VISUAL
ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, September 18, 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,
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 3:12 p.m.
- Consent
- Motion to approve the mural design by lead artists Aaron
Noble and Andrew J. Schoultz at 18th and Lexington Streets,
funded by Neighborhood Beautification.
- Motion to approve the mural design by lead artist Lucena
Valle at Clarion Alley, funded by Neighborhood
Beautification.
- Motion to approve the mural design by lead artists Marisa
Jahn and Steve Shada at Clarion Alley near Mission Street,
funded by Neighborhood Beautification.
- Motion to approve the mural design by lead artist Susan
Cervantes, Precita Eyes, to be installed on an interior wall at
the office of San Francisco Environment Department (11 Grove
Street), funded by the General Fund.
- Motion to approve "Everyday Stars," a design for 24 posters
for the 2002 Market Street Art in Transit Program, by the
artist team of Bull.Miletic, to be exhibited in Market Street
kiosks between Van Ness and the Embarcadero from November 15,
2002 to February 13, 2003.
- Motion to approve the following selection panels members
for the Octavia Blvd. Streetscape Project: John Goldsmith,
Phyllis Jackson, David Winslow (all three are community
representatives).
Motion: Motion to move the
consent calendar item.
Moved: Stermer/Stauffacher
Solomon
- Collections
Civic Art Collection Program Director Debra Lehane reported that
the barricade surrounding the Garfield Monument will go up later
this week signaling the beginning of the Garfield Project. Ms.
Lehane expects that the stabilizing of the monument will move
forward after that.
Ms. Lehane reported that the $90,000 to pay for a full cleaning
and restoration of the Dewey Monument is "on reserve" and needs to
be released through the Controller's office. This project has not
moved forward due to the situation with the funds. She expressed
concerns about the window of opportunity that is closing for
working in the Plaza. The Dewey monument has to be completed by
November10th when preparations for the holidays begin.
Ms. Lehane reported that the carousel at the zoo is finished,
although some final work remains such as the installation of trim
work and the replacement of some mechanical elements. The project
includes a new ramp in order to comply with ADA requirements and
one of the chariots has been modified to be handicap accessible.
Carousel operators will be trained in the ramp operation and ADA
access. Ms. Lehane added that both the carousel and carousel
building were re-painted to historically accurate colors. Because
the carousel is on City property, it belongs to the City. The Arts
Commission served as both consultant and project manager for the
restoration.
Next, Ms. Lehane reported on some recent developments relating to
the Abraham Lincoln Brigade project. Since June, when the Visual
Arts Committee reviewed the project, the Port's Design Review
Committee has asked the artists and project sponsors to look for
alternative locations for the siting of the memorial. Jill Manton,
Director of Public Art, said that Dan Hodap of the Port called her
to suggest the following three sites as alternatives to the
original location of Harry Bridges Plaza: the east side of Justin
Herman Plaza; another site in Justin Herman Plaza that the Public
Art Program has potentially identified for the installation of a
sculpture by Robert Arneson; or along the Clay/Washington
corridor. Ms. Manton added that Regina Almaguer, the Project
Coordinator, would meet with Mr. Hodap on Thursday of this week to
review alternate sites. Ms. Lehane questioned whether the Port
Commission had already approved the original proposed site in
Harry Bridges Plaza. Ms. Manton replied that the Port Commission
approved the site, but since that time, has received complaints
from the architect of the plaza who claims that the plaza is not a
good location for this artwork. Ms. Lehane added that the
architect had been asked to participate in the design process for
the memorial, but never did. Ms. Lehane said that the reason she
was bringing this matter to the attention of the Commissioners was
that the design that they approved might need to be modified to
fit the new location.
- Ocean View Public Library
Project Manager Tonia Macneil reported that the Artist
Selection Panel for the Ocean View Branch Library met last month
to review proposals and select an artist to create interior
artwork for the library. The panel unanimously recommended artist
John Wehrle for the commission. Ms. Macneil said that the areas
available for artwork are the stairway and second floor hallway.
Mr. Wehrle, primarily a muralist, proposed creating work that is
both painted and three-dimensional. In the stairway, he proposed a
work called "Words Flyaway", a painted illusion of letters falling
out of the sky and down the walls. A theme based on children's
literature will be carried out in the quotations and images used
by the artist. For the stairs and second floor hallway, Mr. Wehrle
proposed water-jet cut linoleum letters for the floor and a view
of the ocean from the nearby park painted on tile for the water
fountain niche.
