City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

Visual Arts Committee - November 19, 2014 - Meeting Minutes

Visual Arts Committee - November 19, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION
VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
3 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70
San Francisco, CA 94102
_______________________________________

Minutes

1. Roll Call

Commissioners Present:
President Beltran
Commissioner Chew
Commissioner Keehn, Chair
Commissioner Silverman arrived at 3:06 p.m.

Commissioners Absent:
Commissioner Sklar

The meeting commenced at 3 p.m.

2. Public Comment
Discussion

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment.

Richard Rothman stated he would speak about Coit Tower and Mothers Building. The Coit Tower second floor murals are completed and worth seeing however, he shared his concern regarding damage to murals on the first floor by the entrance line to the elevator. He suggests that the Arts Commission work closely with Recreation and Parks Department (“RPD”) and insist they consider moving the entrance line outside the building.

Second, Mr. Rothman announced that RPD received a grant of over $100,000 from the Historic Preservation Fund for the restoration of the Mothers Building at the San Francisco Zoo. The first step will be for RPD to perform an assessment which will be completed by spring 2015. He asked the Commissioners to check for more information on his Facebook page “Save the Mother's Building at the Zoo”, and hopes the public will become involved.

Paula Datesh stated she had been harassed John Tunui, a street artist and the manager of the Justin Herman Plaza. She said she has been to Full Commission meetings numerous times to complain about Mr. Tunui and has expressed her concerns that it is dangerous to her health. She stated that he has been jumping out and blowing kisses at her in the Financial District at the corner of Montgomery and Post Streets. She stated she had been to Civil Court that morning in the presence of Judge Dorfman and claims Mr. Tunui lied under oath. She stated he is neither employed by the Arts Commission, nor is he a civil servant, but that she seems to be his target. Furthermore, he has no authority to take photos or inspect or harass her. Per Judge Dorfam she is asking that he stop. She also provided a written document dated 11/19/14 as Public Comment, please click here.

3. Consent Calendar
Action 

1. Motion to approve the mural, Wellness, Recovery, Health by lead artist Susan Cervantes, in collaboration with Yukako Ezoe Onodera and Elaine Chu, for the 7th Floor Psychiatric Patio at San Francisco General Hospital, 1001 Portrero Avenue. The proposed mural consists of three panels; each is 10 feet by 15 feet. The project is sponsored with a Hearts Grant from the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.

2. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to increase the agreement with WOWHAUS from $15,000 to $70,000, to add to the scope of work Fabrication, Transportation and Consultation during Installation for an artwork at Unity Plaza.

3. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Magna Chrome in an amount not to exceed $284,720 for the fabrication of artwork reproductions for General Hospital Acute Care Building.

4. Acute Care Building (approved by the Commission under Resolution # 0303-14-083) from $:

Nora Akino: Limantour; Monterey Pines; Wild-Mustard II

Lennell Allen: Drakes Bay at Point Reyes #178; Ocean Beach at Noriega #114; Ocean Beach at Noriega #167; Ocean Beach at Noriega #274

Rob Badger: Golden Gate Bridge in Fog at Sunrise Looking Toward San Francisco; Heart Lake, John Muir Wilderness Area, Inyo National Forest, CA; Poppies and Gilia, Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, CA; San Francisco Beyond the Blue Hills of Marin, View From Mt. Tamalpais; Sycamores New Grass, San Luis Obispo, CA; Wildflowers and Owl’s Clover in Grass, Table Mountain, Butte County, CA

Jennifer Bain: Flurry; Grasshopper; Pretty Bird; Shrinking Habitat; Single Source

John Bankston: Big Machine

Tom Baril: Baker’s Beach

Suzy Barnard: Blue Conversation; Blue Position; July Jade; Still Overcast; Twilight State

Louisiana Bendolph: Mayday; Shared Legacy

Leo Bersamina: Lining Up III

Mark Brown: Drakes Bay Vista; Half Dome; Mt. Shasta and Forest; Mt. Shasta Western Landscape

