JD Beltran

Dorka Keehn, Chair

Abby Sadin Schnair

Jessica Silverman

Barbara Sklar 

 

 

Commissioner Keehn

Commissioner Schnair

Commissioner Sklar

 

Commissioner Beltran

Commissioner Silverman

 

The meeting commenced at 3:01 p.m.

 

Commissioner Keehn announced tabling Item #8A, San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1, Boarding Area B, Holdroom 14 Project – Robert Minervini. Commissioner Keehn also announced Item #8E will follow the Consent Calendar, Item #3. 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

1. Motion to approve and to accept into the Civic Art Collection the artwork entitled No Other Lands Their Glory Know, 2018, by Alice Shaw (Edition 4 of 10 of 2AP, 2018). The black and white carbon pigment print of redwood trees is on Pura Smooth paper with 24k gold leafing. The image size measures 20 in. by 26 in. and the paper size measures 25 in. by 30 in. The artwork was purchased by the San Francisco Arts Commission for the San Francisco International Airport, and is on display at the San Francisco International Airport, Consolidated Administration Campus.

 

2. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to increase Sarah Sze Studio’s contract from $400,000 to $425,000 (an increase of $25,000) to design, fabricate, transport, and consult on installation for an artwork for the Moscone Expansion West Bridge Public Art Project due to additional engineering and fabrication costs.

 

3. Motion to approve an honorarium in the amount of $500 to artist, Dana Albany, for the development of her proposal for a second sculpture at Patricia’s Green, which is funded by the IPIC Market and Octavia Program.

 

4. Motion to approve an honorarium in the amount of $500 to artist team, Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson, for the development of their proposal for a sculpture at a small plaza on Market Street and Octavia Boulevard, which is funded by the IPIC Market and Octavia Program.

 

5. Motion to approve payment of up to $20,000 to CMG Site Landscape Architects for their consultancy services in support of the Treasure Island Art Program.

 

6. Motion to approve the Alex Nieto Memorial Monument, a design by Josué Rojas and Armando Vasquez. The memorial will be installed at Bernal Hill, located at Bernal Heights Park. The monument will be constructed of concrete with painted imagery and measure approximately 4 ft. high by 2 ft. wide by 4 ft. deep on a 12 ft. circular concrete base. The project is sponsored by the Alex Nieto Memorial Committee and Acción Latina; the memorial will not become part of the Civic Art Collection. 

 

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment. 

 

Supervisor Hillary Ronen spoke to support the design approval for the Alex Nieto Memorial that will be installed at Bernal Heights Park. Supervisor Ronen represents District 9, which includes the Mission District, Bernal Heights, and Portola neighborhoods. Supervisor Ronen stated that Alex Nieto’s death and fight for his family and friends to get justice has taken on symbolism for struggles facing San Francisco, and this movement to support Alex Nieto resulted in communities coming together. Supervisor Ronen also honored the collective effort of the community to make this memorial possible. 

 

The parents of Alex Nieto, Refugio and Elvira Nieto, expressed their gratitude to the Board of Supervisors, city staff, and the community for their support of the memorial for Alex Nieto. Mr. Nieto stated that the legal process for his son’s case took several years, including the three years it took for the memorial to become a reality. Mr. Nieto shared that his family is ready to move forward now that the case is over and the memorial is almost complete. 

 

A friend of Alex Nieto stated that this was the biggest movement of people to defend the honor of a Latino victim of a police killing. The Mission District and Bernal Heights Community came together for the injustice, and the grassroots community rose to defend the honor and fight together for future generations.

 

Designer and architect Armando Vasquez shared the design of the artwork with the Committee. Mr. Vasquez also highlighted artists Josué Rojas, Oscar Aguilar, Lauren Avila, and Francisco “Twick” Aquino for their artwork that will be included on the memorial.

 

Community member Vicky Castro, who was born and raised in the Mission District, stated that the memorial on Bernal Hill would allow the community the opportunity to celebrate Alex’s life. 

 

Commissioner Keehn thanked the public for their attendance at the meeting. Next, she confirmed that Item #3 on the Consent Calendar is for a second sculpture, and does not relate to a previous approval (December 20, 2017 Visual Arts Committee Meeting) for the first sculpture. Director of Public Art Trust and Special Initiatives Jill Manton confirmed that artist Dana Albany was asked to develop a proposal for a second sculpture for the north end of Patricia’s Green. The honorarium is to pay the artist for her time.

 

Motion: Motion to approve consent calendar items.