Commissioner Stermer said that he liked the proposal very much and
commented that Mr. Wehrle had certainly demonstrated original
thought. Commissioner Guggenheim, who sat on the selection panel,
noted that Mr. Wehrle would be meeting with library staff to
discuss use of diverse contemporary sources for the textual
material. Ms. Manton reminded the Commissioners that because of
the success of the small Arts Commission project on the exterior
of the library, the community garnered support and funds for this
project, beyond the requirements of the 2% Art Enrichment.
Explanatory Document: Minutes
of the New Ocean View Branch Library Interior Art Enrichment
Program Artist Selection Panel
Motion: Motion to approve the Ocean
View Branch Library selection panel's unanimous recommendation of
the proposal by John Wehrle for a work of art for the library, and
authorization to the Director of Public Affairs to enter into
contract with the artist for an amount not to exceed $116,000.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- North Beach Pool Project Design Revision
Because there was nothing new to report, and because Vicki
Saulls had not completed her color and design changes, Project
Manager Nina Dunbar asked to remove this item and motion from the
agenda.
The following motion was removed.
Motion: Motion to accept Vicki Saulls' color and
design changes to the interior, wall component of the North Beach
Pool Project.
- Public Art Program Assessment
Ms. Manton informed the Commissioners that the Public Art
Program is looking into implementing a comprehensive Program
Assessment Plan. The information gathered during the assessment
process will provide a foundation to improve the overall
effectiveness of the public art programs. Ms. Manton said that the
assessment will include the compilation of data about the current
public art collection and the gathering of external and internal
information concerning project management procedures, public
relations, and internal program practices. As part of the
assessment, staff will seek information from artists, client
agencies, and community members concerning their working
experiences with and perceptions of the Public Art Program. To
assess the scope of the public art collection, staff will compile
quantitative data about each project, including the completion of
a detailed database. Ms. Manton said that Public Art staff will
work closely with the Director of Collections to assess the
condition of the public art collection and current procedures.
Ms. Manton said that the assessment project is still in the early
stages, and that she wanted to bring this before the committee
today for comment and discussion before the path was set in stone.
Director of Cultural Affairs Richard Newirth said that he had
talked to the Arts Commission Program Managers about the need for
program assessments in the past, and that the Public Art Program
really took the idea and ran. Ms. Manton thanked Project Managers
Judy Moran and Nina Dunbar for taking the lead on the assessment
project. Ms. Manton directed the Commissioner's attention to a
portable wall map of San Francisco where most of the public art
projects have been located and color-coded by City Department.
Public Art Program Assistant Anna Kvinsland explained how an
intern plotted the public art projects on the map and created a
notebook to accompany the map with additional information about
each project. Commissioner Stermer commented that he liked the map
and thought that it was something that should have always been in
existence. Ms. Manton said that she was looking into ways to map
the public art projects electronically. Mr. Newirth suggested
looking to other City Departments that had already done something
similar.
Ms. Manton asked if the Commissioners had anything to say about
the Public Art Program's assessment project at this point.
Commissioner Stermer would like to see an increased effort in the
honest wooing of the press and a proactive effort at publicizing
the more interesting projects such as the Ocean View Public
Library project. Mr. Newirth added that he believes that getting
more political backing on certain projects would also be
beneficial.
Explanatory Document: Public
Art Program Assessment Plan Summary
- Market Street Art in Transit Program
Project Manager Judy Moran announced that the artist selection
panel for the Market Street Art in Transit Kiosk Poster Series for
2003 met and selected Margaret Crane/Jon Winet, Nancy Mizuno
Elliott, Robert Gutierrez, and Kara Maria, as the four finalists,
and the artist team of Ann Chamberlain and Jim Goldberg as an
alternate. Ms. Moran showed slides of past work for each finalist
and explained each of their proposals.
The artist team of Margaret Crane and Jon Winet work on both short
and long term projects addressing social issues, using
photographic media and text, and the Internet. Their proposal is
to create tableaus with actors on Market Street, text, and
information about a social agency related to the imagery.