Vicky Chen: In Between; Road Side View

James Chronister: Large Snowy Forest

Patricia Claro: Momento

Elaine Coombs: Connection 1; Distill 10; Distill 11; Distill 13; Lively 1

Beatrice Coron: BZCT; Vertical Farming

Counterpoint Studio, LLC: 23 Cranes

Binh Danh: Bridalveil Fall, Yosemite, CA, May 15, 2012; Cathedral Rocks and Cathedral Spires, June 11, 2012; Lower Yosemite Fall October 13, 2011, 3:45pm

Eileen David: Bernal Slice #2; Castro Slice #4; Columbus / Francisco; Kite Hill; Potrero; Russian Hill #2

Michael Eade: Cape Arago, Southern Oregon Coast; Inlet; Mount Tabor; Vista

Evah Fan: A Crab in Scrabble; House-O-Rama; Job Seekers; Pet Grass; Ticks Attack Toes

Annie Galvin: Botany Bear; Cloud Bears; Transform

Cliff Garten: Radiolarian – Mace; Radiolarian - Twist 3; Suspect Figure 2

Carmen Lomas Garza: Baile en 1958; Cakewalk; Cumpleaños de Lala y Tudi; Empanadas; La Feria en Reynosa; Tamalada

Linda Gass: After the Gold Rush; Fields of Salt; Sanitary

Sheila Ghidini: Hummingbird Nest; Nest with Turquoise Ribbon; Robin’s Nest

Stanley Goldstein: Late Afternoon; Rodeo Beach; Rodeo Beach–Fog; Spring in China Camp

Rachel Granofsky: One Part of Something to Another; Tenuous Divide; Mountain Stream

Isca Greenfield-Sanders: Tommy and the Ball

Michael Hall: Group

Ophelia Ho: Dragon Gate; Herbal Shop; Lantern Shop; Snowing; Tea with Friend

Josie Iselin: Bolinas Seaweeds; Botryocladia (Sea Grapes); Halosaccion Glandiforme (Sea Sacs)

Diane Jacobs: Bee, Magnolia, Bowl; Chicken & Egg; Farmland

Ivy Jacobsen: Anise; Bending Towards Light; Forest Mist; Night Flyer; Protea; Smoke Bush; Solstice; Summer Light; Perceptions #8

David Johnson: Bayview Boys and Wagon–2; Bayview Girls Hopscotch–6; Bayview Girls Playing Hopscotch–1; Clarence

Todd Lanam: Church Window; Park School Rail; Schoolyard Mural

Beryl Landau: 22 Fillmore; Last Light; Memoria Pond; Pink Light; Primary Colors; San Francisco Skyline from San Bruno Mountain; The Real Thing; True to Form; Walking Along

Bovey Lee: Dragging Cows up A Tree

Katja Leibenath: Riverbank #18/2

Lisa Levine: At the Cove; Swim #3; The Adoration of the Waters

Hung Liu: Happy and Gay the Kite; New Old World Symphony Blue Foot; New Old World Symphony Pink Foot; New Old World Symphony Tender Foot

Peter Loftus: Above Cambria: Evening; Towards Morro: Evening

Steven Lopez: Shelf Life 003; Shelf Life 007

Sharon Louden: Community (3); Community (4); Community (6); Community (7)

Reagan Louie: Hangzhou; San Francisco

Paul Madonna: All Over Coffee #283 Through our Roads; All Over Coffee #485 Dipsea Trail 3; All Over Coffee #517 Guerrero Park; All Over Coffee #548 Golden Gate Park Carousel; All Over Coffee #572 Rocket

Kegan Marling: Duniya Dance and Drum Company, San Francisco City Hall; Gerry and Chris, Castro Street Fair; One Dance: Bay Area Dance Week

