminum tiles, by Vicki Saulls for the Eureka Valley Recreation Center.
- Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection Welcome Hands, four cast concrete tiles, by Vicki Saulls for the Eureka Valley Recreation Center.
- Gallery Report
There was no Gallery report.
- Collection Report
Commissioner Przyblyski suggested that the discussion regarding the Collections Mission Statement be continued to the next meeting when more Commissioners are present. She looks forward to future staff reports regarding the General Hospital Collection.
Commissioner Hunter added that he would like to see an action plan for the management of the General Hospital Collection.
Deputy Director Nancy Gonchar stated that she would like to discuss staffing relative to the Collections Program in general at an upcoming meeting.
Project Manager Susan Pontious reported that one of her goals in the upcoming fiscal year is to shift much of the routine care of the Airport Collection to the San Francisco Airport Museum whose program has professional preparators and art maintenance staff.
Collections Archivist Sarah Lenoue reported that Collection Program Intern Jaime Schwartz has completed her inventory of the jewelry collection and prepared a written report. Ms. Lenoue recently met with staff at the San Francisco Airport Museum, which is interested in exhibiting this collection.
Ms. Schwartz presented select items from the jewelry collection to the Commissioners. She reported that the jewelry collection consists of 57 pieces. Of these pieces, condition reports have been prepared for thirty-six, which are currently in storage. One piece is on loan to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The other twenty are not accounted for, and there is little to no information on these pieces.
This collection reflects the work of some of the most important jewelers of the Modernist Movement, as well as other significant pieces and artists. The collection was established through Purchase Prizes at the Annual Arts Festivals chosen by jurors who were involved in the art world as artists, teachers, and museum/gallery professionals. These pieces were deemed the best works of each particular year. Some of the noteworthy Modernist jewelers included in the Arts Commission’s Jewelry Collection were Margaret de Patta, merry renk, Peter Macchiarini, Imogene “Tex” Gieling, Florence Resnikoff and Robert Dhaemers. She added that the work in this collection has never been exhibited.
The Commissioners stated that the report is very impressive and commended Ms. Schwartz and the Collections Program for this accomplishment.
- Art on Market Street Program
Project Manager Judy Moran reported on the current status of artist and project selection for the 2007 Art on Market Street Program.
She is continuing to try to identify an artist to create a graphic novel about travel to be displayed in the Market Street kiosks. She spoke with Rod Gilchrist, Director of the Cartoon Art Museum, about collaborating on such a project with the Arts Commission, with related activities to be determined. Mr. Gilchrist is soliciting materials from interested cartoonists and graphic novel artists with whom he is familiar to be submitted to the Arts Commission for consideration for such a project. Ms. Moran stated that she may do additional outreach.
Commissioner Przyblyski recommended Chris Ware as an artist for this project or as someone who could recommend other artists.
Ms. Moran reported that she met with Rick and Megan Shaw Prelinger, creators and managers of the Prelinger Library, a unique resource library centered on histories of U.S. regions, culture, industry, landscape, natural history, media and politics, about collaborating on a Market Street project. The Prelinger Library has agreed to work with an artist or artist team on an Art on Market Street Project. As this year's Market Street theme is travel or journeys, this library is particularly appropriate as it offers artists a rich collection of transportation-related books and materials not found in traditional libraries. However, none of the current prospective Art on Market Street artists were interested in working with the library. She may assign an artist or artist team to work specifically with the Prelinger Library on a project.
Ms. Moran explained that while any interested Bay Area artist may submit work for consideration, several artists were asked to submit documentation of past artwork. Four artists from this pool were paid an honorarium of $500 each to provide a brief preliminary written proposal for consideration. Those artists are the artist team of Amy Franceschini and Michael Swaine, Helena Keeffe, Michael Arcega, and the artist team of Steve Lambert and Packard Jennings. Staff reviewed these proposals to determine whether they are appropriate, feasible, and interesting.
Ms. Moran presented past artwork and preliminary proposals by the four artists/artist teams. She stated that staff has concerns about the feasibility and appropriateness of two of the proposals. Ms. Moran felt that the other proposals by Helena Keeffe and the artist team of Steve Lambert and Packard Jennings could be further refined and developed into projects.
Regarding the various project components of Helena Keeffe’s proposal, Commissioner Przyblyski stated that the most compelling is the annotated bus route map. She would like to see that developed along with related posters and pamphlets to be located on the bus for that particular route.
