VISUAL
ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
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.
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during consideration of the item.
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Minutes
Commissioners Present
Stanlee Gatti, Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, Dugald Stermer,
Dede Wilsey; Absent: Ralph Guggenheim.
Staff Present
Richard Newirth, Director of Cultural Affairs; Nina Dunbar,
Rupert Jenkins, Debra Lehane, Jennifer Lovvorn, Tonia Macneil,
Jill Manton, Judy Moran, Kristen Zaremba.
Note: All votes are unanimous unless recorded
otherwise.
The meeting commenced at 3:20 p.m.
- Consent
- Motion to approve May I Take Your Order?, six poster
designs by artist Nancy Mizuno Elliott for the Art on Market
Street 2003 Kiosk Poster Series, to be installed in 24 kiosks
on Market Street from August 15 to November 13, 2003.
- Motion to approve the following panel pool of individuals
to serve on the Art on Market Street 2004 Kiosk Poster Series
Artist Selection Panel: Seyed Alavi (artist), Kevin Chin
(Curator, The Intersection), Margaret Crane (artist), Nancy
Mizuno Elliott (artist), Robert Gutierrez (artist), Kara Maria
(artist).
- Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to
amend Victor Mario Zaballa's contract by an additional $21,000
to design, fabricate and install additional custom fence work
for the Visitacion Valley Club House pending the availability
of funding from the Recreation and Park Department.
- Motion to approve modification to the 1979 mural History of
the Sunset by Henry Sultan located on Ortega between 39th and
40th Ave. of a new panel of recent Sunset history by Jason
Gilmore with permission of the original artist.
- Motion to approve the mural design by Minna Eloranta and
Mona Caron at 941 Shotwell Street (at 23rd Street) funded by
Neighborhood Beautification.
- Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection an
environmental artwork by Jud Fine and Barbara McCarren titled
Split Mound dated 2002, consisting of bronze, concrete,
glass, plant material, plastic, porcelain enamel on steel,
stainless steel, and stone commissioned for San Francisco
Zoo.
- Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection a cast
bronze sculpture by Deborah Butterfield entitled Pohina,
dated 2001, purchased for San Francisco International
Airport.
- Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection a cast
bronze sculpture by Robert Arneson entitled Yin and
Yang, dated 1992, edition number 2/3, purchased for San
Francisco International Airport.
Motion: Motion to adopt the
consent calendar items.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- Gallery
Gallery Director Rupert Jenkins reported that two Bay Area
artists, J. Michael Deane and Mads Lynnerup, are the winners of
Construct 3: The Third Annual Installation Award Show at
the SF Arts Commission Gallery. Mr. Jenkins presented slides and
video of both artists' work. In the front of the gallery, J.
Michael Deane proposes to create a multi-channel video
installation featuring footage of two cross-country travelers
singing along to The Magnetic Fields' country song "The Long
Vermont Roads." In the back of the gallery, Mads Lynnerup proposes
to create a slipper floor by lining the gallery floor
with a cardboard template containing dozens of flip flops in
different sizes. Mr. Jenkins added that the jurors, Vincent
Fecteau, San Francisco based artist and Heidi Zuckerman Jacobson,
Phyllis Wattis MATRIX Curator at the University of California,
Berkeley Art Museum, chose the two projects from a pool of
ninety-one proposals. Exhibition dates are September 10th through
October 12th, with an opening reception on Friday, September
19th.
Mr. Jenkins also announced the artists to be included in the 2003
Murphy Fellowships Award Exhibition. Those are: Scott Boswell,
Gilles-Fleur Boutry, Keifer Calkins, Shannon Castleman, Alice
Cattaneo, David Dennick, Mayumi Hamanaka, Chiei Ishida, Katherine
Johnstone, Robert Lawless, Anna Maltz, Naomi Miller, Sung Hong
Min, Jason Mortara, Shaun O'Dell, Julia Page, Michael Rich,
Seokhan Ryu, Shirley Shor, Bo-Wook Son, Kirk Stoller, Tim
Sullivan, and Jackie Sumell. Mr. Jenkins presented slides of these
artists' work. Mr. Jenkins stated that the Murphy Fellowships are
annual awards sponsored by the San Francisco Foundation to assist
students in funding their final year of graduate studies.
Motion: Motion to approve honoraria
payments not to exceed $2,000 each to Construct 3 artists Mads
Lynerrup and J. Michael Deane.