Adam McCauley: Cretian Hillside; Stavros Beach

Nikki McClure: Agree; Barter; Befriend; Home; Inhabit; Lunch; Practice; Rely

Robert Minervini: After Glow; Predator and Prey; United by Fate

Kelly Neidig: Chelsea; Sadie; Scully; Tone

Siddharth Parasnis: Boats and Lotus in the Shallow Water; Boats in the Shallow Water # 6; House near Railway–Crossing; White Street; Two Storied House with a Backyard
Maria Park: CN2_1; CN2_4

Michele Ramirez: Big Cloud, Ripon; Burned Hills 3; Outside Butano State Park; Turlock

Eric Rewitzer: Dogpatch; Golden Boy; Homeward Bound; One for the Fans; Yosemite Valley

Mary Robertson: Girl with Gear; River Lounge

Clare Rojas: Bleeding Hearts; Boundary Lines; Forget-Me-Not; Tulips

Ron Moultrie Saunders: Acacia Flower Blossoms; Dodonea Descending (Green); Pine Needles

Jenn Shifflet: An Eclipsed Wonder; Dreaming in Turquoise; In the Midst; Lumen; Wishing on the Wind

Deth P. Sun: Donut Cat; Loving You

Seiko Tachibana: Fern-3a; Fern-9; Fern-21; Fern-22

Jason Tannen: Food Take Out; Prepare; Sam Wo

David Tomb: Azure-breasted Pitta; Blue-capped Kingfisher; Collared Kingfisher; Philippine Trogon; Resplendent Quetzal; Rufous Hornbill; Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove

Martin Webb: The Fog Was Lifting

Pamela Wilson-Ryckman: Golden Gate Park; Lafyette Park

Sarah Winkler: Mesquite Sand Dunes; Sculpted Dune; Solar Harvest: 10 a.m.

June Yokell: China Camp Hill; Crossing; Hayward Salt Flats

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

4. Civic Art Collection
Susan Pontious and Allison Cummings
Discussion

Director Susan Pontious discussed the policies of loan program of the Civic Art Collection (“CAC”). She stated that the loan program has been on moratorium while the recent inventory of the CAC was being completed. However, in conjunction with the inventory project, loan agreements had been reissued to borrowing agencies that already house many of the portable collection of artworks, while other artworks had been removed and returned to collections storage. With the inventory project completed, it is the time to evaluate the mission and purpose of the loan program and to codify the borrowing process and protocols.

Ms. Pontious continued to explain, with the assistance of Senior Registrar Allison Cummings, that the administration of the loan program equals roughly 20 percent of a full time employee’s staff time. She explained the estimated hours include keeping the loan agreements up to date, reviewing new requests and monitoring maintenance needs.

Commissioner Keehn asked how the updated loan policy would be distributed to City departments. Ms. Pontious stated it would become part of the updated Civic Art Collection Policies and Guidelines, which will be ready for review by the Visual Arts Committee (“VAC”) in early January. Then it would be issued to agencies as part of the new loan agreements.

Commissioner Keehn asked how other work will continue on the Civic Art Collection, such as deaccessions and maintenance priorities.  Ms. Cummings replied that the methodology for prioritizing deaccessions would be to first address works that have been incorrectly assigned accession numbers and works that are no longer extant. After working though this backlog staff will return to the VAC later in 2015 for next steps. Regarding maintenance priorities, Ms. Cummings explained that the main source of conservation funds are provided by Capital Improvement (“CIP”) which must be used for works in the built environment – like Coit Tower and monuments – and not the portable collection. She will report back to the Commission in January with budgeting plans for conservation of the collection for the next fiscal year.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment.   Richard Rothman stated that he supports the loan program and shared his opinion that the CAC serves a better purpose hanging in public offices, rather than in storage.

5. Alameda Creek Watershed Center
Mary Chou
Action

Project Manager Mary Chou presented the revised conceptual designs for two artworks by Mark Brest van Kempen for the Alameda Creek Watershed Center.  She stated the new designs were presented at the most recent Civic Design Review Committee.

