SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION
VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
3 p.m.
401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 125
San Francisco, CA 94102
________________________________________
 Minutes

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

Commissioners Present:
JD Beltran
Dorka Keehn, Chair
Suzanne Ferras
Nabiel Musleh

Commissioners Absent:
Abby Sadin Schnair
Janine Shiota

Commissioner Keehn called the meeting to order at 3:0­2 pm.

2. General Public Comment

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there were none.

3. Consent Calendar

Commissioner Keehn asked if any Commissioner needed to recuse themselves from any item; no one did. She then called for public comment. There was no public comment.
 

1. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with artist Hank Willis Thomas for an amount not to exceed $10,000 for the development of a site-specific proposal for an artwork on Treasure Island.
2. Motion to approve the temporary installation of a bronze commemorative statue by sculptor Zeno Frudakis to be placed in a raised planter in Harding Park at 99 Harding Road. The statue honors Frank Sandy Tatum, who spearheaded the restoration of Harding Park into a nationally renowned municipal golf course and established the First Tee of San Francisco. The sculpture, standing 7ft. high, will be in Harding Park for approximately one year, from April 2020 to April of 2021. The project will be implemented with private funds and will be maintained by the First Tee of San Francisco.
3. Motion to approve the temporary installation of the quote HOPE WILL NEVER BE SILENT by Harvey Milk upon the top center of the Bandshell in the Music Concourse of Golden Gate Park on the occasion of its 150^th anniversary celebration. Twenty-one letters will be affixed to the Bandshell using a grout-mounting technique that is easily patchable with light projected on the letters. The installation will last for a period of two years, starting April 2020 through April 2022.
4. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to increase the contract with Hood Design Studio, Inc. for design, fabrication, and consultation during installation of an artwork for Fire Station #35 from $560,000 to an amount not to exceed $571,785 (an increase of $11,785) for additional artwork engineering services as a result of expansion of pier deck as required by Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

​Motion: Motion to approve consent calendar items.
Moved: Ferras/Musleh
The motion was unanimously approved

4. Overview of 2020 SFAC Galleries Season
Meg Shiffler

San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries Director Meg Shiffler presented the 2020 SFAC Galleries 50^th Anniversary Season. The gallery was founded in 1970 as Capricorn Asunder: The San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery.

The first exhibition of the season, entitled The Capricorn Chronicles, on display from February 12 – March 28, is an archive project in the gallery. Staff have moved their desks into the gallery, the walls have materials from each decade of the Gallery’s existence and the public can access the paper and video archives.

The next exhibition will be Conversation 8: Harry Dodge & Alicia McCarthy curated by Nancy Lim. This exhibition matches local artist Alicia McCarthy with as artist from outside the city, Harry Dodge from Los Angeles. It will be on display from April 17 – June 20^th.

SFAC Galleries share their founding anniversary with SF Pride. The SFAC Galleries will be joining with the GLBT Historical Society on the exhibition 50 Years of Pride curated by Lenore Chinn and Pam Peniston at City Hall from May 7, 2020 – April 16, 2021.

For the 50^th anniversary, the Galleries has created a Golden Capricorn Award which they awarded to artist Juana Alicia. Ms. Alicia is a well-known muralist and educator in the Bay Area who does not have much opportunity to exhibit in galleries. The gallery will exhibit her new unseen body of work as well as her older pieces centered around the theme of women, power and water. The Galleries also plan to commission a piece of writing from a significant writer that will be related to this project.

The last exhibition of the season will be This is not the only possible world a side by side exhibition with Galleria de la Raza, which is also celebrating their 50^th anniversary. SFAC Galleries and the Galleria de la Raza Gallery are the oldest alternative art centers in San Francisco. The exhibition will run October 2 – December 12.

Ms. Shiffler also reported that the Jim Marshall’s 1967 exhibition that SFAC developed for the anniversary of the “Summer of Love” will be travelling to Kiel, Germany (a San Francisco Sister City) June 13th – September 6th, to one of their municipal galleries.