Nancy Mizuno Elliott creates drawings and paintings, typically
with figures, and occasionally on sculptural forms. Her proposal,
May I Take Your Order?, is to create drawings of and text from
interviews with fast food employees on Market Street.
Kara Maria is a painter who uses bold and colorful graphic
abstract imagery. Her proposal is to create images of objects
commonly seen on Market Street that are used in multiple ways,
with figurative elements hidden among abstract shapes.
Robert Gutierrez is a painter who typically works in gouache. His
proposal is to create an interconnected panorama of floating
worlds incorporating Market Street architectural motifs that would
run from kiosk to kiosk.
Alternates Ann Chamberlain and Jim Goldberg typically work with
photographic techniques. Their proposal is to create a series of
images, with text and data, reflecting the results of interviews
with Market Street pedestrians about the numerous meanings and
implications of the color brown.
Motion: Motion to approve artists
Margaret Crane/Jon Winet, Nancy Mizuno Elliott, Robert Gutierrez,
and Kara Maria, and the alternate artist team of Ann Chamberlain
and Jim Goldberg, to design and produced posters for the 2003
Market Street Art in Transit Program Kiosk Poster Series, as
recommended by the 2003 Market Street Art in Transit Program Kiosk
Poster Series Artist Selection Panel.
Moved: Stauffacher
Solomon/Stermer
Motion: Motion to approve the
Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the
artists Margaret Crane/Jon Winet, Nancy Mizuno Elliott, Robert
Gutierrez, and Kara Maria, and, if necessary, the alternate artist
team of Ann Chamberlain and Jim Goldberg, to design and produce
posters for the 2003 Market Street Art in Transit Program Kiosk
Poster Series.
Moved: Wilsey/Stermer
- Moscone Center Expansion Project
Ms. Manton gave an update on Diller & Scofidio's LED
screen project at the Moscone Center. She reported that the
project is currently around $200,000 over budget. She has obtained
several quotes on the installation of the track, armature, and
arm, but at this point, any quote puts the project over budget
because union labor is required. Ms. Manton explained that she is
still trying to pursue a sales tax exemption, as well as some
other options to bring the cost of the project down. Because Ms.
Manton has retained a contingency of around $100,000, Moscone will
only have to cover the override of $100,000 unless the sales tax
exemption is allowed, in which case, Moscone would only be asked
for approximately $30,000.
On a positive note, Project Manager Nina Dunbar announced that all
is well with the tree sculpture by Shum, Shu, and Gordon.
Installation is still on schedule for October 7th.
- Transit History Plaque
Ms. Manton announced that she received a small art enrichment
allocation of $10,000 from construction on a MUNI Generator
Building on the Embarcadero. She asked artist Michael Manwaring to
create a design proposal for a transit history plaque. Ms. Manton
showed the Commissioners Mr. Manwaring's proposal of cartoon
imagery with text relief to be fabricated into a 3' x 3' bronze
sidewalk flag. The Commissioners agreed that they liked the
unusual juxtaposition of cartoon imagery set in bronze.
- Cesar Chavez Bicycle Overpass Project
Ms. Manton said that because of numerous delays and changes,
this project was a lesson in how not to do a public art project
for $10,000. Ms. Manton reported that CalTrans is now planning on
relocating the highway sign so that it is situated right in front
of Pepe Ozan's proposed site for his sculpture. Ms. Manton and Mr.
Ozan are trying to get permission to either install Mr. Ozan's
sculpture in the median or convince CalTrans to downsize their
sign so that it does not block the line of vision to Mr. Ozan's
sculpture.
- Airport
Project Manager Susan Pontious reminded the Commissioners that
after approving the purchase of "Ying and Yang", the second in an
edition of three bronze sculptures by the late Robert Arneson, the
Airport staff, influenced by the events of September 11th, 2001
became concerned that this sculpture may not be appropriate for
the Airport. The Airport formally denied a building permit to
install Arneson's sculpture on site and asked Ms. Pontious to keep
the sculpture in storage until a later date. Ms. Pontious and Ms.
Manton became concerned that once the Airport believed that the
artwork was problematical, they would not change their minds.
Ms. Pontious reported that she and Ms. Manton discovered an
alternate location for the sculpture behind Justin Herman Plaza
near the crosswalk to the Pier One Ferry Building. It is a
circular planter, similar to how the first sculpture of the
edition is installed at UC Davis. Ms. Pontious said that Mr.