Moved: Sklar/Schnair

 

 

 

Project Manager Rebecca Camacho introduced artist Dana Hemenway to present her design development phase deliverables (artwork renderings) of her artwork, The Color of Horizons, for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1 Center Public Art Project. Ms. Hemenway outlined her project including the changes that were made, as recommended by the Visual Arts Committee and Arts Commission staff at a previous meeting on May 16, 2018. She also brought in material samples for the Committee to review. The arc-shape of the top structure were fabricated with bendy poplar so it can be formed easily into a curved design. Ms. Hemenway also discussed the ProManila Rope, a synthetic rope option that will be much easier to maintain compared to a natural fiber. 

 

Ms. Hemenway also shared the three-dimensional models of three sample designs of the ceramic forms. There will be a variation of the forms and she will use 15 different glazes to create gradations in the ceramic.

 

Commissioner Keehn asked what the budget is for the project and when installation is scheduled. Ms. Hemenway answered that the budget is approximately $400,000 and the installation date for the steel and wooden structures in late May/early June 2019 for electrical purposes. The macramé is going to be installed in early 2020 to avoid excess dust on the artwork.

 

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

 

Motion: Motion to approve the Design Development Phase deliverables (artwork renderings) by Dana Hemenway of her artwork, The Color of Horizons, for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1 Center Public Art Project.

Moved: Schnair/Sklar

 

 

 

Ms. Manton introduced Founder and CEO of Lava Mae, Doniece Sandoval and Julie Flynn of the San Francisco Planning Department to present the “Coming Home” temporary public art installation using augmented reality by Lava Mae for United Nations Plaza in Spring 2019. Ms. Manton shared that the project would benefit from the assistance of the Bayview Hunters Point family stewards provided by San Francisco Public Works. She stated that the project artists are John Craig Freeman and SOUND MADE PUBLIC.

  

Ms. Sandoval stated that in regards to overcoming a large obstacle like homelessness, art has an incredible roll to change the lens and build a bridge. She introduced colleague Amy Schoening, the installation’s co-curator and Lava Mae board member. Ms. Schoening explained how the user experience with the virtual and audio components opens up the stories shared on the iPad in a very intimate and self-reflective manner. This provides the opportunity for the user to explore the lives of the homeless community as they tell their life stories. The docents invite people into the experience and while there is a portico structure on site, a visitor does not need to explore the physical structure as part of the artwork. Julie Flynn spoke about the overall activation of Civic Center, Market and Fulton Streets.

 

Commissioner Schnair asked how augmented reality works on iPads. Ms. Schoening shared that through geolocation technology, a user focuses the iPad on a location and a digital collage is created. It is a mixture of reality with an augmented scene. Commissioner Schnair asked if using the iPads in a large crowd would cause confusion or issues with people walking into each other. Ms. Schoening said that the docents do a great job of handling the visitors and the iPads are large enough for multiple people to experience the installation at once. 

Commissioner Keehn added that the audio component is great for a wider population of people to experience the artwork.

 

Ms. Sandoval added that the docents will be onsite for 11 hours per day.

 

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

 

Motion: Motion to approve the “Coming Home” exhibition by the Lava Mae project, which will include a temporary installation of a portico structure alongside augmented reality stories from March 2019 to May 2019 at United Nations Plaza in Civic Center, pending approval from Recreation and Park Commission.

Moved: Schnair/Sklar

 

6. 2019 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series 

 

Program Associate Craig Corpora presented the final designs by Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo for the 2019 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series. This is the first installment of the 2019 series and this year’s theme is 24/7. Artists were asked to respond to the idea of the Market Street corridor as a location of constant action, where businesses, arts, and culture intermingle among a diverse population of locals and visitors.

 

For her posters titled On Whose Shoulders, Lukaza Branfmann-Verissimo was drawn to the stories of those more marginalized populations along Market Street, whose roots the city were built on but also are threatened to be pushed out due to further gentrification. She interviewed individuals at: Transgender Variant & Intersex Justice Project, Skywatchers Project, Hospitality House, and Compton’s Transgender Cultural District and then distilled their stories into nine text based posters.

 

Target installation date is January 31, 2019, and will be on display through April 30, 2019.

 

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

 

Motion: Motion to approve artist Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo’s nine final designs for the 2019 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series.

Moved: Sklar/Schnair

 

 

Project Manager Jackie von Treskow presented selected finalists for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing Administrative Offices at 440 Turk Street, Access Point Wall Opportunity. The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (“HSH”) is remodeling an existing building at 440 Turk Street for the purposes of providing their administrative offices, as well as certain client services within an Access Point. The Artist Selection Panel met on January 15, 2019 and selected three finalists for a 25 ft. by 9 ft. wall in the Access Point, which will be used by HSH clients and their caseworkers. There will be an opportunity to license and reproduce artworks from artists in Hospitality House’s Community Arts Program for the 440 Turk Street lobby and reception areas, which will be selected when the Artist Selection Panel reconvenes in Spring 2019.