The updated design of the walkway will be integrated into the landscape and curve parallel along the creek, until it enters and ultimately terminates in the pond. Commissioner Keehn noted that she was part of the Civic Design Review Committee and she felt the walkway’s design had less impact now that it was separated from the creek. She stated her opinion that it would be nice, in addition to the view into the pond, if there could also be a direct view into the length of the creek water.

Ms. Chou explained that because of the way the creek is currently engineered this would be challenging. She stated she would relay this suggestion to the artist and architects but due to budgetary concerns and project time constraints, staff recommended focusing on the fabrication and installation of the artwork as currently designed. Ms. Pontious agreed. Ms. Chou explained that she anticipates getting engineering and material cost estimates by early January. 

President Beltran offered her opinion that a possible solution may be decrease the land mass between the creek and walkway so that the walkway could be as close to the stream as possible, without having to re-engineer the creek.

Ms. Chou presented design revisions for the second artwork proposed by the artist for the entryway sculpture.  Revisions included: shifting the sculpture placement to the right of the entry plaza; the form of the sculpture has changed to a triangular shape that seems more integrated with the surrounding architecture; and the height of the sculptures has increased to 17 feet tall, which is one foot higher than canopy of the building entry.  Ms. Chou also noted that the sculpture’s design has been revised to having two supporting poles, but it may require a third pole. Commissioners agreed that the new placement was satisfactory, but noted concerns regarding the engineering and cost for creating a 17 foot deep void. Ms. Chou and Commissioners agreed that the depth of the void bcould be lessened should it need to be reconsidered to meet feasibility concerns. Either way, the artwork will be structurally engineered and reviewed.

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

Motion: Motion to approve revised conceptual designs for two artworks by Mark Brest van Kempen for the Alameda Creek Watershed Center.
Moved: Beltran/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved.

Motion: Motion to increase Mark Brest van Kempen’s contract for two artworks at the Alameda Creek Watershed Center by $63,000, from $12,000 to $75,000, for completion of design development and construction documents.
Moved: Beltran/Silverman
The motion was unanimously approved.

6. Public Safety Building
Mary Chou
Action

Ms. Chou presented photographs of the completed artworks Spiral of Gratitude, 2014 by Shimon Attie and the First Responder Plaza, 2014 by Paul Kos at the new Public Safety Building, at the corner of Third Street and Mission Rock. She announced that Spiral of Gratitude had been dedicated the evening before with an event hosted by Bay Area Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (“BALEAF”).

Director DeCaigny arrived.

Commissioners requested that they be invited to all of the upcoming events and openings of Art Enrichment projects. Director DeCaigny stated he would make sure to do so. Ms. Chou stated there will be opening events in January and February, 2015 when construction is complete and the building is open to the public. 

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

Motion: Motion to approve the artwork titled Spiral of Gratitude, 2014 by Shimon Attie (aka Scott Attie, Attie Art Projects) with Vale Bruck, as installed in the lobby of the Public Safety Building.
Moved: Beltran/Chew
The motion was unanimously approved.

Motion: Motion to approve the artwork titled First Responder Plaza, 2014 by Paul Kos, as installed in the south plaza of the Public Safety Building.
Moved: Beltran/Silverman
The motion was unanimously approved.

7. Central Subway – Chinatown
Mary Chou
Discussion

Ms. Chou presented revised conceptual designs for Tomie Arai’s artwork, Gate/Way (working title) for the Chinatown Central Subway Station for discussion among the Committee. She gave an overview of all three locations; along three sides of the parapet on the headhouse; and both end walls on the platform level. The working title Gate/Way is a double reference as an entry way to the subway station and gateway to Chinatown, and the site of Chinatown as an historic gateway to America.