Arneson had specified that the sculpture at UC Davis be sited in a
circular base. Ms. Pontious said that she feels most comfortable
following that directive with the second sculpture as well. Since
the proposed site is on Port property, Ms. Pontious will talk to
Dan Hodap to see if the Port would be willing to grant permission
for the installation. At that point, the Airport would need to
approve re-siting of the work, but Ms. Pontious did not feel that
would be a problem, and she has already discussed this possibility
with Jason Yuen.
Ms. Pontious reported that the Artist Selection Panel for Boarding
Area C met last week and selected a short list of nine artists to
be presented to the Airport Art Steering Committee for the final
selection of 2-3 artists who will be commissioned to create new
artwork or who will be paid for the purchase of existing artwork.
Ms. Pontious reminded the Commissioners that the new work will be
added to a sculpture court that includes artwork by Deborah
Butterfield, Fran Martin, Manuel Neri, Isamu Noguchi, and Jack
Zajac.
The following motion was modified.
Motion: Motion to approve the short list of
proposed artists to create sculptures for Boarding Area C, which
will be submitted to the Airport Art Steering Committee for final
selection of 2 -3 sculptures, that includes Joyce Hsu, Takenobu
Igarashi, Jun Kaneko, Werner Klotz, Artis Lane, Darlene
Nguyen-Ely, Lucy Puls, Michael Stutz, and Al Wong.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- Laguna Honda Hospital
In regard to Cliff Garten's hand rail design for the Link
Building and two resident floors, Ms. Pontious reported that the
$25 a square foot credit that she originally thought she had has
now been reduced to $15 a square foot. She is still trying to get
a cost estimate from Mr. Garten's fabricator. If the estimate is
too high, the project will have to be re-evaluated. Assuming that
the project stays within the budget, Ms. Pontious asked for
approval for the Arts Commission to enter into an agreement with
Mr. Garten to develop construction documents and fabrication and
installation of a full-scale mock-up of his proposed handrail
design.
Next, Ms. Pontious reported that representatives from Laguna Honda
Hospital selected Merle Axelrod-Serlin from the pre-qualified pool
of artists from the original call to artists to develop a design
proposal for fabric collages for the third floor elevator lobby of
the link building.
Ms. Pontious showed design development documents for proposals for
the resident floors from the following artists: Beliz Brother, Ann
Chamberlain and Bernie Lubell, Terry Hoff, Arlan Huang, Takenobu
Igarashi, and Owen Smith. She explained how the artists were
severely restricted by code that requires hallways to be at least
eight feet wide. The resident floor hallways will be 8 feet, 1
inch, thereby allowing only 1 inch for the protrusion of artwork
on the walls. Beliz Brother and the artist team of Ann Chamberlain
and Bernie Lubell, have both proposed to create lightboxes that
will be inset into the wall. Ms. Brother has proposed to use
floral designs and Ms. Chamberlain and Mr. Lubell have proposed to
use historic images as well as video-based imagery of nature, air,
and water. Ms. Chamberlain and Mr. Lubell have also proposed a
sound element connected with the light boxes. They have also
proposed a related video project, which would broadcast a live
feed of the hospital aviary, petting zoo, and special events at
the hospital to the hospital's closed circuit television channel.
The live feed broadcast would be supplemented with video segments
that they would make, which might include historical images,
footage of the building of the new hospital, nature segments, etc.
These images would relate to the images in their lightboxes.
Ms. Pontious showed Terry Hoff's proposal of large-scale collages
of shapes and clocks using tactile materials. Commissioner Stermer
asked if the clocks would work, and Ms. Pontious responded that
they would. Owen Smith has proposed to create terra cotta and
mosaic murals based on the four elements: air, fire, earth, and
water.
Arlan Huang will address the glass facade in front of the dining
and activity rooms on three residential floors. He will replace
the glass windows with glass blocks. Hand-blown colored glass
pieces will be inserted into 130 of the blocks.
Ms. Pontious explained that because the floor with the aqua
therapy center has a different layout, with the resident rooms
around the dining room in the center, it is possible to install
artwork with deeper relief and sculpture that is hanging. She has
assigned this floor to Takenobu Igarashi. Mr. Igarashi proposed
creating a series of wood and cast terra cotta pieces with deep
relief for the dining and activity rooms. He is also proposing to
suspend sculpture in the Atrium area.
