SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION
VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
3 p.m.
401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 125
San Francisco, CA 94102
_______________________________________
Minutes

 

Visual Arts Committee Members:
JD Beltran      
Dorka Keehn, Chair
Nabiel Musleh
Abby Sadin Schnair
Janine Shiota
Barbara Sklar

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

Commissioners Present:
Commisioner Beltran
Commissioner Keehn
Commissioner Musleh
Commissioner Schnair
Commissioner Shiota
Commissioner Sklar

The meeting commenced at 3:02 p.m.

2. General Public Comment
Discussion

Commissioner Keehn recognized the service of former Commissioner Jessica Silverman. Commissioner Silverman was appointed by Gavin Newsom in May 2010 was an instrumental member of the Arts Commission and the Visual Arts Committee. She served on three committees: “Visual Arts,” “Street Artists” and “Community Arts, Education and Grants.” Her contemporary art gallery, located in the Tenderloin, is known internationally for building the careers of a diverse range of living artists.

Commissioner Keehn announced the revised motions for Item #5 and Item #9F.

The revised motion of Item #5 is: Motion to approve the design of the proposed mural installation by artist JR on designated exterior wall of the Orpheum Theatre for a duration of a year, pending approval of the project by SHN (Orpheum Theatre) and the Historic Preservation Commission and pending procurement of outside funds from OEWD, SHN, and private sources.

The revised motion for Item #9F is: Motion to approve the purchase of the following artworks for display at the San Francisco International Airport: Grand Hyatt Hotel:

Natalya Burd, So much more than this, 2018, acrylic, mirror, Plexiglas, 47 in. by 94 in., $9,000.
John Chiara, Cabrillo Highway at Pescadero Creek Road, Variation 4, 2017, Camera Obscura Ilfochrome photograph, 58 in. by 71 in. framed, $27,000.
Klea McKenna, Born in 1717, 2017, gelatin silver photogram, 43 in. by 50 in. framed, $9,800.
Crystal Liu, underground, ‘stuck in between’, 2016, collage, gouache, ink and watercolor on paper, 47 in. by 104 in., $24,000.

Motion to approve the reinstallation of the following artworks for display at the San Francisco International Airport Grand Hyatt Hotel:

Michael Dvortcsak, Sublimens, 1986, oil and wax on canvas, 87 ½ in. by 72 ½ in. by 1 ¾ in.

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

3. Consent Calendar
Action
 

1. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into agreement with A. Zahner Company for an amount not to exceed $1,100,000 for the completion of design, fabrication, transportation and consultation on installation of an artwork by Norie Sato for the Headworks Facility at the Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plant.
    
2. Motion to approve the Construction Document Phase deliverables for Sarah Sze’s 49 South Van Ness suspended lobby sculpture. 
    
3. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to increase the agreement with Ellen Harvey Studio LLC from $360,000 to an amount not to exceed $400,000 (an increase of $40,000) for additional fabrication and installation costs for an artwork at the San Francisco International Airport: Grand Hyatt Hotel.
    
4. Motion to approve the Phase II and Phase III Construction Documents for Terra Techne by Liz Glynn, designed for San Francisco International Airport: Terminal One.
    
5. Motion to approve the extension of Knitted Tree Project by Knits for Life, sponsored by the Office of Economic and Work Force Development. The fiber-based work will be installed on select trees in Civic Center in the beginning the first week of May 2019 and remaining for six months to one years, depending on the aging process of the materials.

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

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

4. San Francisco Public Library: Middleground
Jill Manton, Julie Flynn, Project Manager
Action

Jill Manton introduced Project Manager Julie Flynn from the Department of City Planning and Senior Artist and Curator at the Exploratorium Shawn Lani. Ms. Flynn stated that the temporary installation Middleground is part of the Civic Center Commons initiative, which is focused the activation of Civic Center spaces. Ms. Flynn then introduced Mr. Lani, who presented an overview of the project to be sited at the main entrance to the San Francisco Public Library. Working with Civic Center Commons and the San Francisco Public Library, Middleground is temporary interactive installation focused on social psychology and designed to engage people in conversations around biases and stereotypes. The design consists of approximately 17 columns, each 12 ft. 3 in. high, rising from a base measuring 3 ft. by 3 ft. each with a chair on top meant to evoke the presence of others. Each column will have a unique interactive experience that will address many issues, some will be quick experiences and some last longer.

Commissioner Beltran inquired about durability of the materials in an outdoor installation and the columns ability to be climbed. Mr. Lani noted the that columns are composed of modular piece and it would be a quick fix to change out parts if damaged or tagged and that they will fabricate the objects to prevent scaling.

Civic Center Collection and Public Art Program Director Susan Pontious asked if the Mayor’s Office of Disability (MOD) about the placement of the works. Ms. Flynn stated that they have been working with both MOD and the disability team at Department of Public Works.

Commissioner Keehn inquired about the art component of the installation and urged Mr. Lani to enhance the art component in the future. 

