SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION
VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
3 p.m.
401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 125
San Francisco, CA 94102
________________________________________
Minutes

Visual Arts Committee Members:
JD Beltran, President
Dorka Keehn, Chair
Abby Sadin Schnair
Jessica Silverman
Barbara Sklar

1. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Agenda Changes

Commissioners Present:
Commissioner Beltran
Commissioner Keehn
Commissioner Schnair

Commissioners Absent:
Commissioner Silverman
Commissioner Sklar

The meeting commenced at 3:04 p.m.

2. General Public Comment
Discussion

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

3. “Comfort Women” Memorial; Proposed International Version
Susan Pontious; Steven Whyte

Program Director Susan Pontious presented the proposed design for Comfort Women Interactive Tribute (working title) a derivative version of Comfort Women’s Column of Strength, which is in the Civic Art Collection. The artist’s contract details that Comfort Women’s Column of Strength is unique and an edition of one. However, the artist retains the copyright and has the right to create derivative versions as long as elements of the original work are reconfigured in a substantially different way. Artist Steven Whyte described the uniqueness of the new international version of situating the figures on ground level, instead of on a column, and allowing the viewer an interactive experience by joining hands with the circle of women.

Commissioner Keehn clarified that the motion only covers Comfort Women Interactive Tribute (working title). If there were to be another derivative sculpture, she asked that Mr. Whyte come before the Commission for approval again.

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

Motion: Motion to approve Steven Whyte’s proposal for Comfort Women Interactive Tribute (working title) as a derivative version of Comfort Women’s Column of Strength. The Commission agrees that the new proposal is sufficiently different from San Francisco’s “Comfort Women” Memorial in design and intent so that the artist would not be in violation of Paragraph 5 (g) of the artist’s agreement with the City dated July 27, 2017.
Moved: Beltran/ Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

4. San Francisco International Airport

A. Harvey B. Milk Terminal Design
Susan Pontious
Action

Ms. Pontious presented the art plan for the Harvey B. Milk Terminal at the San Francisco International Airport. She reminded the Committee that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance naming Terminal One after Supervisor Harvey Milk. The ordinance included language that the airport was to produce both an art plan and signage that celebrated the life and legacy of Supervisor Milk. The site selected for the display is the pre-security area in Terminal 1 South. Working with photographer Daniel Nicoletta, the plan is to crowdsource images of Supervisor Milk, which will be exhibited salon style on a wood-paneled wall. The photos will be surrounded a large major image printed on blackened steel. Additionally, two columns located in the entrance to the gallery space will have wrap-around images of Supervisor Milk. Another large major image on blackened steel will be located around the corner in the Post-Secure Side, allowing arriving passengers to have an experience of the gallery. Prior to the completion of the section of the terminal where the Harvey B. Milk Gallery is located, there will be a temporary display of Supervisor Milk photos mounted on a long temporary wall in Terminal 1.

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

Motion:  Motion to approve San Francisco International Airport’s art plan for the Harvey B. Milk Terminal.
Moved: Beltran/ Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

5. 1550 Evans Southeast Community Center
Mary Chou
Action

Project Manager Mary Chou presented the selected finalists for the 1550 Evans Southeast Community Center project. Ms. Chou detailed the two integrated art locations for the project. The Main Lobby opportunity consists of a series of three panels, of which part are able to view up-close, and where the artwork could take a narrative approach. The Alex Pitcher Room opportunity, where the artwork will be located 14 feet above ground level, should resonate from a distance and reflect the history and culture of the Bayview community. For the Main Lobby opportunity, the panel recommended: Suhas Bhujbal, Emory Douglas, Kenyatta Hinkle, and Sanaz Mazinani. For the Alex Pitcher Room, the panel recommended: Louisiana Bendolph, Alice Beasley, Phillip Hua, and Ron Saunders.

Commissioner Schnair commended Ms. Chou for a well-run and thoughtful meeting. Public Utilities Commission Arts and Education Manager Blair Randall also thanked Ms. Chou for running a great panel, stating that he is pleased with the selected finalists.