Regarding the proposal by the artist team of Steve Lambert and Packard Jennings, Commissioner Hunter recommended that the artists collaborate on the project with transportation planners or designers to develop the project and take it to a higher level.
- Laguna Honda Hospital
Project Manager Susan Pontious gave an update on the sculptural handrail project by Cliff Garten at Laguna Honda Hospital. She stated that the artist began work on the project with a well-regarded engineering and fabrication company, Carlson & Co. After some initial consulting on the project, the company decided they were not interested in working with plastics and would not do the fabrication. The artist has taken on the role that Carlson & Co. had in overseeing the fabrication. Ms. Pontious presented the original and revised budgets and explained that there has been a significant increase in costs relative to materials and the artist’s time. Some of the costs will be offset by an architectural credit. She added that originally the project was to be located in the Esplanade, Connector Building and Knuckle Building, but due to cost increases, the project will have to be reduced to include the Esplanade area only. The project has been reduced to 412 linear feet from the original 1700 linear feet.
Artist Cliff Garten presented his completed design for the handrail and explained that he has been working on the project for five years. He wanted to work with the handrail because it is an object that people will use daily. Mr. Garten stated that it is important that his work be both functional and sculptural. The handrail will be made of polyurethane with a decorative stainless steel interior support structure. The sections of handrail are four feet long and will be cast in one of four colors of the resin material. Mr. Garten presented material samples to the Commissioners. He further explained that the mounting system will be cast as part of the stainless steel support for each of the handrail sections. Mr. Garten stated that the functional aspects of this project took tremendous research. With this project, he wanted to take on the challenge of turning normative objects from everyday life into art.
Commissioner Hunter expressed concern about the budget increase, especially in light of the reduction of the project’s total linear feet. He requested that staff provide Commissioners with a more detailed version of the original and revised budgets. He would also like staff to explore the option of having the fabrication of the handrail put out to bid.
Commissioner Przyblyski stated that she is concerned about the cost of the project for a site like Laguna Honda Hospital where such an expense might be considered an extravagance. She also expressed concern regarding its functionality.
Ms. Pontious stated that the dimensions of the handrail are designed to code.
Mr. Garten stated that he would be willing to propose alternate materials as a way to reduce costs. However, the optical effects that are achieved with the resin would be lost with a material like bronze.
The following motion was continued to the next Visual Arts Committee meeting.
Motion: Motion to approve the revised handrail design by Cliff Garten and to change the scope of work and budget.
The following motion was continued to the next Visual Arts Committee meeting.
Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Diane Andrews Hall for $3,000 to develop a design proposal for the East Residence V1 floor of Laguna Honda Hospital.
- Airport
Project Manager Susan Pontious reported that artist Clare Rojas has developed a new proposal and is researching how to translate her work into mosaic. Ms. Pontious stated that she will present the proposal to the Airport Art Steering Committee for approval before bringing it to the Commission for approval and authorization to enter into a contract.
Motion: Motion to authorize for the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Clare Rojas for $3,000 to develop a design proposal for a gateroom wall at San Francisco International Airport.
- Junipero Serra Recreation Center
This report was continued to the next meeting.
The following motion was continued to the next Visual Arts Committee meeting.
Motion: Motion to approve the selection of (artist to be named at meeting) for the Junipero Serra Recreation Center public art project.
- New Business
Public Art Program Director Jill Manton reported on the possible use of the supplemental funding allocation for restoration of the Dewey Crumpler mural on the Joseph Lee Recreation Center to be used as a match for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission grant funds. Ms. Manton reported that a project budget has been prepared in consultation with architectural and mural conservators.
She also briefly described the proposals for an artist-designed signage project on 6th Street in collaboration with the Luggage Store. Ms. Manton stated that the signage project would be similar to the Creative Time signage project at Coney Island.
Commissioner Przyblyskistated that Commissioners are working with staff on refining the proposal for the 6th Street signage project. It will be brought back to the Visual Arts Committee next month.
- Old Business
Public Art Program Director Jill Manton reported that she received Maya Lin’s schematic proposal for the public art project at the Academy of Sciences, which will be presented to the Academy Art Advisory Committee in late November.
- Adjournment
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
Submitted by Jennifer Lovvorn, Public Art Program Associate
Approved by Richard Newirth, Director of Cultural Affairs
11/27/2006
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: Jennifer Lovvorn (415) 252-2594.
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