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

Motion: Motion to approve Middleground, a temporary interactive installation focused on social psychology developed in partnership by the Civic Center Commons Initiative, the SF Public Library Main Branch, and the Exploratorium’s Studio for Public Spaces and funded by the National Science Foundation. The installation will be placed on the Larkin Street plaza in front of the main entry to the Library. The design consists of approximately 17 columns, each 12 ft. 3 in. high, rising from a base measuring 3 ft. by 3 ft. which serve as individual stations for interactive exhibits and shall be up from July 2019 to July 2020 pending approval from Public Works and the Historic Preservation Commission.
Moved: Schnair/Beltran
The motion was unanimously approved

5. JR Mural, Orpheum Theatre
Jill Manton
Action

Ms. Manton presented the proposed mural by JR at the Orpheum Theatre. The mural will be derived from photos JR took for his upcoming installation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art called The Chronicles of San Francisco. The artist set up 22 mobile studios across the City and photographed over 1200 people representing the broad diversity of San Francisco.  The mural will be located at the back walls of the Orpheum Theatre on Hyde and Fulton Streets.

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

Motion: Motion to approve the design of the proposed mural installation by artist JR on designated exterior wall of the Orpheum Theatre for a duration of a year, pending approval of the project by SHN (Orpheum Theatre) and the Historic Preservation Commission and pending procurement of outside funds from OEWD, SHN, and private sources.
Moved: Schnair/Beltran
The motion was unanimously approved

6. Artist and Curatorial Honorarium for Upcoming SFAC Galleries Exhibitions
Meg Shiffler
Action

San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries Director Meg Shiffler presented the next SFAC Galleries exhibition at City Hall. Curators Lindsey White and Jordan Stein will be collaborating with Brian Belott, who will be working as both an artist and curator of the Rhoda Kellogg Collection of Children’s Art. Rhoda Kellogg (1889–1987) was a local psychologist, scholar, and educator, who developed a classification system charting the evolution of basic forms through the visual developmental stages of children and amassed a very large collection of children’s art. The exhibition will include new works by Brian Belott, shown alongside works from the Rhoda Kellogg Collection of Children’s Art, as well as works by Rhoda Kellogg herself.

Next exhibition in Café Valor will be Ron Moultrie Sauders, beginning April 18, 2019. The show will consist of photograms from Mr. Sauder’s body of work called Beneath My Skin is the History of My Beauty.

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

Motion: Motion for the Director of Cultural Affairs to approve a curatorial honorarium to the following individuals for their research and development of an SFAC Galleries exhibition at SF City Hall set to open on June 6, 2019: $3,100 to Lindsey White and $3,100 to Jordan Stein.
Moved: Shiota/Beltran
The motion was unanimously approved

Motion: Motion for the Director of Cultural Affairs to approve an artist honorarium to Brian Belott in the amount of $5,500 for his research and development of artwork for an SFAC Galleries exhibition at SF City Hall set to open on June 6, 2019.
Moved: Beltan/Sklar
The motion was unanimously approved

Motion: Motion for the Director of Cultural Affairs to approve an artist honorarium to Ron Moultrie Saunders in the amount of $600 for his participation in an SFAC Galleries exhibition at Café Valor on April 18, 2019.
Moved: Betran/Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

7. 2019 Art on Market Poster Series
Craig Corpora
Action

Program Associate Craig Corpora presented the final designs by Kate Rhoades for her 2019 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series. For her poster series, Ms. Rhoades wanted to illustrate the myths of Market Street that incorporate the weirdness that we sometimes think is disappearing from San Francisco. Titled Market Street Mysteries, Ms. Rhoades uses the comic book format to tell three stories across two posters. The stories are “Cherry-headed Conures,” “The Earthquake Cow,” and “Underground Ships.” In preparation for this poster series, she met with local San Francisco historian, Chris Carlsson and researched the historical archives at FoundSF.

This project celebrates local folklore by humorously complicating each story, and fostering a renewed appreciation for, as she says, “what is still deliciously weird about San Francisco.”

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

Motion: Motion to approve artist Kate Rhoades six final designs for the 2019 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series.
Moved: Beltran/Shiota
The motion was unanimously approved

8. Willie Woo Woo Wong Playground
Trisha Lagaso Goldberg
Action

Project Manager Trisha Lagaso Goldberg presented the Design Development Phase deliverables and material sample, by Julie W. Olcott (DBA Julie Chang) for the Willie Woo Woo Wong Playground, located on Sacramento Street in Chinatown. The artist proposed to use Benjamin Moore paint, which will be applied directly onto a primed Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) wall. The color palette is as follows: red for the Chinese knot, green for the bamboo, and black and white for the peonies in the tradition of the Mustard Seed Garden Manual. The tan flower shapes will be left unpainted and the blue background references natural elements of both sky and water.