 

Three finalists for the Access Point Wall Opportunity were selected from a shortlist of artists from the 2017/18 Prequalified Artist Pool: Johanna Poethig, Eric Rewitzer, and Muzae Sesay.

 

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

 

Motion: Motion to approve the selected finalists Johanna Poethig, Eric Rewitzer (3 Fish Studios) and Muzae Sesay for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing Administrative Offices at 440 Turk Street, Access Point Wall Opportunity, as recommended by the Artist Selection Panel.

Moved: Schnair/Sklar

 

 

Project Manager Trisha Lagaso Goldberg presented artist Julie Chang’s conceptual design proposal for her mural sited within the Community Center at the Willie Woo Woo Wong Playground. Ms. Lagaso Goldberg stated that Ms. Chang was identified as the artist for this project via direct selection by an artist selection panel, which met on March 8, 2017. This is the first time Ms. Chang’s conceptual design is being presented to the Committee.

 

The mural will measure approximately 17 ft. by 40 ft. and will be painted directly on a concrete block wall with latex paint. Key elements of the artwork include peonies, the Chinese eternity knot in red, and bamboo forms in yellow/green. Ms. Lagaso Goldberg stated that the artist is still working to define the color palette. 

 

Commissioner Schnair asked if the community was able to provide feedback about the design. Ms. Lagaso Goldberg stated that yes community members Erika Gee and Abbey Chen who served on the selection panel provided feedback, which the artist took into consideration in refining her conceptual design.

 

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment.

 

Erica Gee from the Chinatown Community Development Center commented that she is looking forward to this mural, which will brighten and enliven the community space at Willie Woo Woo Wong Playground. The community, which is made up of all age groups, is looking forward to the mural.

 

Motion: Motion to approve artist Julie Chang’s (Julie W. Olcott) Conceptual Design proposal for the Willie Woo Woo Wong Playground.

Moved: Schnair/Sklar

 

 

 

Motion: Motion to approve artist Robert Minvervini’s Design Development Phase material sample for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1, Boarding Area B, Holdroom 14 Project.

 

 

Ms. Lagaso Goldberg introduced artist David Wilson to present the design development phase deliverables for his artwork at San Francisco International Airport: Grand Hyatt Hotel, located on the prefunction wall on level two. Mr. Wilson’s two-dimensional artwork will consist of Sumi ink on Kozo rice paper, and each sheet will measure 18 in. by 18 in. The artwork will consist of 40 sheets of rice paper at an approximate overall measurement of 7.5 ft. by 12.5 ft.

Mr. Wilson continued to explain that he is painting this commission in plain air style from within a location in Claremont Canyon looking west towards San Francisco. The resulting artwork will reflect time spent at the location and he will be using a tree stump nestled into a bush as his work area. Each day will reflect a different tone and passage of time. Whether it is a clear day or it is raining, the artwork will tell a story about the marking a specific period of time. Mr. Wilson expressed that the vantage point into the bay, extends to where the airport is located. 

 

The artwork will be attached to a backboard in such a way that the naturally occurring folds and wrinkles of each section will be visible. Mr. Wilson will start his routine next week and looks forward to developing this artwork in tandem with the hotel’s construction and completion itself.

 

Commissioner Sklar requested that at a future meeting, the opportunity to do a digital walk through of what projects are being installed in the hotel and Terminal 1. 

 

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

 

Motion: Motion to approve David Wilson’s final Design Development phase proposal and material sample for the San Francisco International Airport: Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Moved: Schnair/Sklar

 

 

Ms. Lagaso Goldberg presented the design development phase deliverables by Miguel Arzabe for the San Francisco International Airport: Grand Hyatt Hotel. Ms. Lagaso Goldberg stated that after the request at the November 28, 2018 Visual Arts Committee Meeting, Mr. Arzabe obtained copyright permission for a majority of the images for his artwork at SFO Hotel. Images of artwork for which the artist did not receive permission were removed from the design. The artwork will be printed on archival paper and will measure 90 in. by 76 in.

