May 23, 2013 Special Meeting

The meeting commenced at 3:06 p.m.
 

1. Roll Call

Commissioners Present:
Gregory Chew
Dorka Keehn
Jessica Silverman

Commissioners Absent:
Barbara Sklar, Chair
JD Beltran

In Commissioner Sklar’s absence, Commissioner Keehn chaired the meeting.

2. Consent Calendar
Action

1. Motion to approve the following arts professionals as potential panelists for San Francisco General Hospital Emergency Room Entry Wall Public Art Project and Two-Dimensional Artwork Program artist selection panels: Janet Bishop, Curator SFMOMA; Timothy Anglin Burgard, Curator-in-Charge of American Art, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; Rene de Guzman, Chief Curator, Oakland Museum of California; Jennifer A. Easton, Senior Project Manager, Public Art, City of San Jose; Lex Leifheit, Executive Director, SOMArts Cultural Center; Connie Lewallen, Adjunct Curator, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive; Ceci Moss; Assistant Curator, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts; Ellen Oh, Program Administrator, Institute for Diversity in the Arts at Stanford University; Renny Pritikin, California College of the Arts Faculty; and Karen Tsujimoto, Curator, Contemporary Jewish Museum.

2. Motion to approve the following panelists for the 2014/15 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series Artist Selection Panel: Elisheva Biernoff, Artist; Dana Hemenway, Artist; Brooke Kellaway, Independent Curator; Lex Leifheit, Executive Director, SOMArts Cultural Center; Rebeka Rodriguez, Program Director: Education & Community Engagement, Intersection for the Arts; and Jenifer Wofford, Artist.

3. Motion to approve the five final poster designs for Sanaz Mazinani’s Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series, July – October, 2013.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment. There was no public comment.

Motion: Motion to approve consent calendar items.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

3. Cayuga Playground
Marcus Davies
Action

Project Manager Marcus Davies presented Eric Powell’s final design for the entry gate at Cayuga Playground. Mr. Davies explained that the entry gate was fabricated at six feet high, when it needed to be eight feet. To compensate for the fabrication error, the artist has extended his design by two additional feet at the bottom of the entry gate. The additional imagery includes bands to indicate water, grass, and a decorative salamander.

Commissioner Silverman said she preferred the design without the salamander. Mr. Davies said he would communicate that to the artist before final fabrication.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment. There was no public comment.

Motion: Motion to approve Eric Powell’s final design for the entry gate at Cayuga Playground.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

4. Vermont Street Stairs
Marcus Davies
Action

Mr. Davies presented the public art program outline for Vermont Street Stairs. He reported that the project is part of a streetscape improvement initiated by the Department of Public Works (“DPW”) to revamp the stairs and surrounding areas on Vermont Street, on the southwest side of Potrero Hill. Mr. Davies noted that the Arts Commission and DPW have identified the stairs as an ideal location for a ceramic tile mosaic covering the risers. He explained that Arts Commission staff will develop a shortlist of artists from the 2013/2014 Prequalified Artist Pool to present to a selection panel who will directly select one candidate for the commission on the basis of past work.

Commissioner Silverman asked if the wall adjacent to the stairs could be considered as a potential art location. Mr. Davies explained that the wall may not be ideal as it will be close to children’s play equipment, and may become shortened as a result of the revamp. Commissioner Keehn asked that Mr. Davies discuss the wall as a possible location for art with DPW. Mr. Davies said he would.

Mr. Davies asked for Commissioner representation on the artist selection panel. Commissioner Chew volunteered.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment. There was no public comment.

Motion: Motion to approve public art program outline for Vermont Street Stairs.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

5. Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art
Zoë Taleporos
Action

Public Art Program Associate Zoë Taleporos reported on the selection panel meeting for the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Public Art Projects at Chinatown and Yerba Buena/Moscone Stations. Ms. Taleporos stated that the selection panel met on May 9, 2013 to review the portfolios of 13 artists from the 2013/14 Prequalified Artist Pool, and one artist from the Central Subway Prequalified Artist Pool for two-dimensional projects. The panel directly selected Kota Ezawa for Chinatown Station, and Randy Colosky for Yerba Buena/Moscone Station. She then presented the selected artists’ work.