Moved: Wilsey/Stermer
- Collections
Civic Art Collection Program Director Debra Lehane announced that
at today's meeting there would be a presentation regarding the
changed design for the proposed monument to the Abraham Lincoln
Brigade. She reminded the Commissioners that the preliminary
design was reviewed at the June 2002 Visual Arts Committee
meeting. The proposed monument was to be placed on a traffic
island at the Embarcadero, but that site was declined. The new
proposed location is just north of Justin Herman Plaza at
Washington Street. Ms. Lehane added that this monument still needs
approval from the Port Commission and the Department of Recreation
and Parks.
Ms. Lehane announced that public art consultant Regina Almaguer
and artists Ann Chamberlain and Walter Hood were at the meeting
today to present the revised design. Ms. Almaguer stated that the
changed design is similar in concept to the previously proposed
design, but it is smaller due to budget constraints. Ms. Almaguer
stated that she would like feedback from Commissioners to
incorporate into the proposal before presenting it again for Arts
Commission approval. She introduced artist Walter Hood to present
the design.
Mr. Hood began by saying that the memorial is a tribute to the
American men and women who volunteered to fight in the Spanish
Civil War. He explained that the proposed site for the memorial is
part of a large lawn area just north of Justin Herman Plaza. Mr.
Hood said that the artists' goal for the memorial is to create a
sacred space along the Embarcadero in honor of the fight against
fascism in Spain. Mr. Hood further explained that the symbolic
elements for the memorial are the red paving and an olive tree.
Mr. Hood pointed out that the major revision to the design relates
to the wall. At the review last year, Commissioners requested that
the wall not obstruct views. The memorial now features an 8' high
and 63' long boomerang shaped steel frame which holds panels of
translucent white onyx such that the wall is not solid. These
panels have historical photographic images etched on one side. Mr.
Hood presented a sample of the etched stone and demonstrated how
light passing through the stone reveals the image on the opposite
side. Mr. Hood added that if the budget permits, he and Ms.
Chamberlain would like to use MP3 technology to record the songs
of the Brigade to be broadcast at the memorial. Mr. Hood then
opened the presentation up for questions from the
Commissioners.
Commissioner Solomon stated that she would prefer that the steel
wall structure be a horizontal framing device rather than a grid.
She stated that not only is there another grid on a structure
close to the proposed site, she also felt that the grid itself
dominated the design of the monument. She would prefer that the
translucent stone be the primary visual element of the wall. She
also recommended that some of the images be made as a composite of
multiple tiles so that the images could be bigger.
Commissioner Stermer stated that the impact of some of the
historical photos would be lost if the etched panels focus on
individuals rather than the group. Mr. Hood responded that they
are still resolving some of these details. Commissioner Stermer
stated that he would prefer the boomerang shape of the wall to be
a softer curve.
Commissioner Gatti felt that without seeing the mock-up it was
difficult to determine whether the wall's height at 6' is tall
enough. Mr. Hood responded that the Port has encouraged the
artists to make the wall higher. Mr. Hood added that these
concerns will be resolved when they look at the mock up.
Commissioner Gatti also expressed concern that the onyx tiles were
too small.
Commissioner Wilsey stated that she would also like to see the
mock up to better understand how the piece will work. She added
that she feels that the stone and the images work well. She added
that if the wall were 9', it may draw too much attention.
Ms. Lehane concluded the presentation by stating that once the
mock up is complete, Commissioners and staff will be invited to
view it. Based on feedback from that review, the artists will
further revise their design and will return to the Visual Arts
Committee to present a final proposed design.
- Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center
Project Manager Tonia Macneil began her report by reminding
Commissioners that at the last meeting they had approved Jon Rubin
and Jim Goldberg's artwork concept for the wall of trophies on the
inside of the Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center. Ms. Macneil
stated that the trophies will be altered to replace the standard
trophy figures with figures of ordinary people and the name plates
will be changed to names of real people from the local
neighborhood. Ms. Macneil added that she is asking for approval of
the following motion so that the artists can complete design
development.
Motion: Motion to authorize the
Director of Cultural Affairs to modify the Agreement with Jon
Rubin and Jim Goldberg to expand the Artists' Scope of Work to
include Design Development and Construction Documents for a Work
of Art for the Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center, and to
increase the Artists' Compensation to an amount not to exceed
$20,000.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- Helen Wills Playground
Project Manager Tonia Macneil reported on the design development
of the Helen Wills Playground artwork by Amy Blackstone. Ms.
Macneil stated that the artist has altered her design based on
Commissioners' feedback from the March 19 Visual Arts Committee
meeting. The proposal now calls for three steel cylinder
sculptures, rather than four. Ms. Macneil stated that she is
arranging a studio visit with the artist and Commissioner Stermer
to review the work in progress prior to asking for Commission
approval to enter into a fabrication and installation contract
with the artist.