Ms. Pontious explained that after the Arts Commission's
recommendation, representatives from the hospital will have an
opportunity to review the proposals. Commissioner Stermer and
Wilsey were concerned with Ms. Chamberlain and Mr. Lubell's
proposal with what they perceived to be "dark" subject matter and
imagery. They felt that the images were too difficult to discern,
too somber, and too ambiguous. Ms. Pontious said that she would
share their thoughts with the artists and the representatives from
the hospital.
Lastly, Ms. Pontious asked that a Commissioner serve on the Artist
Selection Panel for the Laguna Honda Hospital courtyard sculpture
and aqua therapy room tile design project. Commissioner Guggenheim
said that he would be happy to participate on the panel.
Explanatory Document:
Proposal by Cliff Garten
Motion: Motion to authorize the
Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Cliff
Garten in the amount of $72,157 to develop construction documents
and a full scale mock-up of his proposed handrail design for
Laguna Honda Hospital.
Moved: Wilsey/Stermer
Motion: Motion to authorize the
Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement for $3,000
with Merle Axelrod-Serlin to develop a design proposal for fabric
collages for Laguna Honda Hospital.
Moved: Stauffacher
Solomon/Stermer
The following motion was modified
Motion: Motion to approve the design development
documents for proposals for the resident floors from the following
artists: Beliz Brother, Ann Chamberlain and Bernie Lubell, Terry
Hoff, Arlan Huang, Takenobu Igarashi, and Owen Smith.
Moved: Stermer/Stauffacher
Solomon
The following motion was modified.
Motion: Motion to appoint Commissioner Guggenheim
to serve on the artist selection panel (scheduled 10/11/02) for
the Laguna Honda Hospital courtyard sculpture and aqua therapy
room tile design project.
Moved: Wilsey/Stermer
- Public Art Program Public Relations
Ms. Pontious explained how she, Ms. Manton, and Mr. Newirth
met with the firm of Brown and Collins to devise a public
relations campaign called "Sculpture in the City". The publicity
campaign will advertise the new Arneson sculpture as well as nine
other public art projects scheduled for completion this fall. The
campaign will be used to advertise the City's diverse collection
of public art and will be similar to the publicity campaign that
Brown and Collins did for the artwork at the Airport.
Motion: Motion to authorize the
Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement for up to
$70,000 with the firm of Brown and Collins to develop a public
relations campaign and materials around the completion of nine
sculptures throughout the city.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- New Business
Gallery Director Rupert Jenkins announced that the launch
party for Commission 02, the inaugural edition of a series of
artworks by nineteen Bay Area artists, will be held at LINC Real
Art on November 8th from 7:00pm - 10:00pm. At this event, Mr.
Jenkins hopes to raise $12,000 by selling collector boxes. There
are three different limited-edition collector boxes. Mr. Jenkins
asked that the Commissioners help by sending out invitations to
their friends and colleagues. Proceeds from this event will
support the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery's exhibition
program.
Mr. Jenkins announced that there will be an artist reception on
October 2nd for the current exhibition at City Hall. The
exhibition features a photography exhibit by James Nicholls called
"Immortal Dust: The Hidden People of Sudan", artwork by
twenty-eight Nicaraguan artists, and a photography exhibit of Cuba
by Raul Canibano and Cristobal Herrera.
Finally, Mr. Jenkins told the Commissioners about "Hall of
Reflections: Remembrances of the Bay Area Iranian-American
Immigrants", the current exhibit at the gallery. Mr. Jenkins
described this exhibit by Bay Area artist Taraneh Hemami as a
visual archive and installation that captures the work, stories,
and family history of the Iranian immigrant experience.
- Old Business
In conclusion, Ms. Pontious showed slides of two new artworks
at the zoo: Gwyn Murrill's tiger and cougar sculptures and "Split
Mound" by Jud Fine and Barbara McCarren. Ms. Pontious commented
again on how children seem to really enjoy Ms. Murrill's
sculptures.
- Adjournment
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at
5:30 p.m.
Submitted by Anna Kvinsland, Public Art Program Assistant
Approved by Jill Manton, Director of Public Art, 9/26/02
9/26/02