Ms. Taleporos noted that the panel consisted of Commissioner Chew and two community representatives. She added that John Funghi, Program Director for Central Subway, was scheduled to participate on the panel, but was unable to attend. She reported that Mr. Funghi has been informed of the selection panel results.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment. There was no public comment.

Motion: Motion to approve the following artists for the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Public Art Projects, as recommended by the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Selection Panel: Kota Ezawa for Chinatown Station, and Randy Colosky for Yerba Buena/Moscone Station.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Kota Ezawa for an amount not to exceed $25,000 to design artwork imagery and create production files for the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Public Art Project for Chinatown Station, which will be on display for one year from approximately mid-2013 through mid-2014.
Moved: Chew/Silverman
The motion was unanimously approved

Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Randy Colosky for an amount not to exceed $25,000 to design artwork imagery and create production files for the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Public Art Project for Yerba Buena/Moscone Station, which will be on display for one year from approximately mid-2013 through mid-2014.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

6. Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series
Zoë Taleporos
Action/Discussion

Ms. Taleporos presented artist Sanaz Mazinani’s remaining mock-up design for her Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series, scheduled to be on view July – October, 2013. She reminded the commissioners that the poster series combined sourced images of past and present social movements occurring in, or connected to the Bay Area. Ms. Taleporos described the final poster’s theme of environmentalism, combining images of past and present Earth Days along with images of the green bike lanes along Market Street. Ms. Taleporos explained that there have been no changes between the mock-up and final design phases of the artist’s previous five posters. Assuming no changes between the last mock-up and final design, she requested approval of them simultaneously.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment. There was no public comment.

Motion: Motion to approve the sixth mock-up poster design and final design (assuming no change between these phases) for Sanaz Mazinani’s Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series, July – October, 2013.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

Ms. Taleporos requested alternate Commissioner participation on the 2014/15 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series Artist Selection Panel, should Commissioner Sklar be unavailable. Commissioner Silverman volunteered.

7. Central Subway: Union Square/Market Street Station Glass Deck & Elevator
Susan Pontious
Action

Program Director Susan Pontious reported on the final selection panel meeting for the Central Subway: Union Square/Market Street Station Glass Deck & Elevator public art project. Ms. Pontious explained how the panel reviewed three project proposals and selected Hughen/Starkweather for the commission. She noted that Hughen/Starkweather’s proposal imagery directly references the dynamic and diverse pathways of commute patterns of the Bay Area. She reported that the proposal had been presented to both the Union Square Business Improvement District and the Recreation and Parks Department. Both had concerns regarding the maintenance of the artwork. Ms. Pontious clarified that the actual artwork is imbedded between layers of glass and will not be directly walked on or come in contact with the public in any way.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment. There was no public comment.

Motion: Motion to approve the proposal by Hughen/Starkweather for an artwork for the Glass Deck & Elevators of the Central Subway Union Square/Market Street Station as recommended by the Central Subway: Union Square/Market Street Station Public Art Selection Panel.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Hughen/Starkweather for an amount not to exceed $60,000 to design an artwork for the glass deck and elevators of the Central Subway: Union Square/Market Street Station.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

8. Civic Art Collection Guidelines
Susan Pontious
Action

Ms. Pontious reported that she recently revised the Civic Art Collection Guidelines. Of the revisions, she pointed out three main changes. First, she noted that the roles and responsibilities of client agencies such as DPW had been revised. Secondly, she noted that the geographic restrictions on an artist’s eligibility to apply to public art calls had been eliminated. Ms. Pontious explained that this revision came under the advice of the City Attorney, who described geographic restriction as in conflict with federal law. Commissioner Keehn remarked that while she did not have an issue with opening calls to national or international artists, she felt it was in conflict with supporting local artists. Ms. Pontious stated that it was considered best practice not to place geographic restrictions on calls, but the Arts Commission is not required to pay for travel if the project budget does not allow it. This may deter artists living outside the Bay Area from applying. Finally, Ms. Pontious reported that she updated the section regarding the calculation of artist fees. Ms. Pontious noted that allocating 20% of the total project budget to the artist fee is standard in the public art field. However, this may not reflect the actual scope of work that an artist undertakes. It is common for some aspects of the project to be executed by other people such as the general contractor, a fabricator, designer, or architect. Ms. Pontious said she is looking at a model to arrive at an artist’s fee on a per-project basis, calculating the percentages of soft and hard costs.