  

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

 

Motion: Motion to approve Miguel Arzabe’s final Design Development phase proposal and material sample for the San Francisco International Airport: Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Moved: Sklar/Schnair

 

 

Project Manager Zoë Taleporos presented the final design phase deliverables (engineering drawings and final material sample) by Tahiti Pehrson for a suspended artwork at the 4th floor lobby of the San Francisco International Airport: Grand Hyatt Hotel. Ms. Taleporos stated that the artwork will consist of 30 powder-coated, laser cut metal disks. There will be five different patterns, but each disk will be unique. Ranging from 30 in. to 36 in. in diameter, the disks will be arranged in a way to have denser disks at the top and more transparent disks at the bottom to accommodate the window views and natural light. 

 

Ms. Taleporos stated that the staff will work with lighting designers to help cast shadows that will highlight the artistic cuts in the disks. The final hardware will be powder-coated to match the disks so they are subtle and not obvious.

 

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

 

Motion: Motion to approve the Final Design Phase deliverables (engineering drawings and final material sample) by Tahiti Pehrson for a suspended artwork at the 4th floor lobby of the San Francisco International Airport: Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Moved: Sklar/Schnair

 

 

 

Ms. Camacho presented the updated final design development documents for Johanna Grawunder’s artwork for the San Francisco International Airport: Long Term Parking Garage 2 Public Art Project. Ms. Camacho shared that while Ms. Grawunder’s project is in the final stages, a late stage construction issue required small aesthetic changes be made. One change was due to the climate, requiring that the painted steel fin panels use a specific marine resistant paint. Due to the selection of available marine resistant paints, the steel fin color changed from neon orange to bright yellow. The second change was to move the light boxes to allow the electrical components to be properly connected. The artist felt these changes did not compromise her design. All of the changes met the construction team’s requirements.

 

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

 

Motion: Motion to approve the updated final design development documents reflecting new paint color and lighting locations for Johanna Grawunder’s artwork, Coding, for the San Francisco International Airport: Long Term Parking Garage 2 Public Art Project.

Moved: Schnair/Sklar

 

 

Civic Art Collection and Public Art Program Director Susan Pontious discussed the current practices and possible next steps to further align the Public Art Program practices with the recently adopted racial equity plan and statement. The San Francisco Arts Commission met on January 7, 2019 and unanimously voted to become the first city department to set racial equity guidelines. The statement and plan are part of a city-wide effort aimed at addressing systemic and intuitional racism throughout local government. Ms. Pontious shared that the Public Art Program has developed techniques that have proven successful to increase the number of women and people of color completing public art projects in San Francisco.

 

When Ms. Pontious began the selection process in the San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal back in the early 2000s, she started by coordinating diverse selection panels as well as focusing on the recruitment of more women and people of color. The largest change was the use of new technologies that were available for the translation of artwork into new materials. This gave the Public Art Program the ability to select artists who had not previously done a public artwork. Once these changes were made, demographic statistics began to improve dramatically. Today, the SFO Airport Collection is comprised of 50% women, and 30-40% of people of color. 

 

Moving forward with the racial equity plan and statement, Ms. Pontious would like to refine these techniques and research others to offer more opportunities. Ms. Pontious believes that focusing on the recruitment and research of diverse artists to get more artists in the pools would be a great start. She would like to continue with the Public Art Program’s application workshops to show artists that it is possible for everyone to apply. In addition, efforts will be focused to make the artist selection panels racially and gender balanced. Project Managers will present the panel with the racial equity statement and plan in order to show the Arts Commission’s commitment to gender and racial diversity. The Project Managers will continue to share public art technologies with new artists without public art experience, as this is very helpful for artists who work in folk traditions like cut paper and quilting. Ms. Pontious expressed that currently the Public Art Program is improving demographic tracking. While it is not legal to give preference to artists based on race or gender, the Arts Commission staff can gather information to evaluate the effectiveness of various recruitments and further understand the data. 

 

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

 

 

Commissioner Keehn shared that art fairs UNTITLED and FOG are this week – FOG starting January 16, and UNTITLED starting January 17, 2019.

 

Senior Program Manager Mary Chou announced that the 2019/2020 Prequalified Artist Pool is currently accepting applications and the deadline is March 7, 2019. The Prequalified Artist Pool is for projects up to $500,000. There will be upcoming workshops to support artists with any questions for how to apply, as well as sharing some proposal boards and material samples. 

 

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

 

 

The meeting adjourned at 4:42 p.m.

 

 

Notices

 

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost.

 

For assistance, please notify Alyssa Torres, alyssa.m.torres@sfgov.org, 415-252-2219.

 

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，Alyssa Torres, alyssa.m.torres@sfgov.org, 415-252-2219.

 

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Alyssa Torres, alyssa.m.torres@sfgov.org, 415-252-2219.