Motion: Motion to approve design
development of the artwork proposal by Amy Blackstone for the
Helen Wills Playground, and authorization to the Director of
Cultural Affairs to modify the Artist's Agreement to increase the
Artist's scope of work to include construction documents, and to
increase the Artist's compensation to an amount not to exceed
$8,000 pending studio visit by Commissioner Stermer and staff.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- Fillmore Street Bridge
Public Art Program Director Jill Manton reported on the completion
of the Artwork, Three Shades of Blue, by Mildred Howard as
installed on the Fillmore Street bridge. Ms. Manton presented
digital slides showing various aspects of the project: 1. the
panels of glass at the fabricator; 2. the etched poem by Quincy
Troupe; 3. the artwork mock up at the installation site; and 4.
the artwork as installed. Ms. Manton stated that the artwork is
now completely installed. She noted that there was a minor problem
with the graffiti coating. Because this coating was applied on
site, there are some small air bubbles under the coating. Ms.
Manton stated that the piece has been up for over a week and it
has not been marked with graffiti.
Motion: Motion to approve the
Artwork, Three Shades of Blue, by Mildred Howard as
installed on the Fillmore Street bridge.
Moved: Stermer/Wilsey
- Los Niños Unidos Park
Project Manager Judy Moran reported on the completion of the
artwork by Isis Rodriguez titled Los Niños del Sol.
The artwork is installed at six locations on the retaining
walls at Los Niños Unidos Park, located at 23rd Street and
Treat Avenue. Ms. Moran stated that this small park in the Mission
is designed specifically for children. Ms. Moran presented slides
of the installed artwork. She explained that Isis Rodriguez worked
with public artist Ruth O'Day who gave the technical assistance
necessary to translate the designs into permanent tiles. Ms. Moran
stated that the artwork with its cartoon-like imagery was designed
with children in mind.
Motion: Motion to accept into the
Civic Art Collection a work by Isis Rodriguez titled Los
Niños del Sol, 2003, a series of ceramic tile mosaics
of images of flowers, caterpillars and children ranging in size
from 10 inches square to approximately 21 inches high by 10 feet
wide installed at six locations on the retaining walls at Los
Niños Unidos Park, located at 23rd Street and Treat
Avenue.
Moved: Stermer/Solomon
Motion: Motion to approve the Final
Interim Payment in the amount of $2,000 to artist Isis Rodriguez
for the completion of Los Niños del Sol, a series of
ceramic tile mosaic artworks, installed at Los Niños Unidos
Park at 23rd Street and Treat Avenue.
Moved: Stermer/Solomon
- Moscone Center Expansion Project
Public Art Program Director Jill Manton reported on the
progress of the installation of the Diller + Scofidio artwork. She
was pleased to announce that the screen was successfully hoisted
onto the armature and almost all of the mountings were perfectly
aligned. Ms. Manton explained that due to the fillet welds on the
footings, the screen would not lay flush against the armature. The
project engineer is currently working to resolve this issue. Ms.
Manton stated that although the installation work is still in
progress, Apple is renting the Center for an upcoming convention
and Apple will not permit construction work to occur during the
convention's operating hours. Ms. Manton stated that she is
working to resolve this issue. She also explained that the Moscone
electrician Amelco is not up to schedule on the project. She added
that although the specifications clearly state that holes should
not be drilled into the armature, Amelco attached Nemo boxes to
the armature with bolts rather than by welding. She explained that
the project engineer has determined that this will not cause
structural problems if the holes are re-drilled to be perfectly
clean. She noted that additional work is being done on the wheels
to allow them to move easily. Finally, Ms. Manton reported that
Diller + Scofidio still need to record a tracking shot of the
facade of the Moscone Center to use in the production of the final
video. Ms. Manton stated that the project should be fully
operational by mid-August.
Commissioner Gatti inquired whether a clear agreement has been
made with the Convention Center regarding what can and cannot be
displayed on the video screen. Ms. Manton stated that because the
screen is part of the artwork, it cannot be used for any
commercial purpose. It is to be used solely for the display of the
Diller + Scofidio project related videos. Ms. Manton added that
Diller + Scofidio may need to refresh the imagery in the future.
Ms. Manton stated she is sending a letter to the Director of the
Convention Center stating the terms and policies related to
artwork screen.
- New Business
The following item was continued.
Information from Public Art Network Conference
Jill Manton
- Old Business
- Adjournment
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at
4:50 p.m.
Submitted by Jennifer Lovvorn, Public Art Program
Assistant
Approved by Jill Manton, Public Art Program Director,
7/02/03
7/02/03