The new SFAC Galleries artist in residence at SF Planning Department is Mansur Nurullah. Mr. Nurullah was chosen through an open RFQ process, and will be in residence for ten weeks. After his residency he will create a body of new work responding to his experience. The last artist in residence, Jenny Odell, produced a book that will be given to the commissioners at the next meeting. Commissioner Keehn asked Ms. Shiffler for some feedback on the program at the next meeting.

Commissioner Beltran suggested Rebecca Solnit as a writer to pair with Juana Alicia.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

5. Fire Station #35
Marcus Davies

Project Manager Marcus Davies introduced artist Walter Hood and Sarita Schreiber of Hood Design Studio to present their design for Fire Station #35, Historic Fire Boat Station on the Embarcadero between the Bay Bridge and the Ferry Building. The project will adhere to Bay Conservation and Development Commission and Public Works rules surrounding waterfront use and access.

Bow will be made of a painted steel frame with an interior armature in a repeating diamond pattern. The framed bow sits on a metal decking and has glass panels within the sculpture armature. The glass will have images from San Francisco fire history, including those from the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, but will remain translucent. A wooden centerpiece will bisect the sculpture and define the prow and stern of the sculpture, only this wood portion of the sculpture will be lit so as not to compete with the Bay Bridge light installation. The guardrail for the plaza will be integrated into the artwork itself.

The design of the artwork is open to allow views of the Historic Fire Boat Station, new Fire Boat Station and the Bay Bridge from inside the artwork; the artwork will not create a visual barrier from the street. A model was passed around for the committee to review. It was clarified that the Committee will have a chance to review the glass imagery prior to fabrication.

Commissioner Keehn thanked the artist for considering the Bay Bridge lights in their design. Commissioner Ferras asked about the climb able nature of the sculpture and guardrail design. Mr. Hood stated that while there is a climbable aspect to all sculptures, the Studio will work to mitigate the possibility; for example, with the planar design there will be few handholds. He also stated that the area below the guardrail will be tempered glass so that people cannot pass through it. Project Manager Marcus Davies stated that fabrication is on track to be completed before the end of this year. Commissioner Beltran congratulated Walter Hood on his McArthur Grant award.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

Motion: Motion to approve the Design Development Phase deliverables by Hood Design Studio, Inc. for an artwork for Fire Station #35.
Moved: Beltran/Musleh
The motion was unanimously approved

The committee recessed at 3:30pm and resumed the meeting at 3:35pm

6. San Francisco International Airport (“SFO”)

A. International Terminal, Boarding Area A Recompose Wall
Marcus Davies

Project Manager Marcus Davies and artist Linda Geary presented the design development of an artwork for San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal, Boarding Area A, Recompose Wall. Ms. Geary showed an image of a wall painting that she had done in her studio patched with another painting that she had done as a template for her piece at the airport. The piece will be translated into a ceramic mosaic approximately 28 ft. wide by 8 ft. high. She is working with Mosaika in Montreal to create the mosaic and shared two samples. Ms. Geary explained that as there are challenges translating fluorescents to mosaic, she will work with Mosaika to come up with new ways to have the color depicted on the ceramics. The color pallet of the artwork references the psychedelia of the ‘60s of the Bay Area. Mr. Davies stated that they will return to the committee with color pallets, material samples and dimensions for approval.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

Motion: Motion to approve the Design Development Phase deliverables by Linda Geary for an artwork for San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal, Boarding Area A, Recompose Wall.
Moved: Beltran/Ferras
The motion was unanimously approved

B. International Terminal, Boarding Area G Recompose Wall
Marcus Davies

Project Manager Marcus Davies and artist Ranu Mukherjee presented the design development of an artwork for San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal, Boarding Area G, Recompose Wall. Ms. Mukherjee’s mural will be a composite of three layers containing multiple textures. The bottom layer will create the background and consists of a design on a piece of fabric, scanned and printed onto a composite aluminum surface. The middle layer will be fabric sandwiched between the bottom aluminum layer and the top glass layer, which may have some hand painting for dimensionality.

The artwork will be fabricated in 4 ft. by 6 ft. sections combined to make a 30 ft. by 8 ft. total artwork. Ms. Mukherjee is proposing to have the piece be recessed in the wall about 4 inches to give it a window feel. The artist is working with Magnolia Editions in Oakland to do the printing on the fabric and Dorothy Lenehan, Lenehan Architectural Glass, Inc., for the glass production.