Ms. Chou went on to describe the montage of  imagery used and stated that for the headhouse artwork, it is the artist’s intent to not only look into the past but to have the progression of images viewed from past to the future. She explained that she presented the conceptual design to members of the community, and the comments included more flow between the images on the parapet, and a request for more contemporary images to represent a “looking forward, not backwards”.

Ms. Pontious asked that the artist be mindful of scale, detail and legibility both on the platform level and the parapet. She noted that some of the images used in the platform level, at 30 feet high may not be legible. President Beltran also suggested that some of the images on the parapet level should be more integrated in order to lessen the visual, vertical demarcations between the images.  Commissioner Chew agreed with comments from the community regarding more contemporary imagery on the headhouse.

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

8. North Beach Branch Library
Mary Chou
Discussion

Ms. Chou provided an update on sound adjustments that have been made to Bill Fontana’s artwork Sonic Dreamscape at the North Beach Branch Library due to complaints from library users regarding the level of sound inside of the library. The speakers located in the soffit of the building’s exterior roof line are above windows that are mostly left open during the library’s operating hours. The sound of the artwork is then audible and had been disturbing the reading rooms’ visitors.  Mr. Fontana has since reduced the sound levels of the speakers. Notice of these adjustments were described and posted as a flyer at the library.

There have not been any further complaints or public comments since the sound adjustments. Directory DeCaigny asked if a specific neighbor who had commented about the sound level had been notified of the changes. Ms. Chou she would follow-up.

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

9. San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 3
Justine Topfer
Action

Justine Topfer announced the contract revisions for the artwork, New Generation, by Louisiana Bendolph at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 3. The artwork will be contracted for with Paulson Bott Press, the artist’s representative rather than the artist herself. Bendolph’s fee will be paid as a reimbursable expense through the Paul Bott Press contract.

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

Motion: Motion to rescind RESOLUTION NO. 0908-14-220, (Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Paulson Bott Press for an amount not to exceed $74,000 for fabrication of the approved design by Louisiana Bendolph for an artwork at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 3).
Moved: Beltran/Silverman
The motion was unanimously approved.

Motion: Motion to rescind RESOLUTION NO. 0908-14-221, (Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a licensing agreement with Louisiana Bendolph for an amount not to exceed $4,000 for an artwork at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 3).
Moved: Beltran/Silverman
The motion was unanimously approved.

Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Paulson Bott Press for an amount not to exceed $83,500 for artist fees for Louisiana Bendolph and other expenses pertaining to the design, fabrication, transportation and installation of the artwork, New Generation, by Louisiana Bendolph at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 3.
Moved: Beltran/Silverman
The motion was unanimously approved.

10. New Business, Old Business, and Announcements

Ms. Pontious announced that there is a need to hire a consultant or consulting team for a cost modeling assessment for the long term conservation costs of the CAC. There is a Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) currently posted, for which she has received three proposals thus far.

Director DeCaigny interjected, to further describe the needs of the project. He stated that is the desire to not only identify the classifications of the CAC but to also demonstrate and  project what the long term capital needs will be for the care of the CAC.  He stated it will not only take someone with an arts conservation perspective but someone with public financing knowledge as well. He and Ms. Pontious have been speaking with Capital Planning to ensure that they are recruiting for the right team to ensure the proper equation is met. The goal is to have ten year projection plan.  He reminded the committee that the Arts Commission received the largest allocation of $478,000 from Capital Planning for fiscal year FY2014-15 with a clear cost modeling plan, the Arts Commission will be able to continue to provide a better projection of maintenance funds needed, aside from Art Enrichment Funds as per the Administrative Code.

Director DeCaigny stated that this plan is groundbreaking for the field and will be used as a model for other municipal collections and colleagues.

President Beltran left at 4 p.m.

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

11. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:01 p.m.

JDC 11/24/14

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For assistance, please notify Jenn Doyle Crane, jennifer.crane@sfgov.org, 415-252-2586.

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Para asistencia, notifique a Jenn Doyle Crane, jennifer.crane@sfgov.org, 415-252-2586.