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

Motion: Motion to approve Suhas Bhujbal, Emory Douglas, Kenyatta Hinkle, and Sanaz Mazinani as finalists for the 1550 Evans Southeast Community Center Main Lobby Public Art Project and Louisiana Bendolph, Alice Beasley, Phillip Hua, and Ron Moultrie Saunders for the 1550 Evans Southeast Community Center Alex Pitcher Room as recommended by the artist selection panel.
Moved: Beltran/ Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

6. Ambulance Deployment Facility
Trisha Lagaso Goldberg
Action

Project Manager Trisha Lagaso Goldberg presented the conceptual proposal titled Serving the City by artist Michael Bartalos, which was chosen by the artist selection panel on July 17, 2018. Ms. Lagaso Goldberg noted that the commission is for artist-designed gates located on Jerrold Avenue and McKinnon Avenue entrances/ exits of the new Ambulance Deployment Facility (Fire Station 49). Mr. Bartalos’ proposed design draws upon historical symbolism of the emergency medical services and firefighting and is composed of easily readable iconography of great significance to both realms of public service.

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

Motion: Motion to approve the selected artist Michael Bartalos for the Ambulance Deployment Facility ("ADF") gateways, a project for the San Francisco Fire Department, as recommended by the ADF artist selection panel.
Moved: Beltran/ Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the selected artist Michael Bartalos for an amount not to exceed $311,200 for design, engineering, fabrication, transportation and installation consultation of artwork gates for the Ambulance Deployment Facility.
Moved: Beltran/ Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

7. 2018 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series
Craig Corpora
Action

Program Associate Craig Corpora presented the final designs by artist Weston Teruya for the 2018 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series. Mr. Corpora reminded the Committee that this year, selected artists were asked to respond to the theme of San Francisco as a Sanctuary City.

Mr. Teruya’s series is titled Sanctuary is a Practice. The posters depict six objects that explore the histories of communities who have created alliances with other groups to build sanctuaries and systems of mutual aid in the face of systemic injustice, xenophobia, and disenfranchisement. These pieces take the form of imagined talismans that invoke a sense of protection and resistance by combining cultural references to tell a story about collective survival. Mr. Corpora stated that the estimated installation date is August 16, 2018 and will be up through the beginning of November 2018.

Ms. Ponitous recommend that Mr. Teruya simplify the language of the didactic text and Commissioner Keehn asked if the artist could explore different color backgrounds to some poster designs to make the objects in the foreground more legible.

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

Motion: Motion to approve Weston Teruya’s six final designs for the 2018 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series, pending revision of the text and an update to the background color.
Moved: Beltran/ Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

8. New Business, Old Business, and Announcements

Commissioner Beltran announced that the House of Representative defeated the Grothman Amendment that would have cut funding to the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities.

Commissioner Keehn informed the Committee of the dedication of artist Zak Ove’s Invisible Man and the Masque of Blackness, which will be held on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at 5:00pm in the Civic Center Commons in San Francisco.

Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny relayed that Supervisor Aaron Peskin and Supervisor Vallie Brown co-introduced legislation for a fee structure for San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries traveling exhibitions. The legislation will authorize the San Francisco Arts Commission to charge a fee of up to $30,000.00 for traveling exhibition for cost recovery of expenses, as well as, to bring in resources for future programming.

Commissioner Schnair recommended the San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries show Westward, a photograph exhibition of ten female photographers documenting and depicting the West. The exhibition is located in San Francisco City Hall North Light Court & Ground Floor. The show is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am–8:00pm and is on view through May 10, 2019.

9. Adjournment
Action

The meeting adjourned at 4:02 p.m.

CC 7/23/18 3:45 p.m.
Approved 8/6/2018

Notices

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

For assistance, please notify Craig Corpora, craig.corpora@sfgov.org, 415-252-2249.

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，Craig Corpora, craig.corpora@sfgov.org, 415-252-2249.

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Craig Corpora, craig.corpora@sfgov.org, 415-252-2249.

Ang mga materyales na nakasalin sa ibang wika at ang mga serbisyong tagapagsalin sa wika ay walang bayad. Para sa tulong, maaring i-contact si a Craig Corpora, craig.corpora@sfgov.org, 415-252-2249.