Commissioner Beltran asked how the piece will be lit, especially considering the aluminum and glass aspect of the artwork. Project Manager Marcus Davies stated that there is a meeting to discuss lighting next week. Mr. Davies stated they will come back with additional samples once they have refined the fabrication process.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

Motion: Motion to approve the Design Development Phase deliverables by Ranu Mukherjee for an artwork for San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal, Boarding Area G, Recompose Wall.
Moved: Beltran/Ferras
The motion was unanimously approved

C. International Terminal, Departure Hall - Mayor Ed Lee Plaque
Aleta Lee

Project Manager Aleta Lee presented the selected finalists Dina Angel-Wing, Antonio Mendez, and Carolyn Palmer for the Plaque Honoring Mayor Ed Lee at San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal Departure Hall. The Plaque will be 5 ft. by 5 ft. bronze bas relief portrait with text, located between aisle 6 and 7 of the main departure hall.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

Motion: Motion to approve the selected finalists Dina Angel-Wing, Antonio Mendez, and Carolyn Palmer for the Plaque Honoring Mayor Ed Lee at San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal, Departure Hall, as recommended by the Artist Selection Panel.
Moved: Beltran/Musleh
The motion was unanimously approved

7. Mint Plaza
Aleta Lee

Project Manager Aleta Lee presented the artist HYBYCOZO’s final imagery and material and fabrication mockup as part of the Construction Document Phase deliverables for the artwork at Mint Plaza. The project was reviewed by the Mayor’s Office of Disability to resolve ADA concerns regarding the base.

The sculpture will be composed of laser cut stainless steel with a powder coat finish. The artist brought a scale model of the sculpture and a sample of the material with the color, coating and finish. The cut pattern of the sculpture represents the origin of gold in exploding stars, there are star shapes and rosettes in the geometry. The sculpture is named Aurum, the Latin name for Gold, in reference to the former U.S. Mint at that location. One of the bottom panels will have a trap door with security screws for access to interior lights or maintenance. The light will shift color in a slow rotation with LED lights on the interior, not visible from the outside of the sculpture.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

Motion: Motion to approve artist HYBYCOZO’s Construction Document phase deliverables, including final imagery, structural engineering drawings and a material and fabrication mockup for the artwork at Mint Plaza.
Moved: Beltran/Musleh
The motion was unanimously approved

8. Rossi Recreational Center
Craig Corpora

Program Associate Craig Corpora presented Owen Smith’s Conceptual Design proposal for Rossi Recreational Center at 600 Arguello Boulevard. The art opportunity is two-dimensional artwork that will be installed in the interior of the pool building on the existing north wall. The goal of the project is to create a signature artwork that will inspire and engage the pool’s users and enhance their connection to recreation and to the neighborhood.

The Artist Review Panel took place on November 30, 2016 and recommended Owen Smith for the project. Mr. Smith designed the mural to evoke happy memories of swimming.  The movement and color of the composition emphasizes optimism, freedom, and the physical pleasure of gliding through water. The mural features a diverse group of swimmers frolicking in a fantasy interpretation of underwater life. As an additional playful element, fish, a turtle, and underwater plants native to the San Francisco Bay are incorporated to add a little bit of the natural world into the indoor space.  The image will be fabricated out of 4 in. by 6 in. dye-infused or acrylic sublimated aluminum panels, tiled to an overall dimension of 8 ft. high by 63 ft. wide. The top edge of the mural will be CNC cut to follow the contours of the waves.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

Motion: Motion to approve artist Owen Smith’s Conceptual Design proposal for the Rossi Recreational Center.
Moved: Beltran/Musleh
The motion was unanimously approved

9. Alameda Creek Watershed Center
Jackie von Treskow

Project Manager Jackie von Treskow presented the Artist Review Panel’s recommended artist Walter Kitundu and his proposal for the Alameda Creek Watershed Center in Sunol. This project has a $500,000 project budget and the process was restarted with input from the Muwekma Ohlone tribe after sacred burials and artifacts were discovered on the site. The Artist Review Panel met on Thursday February 13th where the three finalists, Nora Noranjo Morse, Nicholas Galanin and Walter Kitundu, presented their proposals. The panel unanimously ranked Walter Kitundu’s proposal as their top choice, selecting him for recommendation to the Commission. Walter Kitundu’s proposal, Ruupaywa consists of three different elements; a sculpture, a sound installation and an archive.