Commissioner Keehn expressed concern that the proposed model could potentially not reflect the value of a highly acclaimed artist. Ms. Pontious agreed and stated that the model was meant to be a used as a general guideline, not a strict policy.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment.

Bill Fontana stated that, from an artist’s perspective, the changes to the artist fee guidelines seemed perfectly reasonable.

Motion: Motion to approve the Civic Art Collection Guidelines revised May 2013.
Moved: Silverman/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved

9. General Hospital Emergency Room Entry Wall
Zoë Taleporos
Discussion

Ms. Taleporos requested Commissioner participation on the artist selection panel for the General Hospital Emergency Room Entry Wall public art project. Commissioner Keehn volunteered.

10. Fort Mason Center Temporary Art Installation
Susan Pontious
Discussion

Ms. Pontious introduced artist Bill Fontana to present a proposal for a temporary sound sculpture at Fort Mason Center July - September 2013. Ms. Pontious noted that the Arts Commission does not have jurisdiction over Fort Mason Center as it is Federal property, and no City dollars would be used to implement this project. She added that Mr. Fontana’s presentation was purely informational.

Mr. Fontana said he was currently fundraising to implement a project at Fort Mason Center during America’s Cup utilizing both recorded and real time sounds from the Bay, as well as video projection. He noted that wished to use both exterior and interior spaces along the piers, and the Port has granted him access to several areas. Mr. Fontana explained that while the Arts Commission is not funding the project, both Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny and Director of Public Art Trust and Special Initiatives Jill Manton have offered to assist him in locating other funds.

Commissioner Keehn suggested that the Arts Commission write a letter of support for Mr. Fontana’s project. Commissioners Chew and Silverman agreed.
 

11. Public Comment
Discussion

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment. There was no public comment.

12. New Business and Announcements
Discussion

Ms. Pontious announced that there will be many new, fast-tracked projects coming up. Notably, a new rapid bus transit system will be implemented along Van Ness Avenue where boarding isles be constructed, generating approximately 1.4 million dollars in Art Enrichment funding. She added that because the project uses Federal funds, the artwork is restricted to be part of the architecture of the boarding isles, thus identifying creative artwork opportunities is a challenge. Ms. Pontious noted that Clear Channel will maintain the platforms as part of their contract, and are interested in architectural embellishments that are easily replaceable. Commissioner Keehn suggested engaging the client agency and stakeholders in a discussion about the art opportunities to broaden the scope of what may be possible. Ms. Pontious said it may be possible to use the video panels installed in the bus kiosks for an ongoing video program, but identifying continual programmatic funds may be difficult. She suggested approaching the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency about a ten year contract to support such a program.

Ms. Pontious stated that San Francisco International Airport’s (“SFO”) Terminal 1 will be remodeled and will generate Art Enrichment funding over the next ten years. She said she would like to implement an Arts Master Plan for Terminal 1, similar to the one applied to Terminal 2. Ms. Pontious invited the Commissioners to tour the Civic Art Collection artworks located at SFO to evaluate how to build on the existing collection. She noted that the members of the SFO Art Steering Committee, as well as outside curators will be also invited to participate.

Ms. Manton announced that the first Public Art Trust project will be implemented on the façade of a residential housing building located on Polk Street. She added that she is working on a presentation about the Public Art Trust to present to the full Commission. Commissioner Keehn congratulated Ms. Manton on the project.

13. Adjournment
Action

The meeting was adjourned at 4:37 p.m.

ZT 5/29/13

Notices

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost.
For assistance, please notify Zoë Taleporos, zoe.taleporos@sfgov.org, 415-252-3215.
 

我們將為閣下提供免費的書面翻譯資料和口譯服務。
如需協助，Zoë Taleporos, zoe.taleporos@sfgov.org, 415-252-3215.
 

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita.
Para asistencia, notifique a Zoë Taleporos, zoe.taleporos@sfgov.org, 415-252-3215