The sculpture, made of metal and glass, represents the golden eagle, an animal sacred to the Muwekma Ohlone and native to the area. Imagery on the glass panels will be selected in conjunction with members of the community who participate in Watershed nature walks led by the artist. The sound installation will consist of tribe members singing in Chochenyo, their native language, in imitation of local animal calls. Muwekma tribe members will be invited to ceremonially place artifacts and contemporary items in an archive, stored below grade at the base of the sculpture. A non-public, closing ceremony will be held for invited members to place items into the earth, in a place where so many relatives and objects were so recently removed. The proposed artwork design successfully meets the stated project goals in its thoughtful integration of the watershed’s natural resources and history/culture/contemporary presence of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe. At the culmination of the project a book will be produced by the artist to document the process.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (“SFPUC”) Arts and Education Program Manager, Blair Randall, stated that the SFPUC is happy with this selection and feels that it really honors the sensitive nature of the site. He also stated that the SFPUC is pleased with the process and thanked the Arts Commission.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

Motion: Motion to approve the selected artist, Walter Kitundu, and proposal for the Alameda Creek Watershed Center, as recommended by the artist review panel.

Motion: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with the selected artist, Walter Kitundu, for an amount not to exceed $500,000 for the design, engineering, fabrication, transportation and installation consultation of an artwork for the Alameda Creek Watershed Center.
Moved: Beltran/Ferras
The motion was unanimously approved.

10. Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (“HSH”)
Jackie von Treskow

Project Manager Jackie von Treskow presented the completed artworks as installed at the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housings’ new Administrative Offices and Client Access Point at 440 Turk Street in the Tenderloin. There were two art opportunities at this location.

Muzae Sesay created a mosaic mural for the Client Access Point Wall. Where Community Happens measures 156 square feet (approximately 20 ft. by 8 ft.) and is composed of 3/8 in. vitreous glass tiles in seventeen colors. The fragmentation of space in Where Community Happens represents a critical analysis of memory and how, when faced with the challenge of remembering space as it relates to community, recollection can be stitched together like a quilt of life experiences. Sesay’s blending of abstracted exterior and interior spaces testifies to the idea that community happens in the places that we share. Motifs such as running water, windows, doorways and gardens symbolize the world of possibility, love, growth and abundance that community can provide.

Licensed and reproduced two-dimensional works by nine artists in the Hospitality House Community Arts Program were installed in the HSH office’s public lobby and reception area.

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

Motion: Motion to approve as installed the completed artwork titled, Where Community Happens, 2019 by Muzae Sesay for the HSH Administrative Offices and Client Access Point at 440 Turk Street.

Motion: Motion to approve as installed the artworks by Hospitality House Community Arts Program artists digitally reproduced on aluminum for the HSH Administrative Offices and Client Access Point at 440 Turk Street:
Tan Sirinumas, Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco, 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Charles Blackwell, Turk St., 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Angela Summers, Birds of Paradise, 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Laurie Blessen, Spark No. 2, 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Lisa Maria Barbas, Neighborhood, 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Maybelline Steinbeck, Sing Love Dance, 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Anna Morrow, Growing Through the Cracks, 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Brian Bourassa, Tenderloin Terrestrials, 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Midori, Higanbana, 2019, digital reproduction on aluminum
Moved: Beltran/Musleh
The motion was unanimously approved

11. New Business, Old Business, and Announcements
Discussion

Commissioner Keehn called for public comment; there was none.

12. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:30pm.

posted TP 2/26/2020 12:47pm

approved on 3/2/2020

Notices

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost.
For assistance, please notify Tara Peterson, tara.peterson@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，Tara Peterson, tara.peterson@sfgov.org, 415-252-2219.

​Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Tara Peterson, tara.peterson@sfgov.org, 415-252-2219.