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

Motion: Motion to approve artist Julie W. Olcott’s (DBA Julie Chang) Design Development phase materials for the Willie Woo Woo Wong Playground.
Moved: Beltran/Shiota
The motion was unanimously approved

9. San Francisco International Airport

A. International Terminal Refresh Phase I
Susan Pontious
Action

Civic Art Collection and Public Art Program Director Susan Pontious presented the revised Art Program for the International Terminal Building Refresh Phase 1. The commissions will be for the large entry walls in the recompose area. This work should be integrated into the wall and be graphically bold enough that it can be read across the entire area. Artists will be selected from 2019/2020 Prequalified Artist Pool.

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

Motion: Motion to approve the revised Art Program for the International Terminal Building Refresh Phase 1.
Moved: Beltran/Shiota
The motion was unanimously approved

B. Terminal 3, Courtyard 3 Connector
Susan Pontious
Action

Ms. Pontious presented the Art Program plan for the Courtyard 3 Connector. The C3C involves construction of an administrative office tower between Terminals 2 and 3, which will entail constructing a non-secure connector between the terminals that will access the tower.  New construction will also include a new secure connector between these same two terminals.  The secure connector incorporates an existing space that the Airport Museum plans to use for a photography gallery. 

The non-secure connector waiting area off the corridor directly opposite the elevators to the office tower is the primary art space for either sculpture or two-dimensional art.  We are proposing that Alison Saar’s sculpture originally proposed for Boarding Area G (BAG) terrace be installed at this site. Previously Saar’s proposal was previously approved for commissioning in an alternate location from Boarding Area G by both Arts and Airport Commissions. The secure connector corridor wall adjacent to moving walkway is a potential site for “sequential art panels” telling a story; a potential site for graphic artist or even a filmmaker. There is also an opportunity for using the glass curtain wall but Ms. Pontious expressed concern that we may not be able to complete that project within the construction schedule. Finally, the wall opposite the area the Airport Museum will use as a photography gallery might be used for the display of permanent photo acquisitions.

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

Motion: Motion to approve the Art Program plan for the Terminal 3, Courtyard 3 Connector.

Motion: Motion to pursue commissioning Untitled by Alison Saar for Terminal 3, Courtyard 3 Connector.
Moved: Beltran/Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

C. Terminal 2 Buildback
Susan Pontious
Action

Ms. Pontious presented the Art Program plan for the T2 Build back. The plan includes the re-installation of Mark Adams tapestries, Pond in Golden Gate Park; Garden in San Andreas Valley; Garden Outside Gate, on a re-configured wall space in the Terminal 2 Meet and Greet area and the re-installation of Cilindro Costruito by Arnaldo Pomodoro in elevator lobby of Terminal 2 non-secure connector (Control Tower building). The plan also re-allocates $360,000 in Art funds to SFO Hotel for additional two-dimensional purchases.

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

Motion: Motion to approve the Art Program plan for the T2 Build back, reallocating AE to SFO Hotel.
Moved: Beltran/Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

D. Terminal 1, Underpass Lighting
Rebecca Camacho
Action

Project Manager Rebecca Camacho presented the selected finalists for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1, Underpass Lighting Project. Ms. Camacho reminded the committee that there were previously selected finalist. However, the Commissioners asked that staff reopen the application to the opportunity and conduct a broader recruitment process that would provide a larger and more diverse artist pool. The new artist selection panel met on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 and selected: Andrea Bowers, Tavares Strachen, and Meejin Yoon.

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

Motion: Motion to approve Andrea Bowers, Tavares Strachan, and Meejin Yoon, as finalists for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1, Underpass Lighting Project, as recommended by the artist selection panel.
Moved: Beltran/Sklar

The motion was unanimously approved

E. Terminal 1 Center, AC-06 Project – Emily Fromm
Rebecca Camacho
Action

Ms. Camacho presented the Design Development Phase deliverables (material sample) by Emily Fromm for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1 Center, AC-06. Ms. Camacho noted that the grout color of the completed mural will blend more with the foreground tiles, which differs from the material sample presented.

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

Motion: Motion to approve artist Emily Fromm’s Design Development Phase material sample for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1Center, AC-06.
Moved: Beltran/Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

F. Grand Hyatt Hotel 2D Program
Zoë Taleporos
Action

Project Manager Zoë Taleporos presented a brief overview of Grand Hyatt Hotel Artwork Program. Ms. Taleporos then presented the additional two-dimensional artworks for purchase, which include work by Natalya Burd, John Chiara, Crystal Liu, and Klea McKenna. On the first floor of the hotel, we are proposing to install a Civic Art Collection work by Michael Dvortcsak, titled Sublimens.

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

Motion: Motion to approve the purchase of the following artworks for display at the San Francisco International Airport Grand Hyatt Hotel:

Natalya Burd, So much more than this, 2018, acrylic, mirror, Plexiglas, 47 in. by 94 in., $9,000.
John Chiara, Cabrillo Highway at Pescadero Creek Road, Variation 4, 2017, Camera Obscura Ilfochrome photograph, 58 in. by 71 in. framed, $27,000.
Klea McKenna, Born in 1717, 2017, gelatin silver photogram, 43 in. by 50 in. framed, $9,800.
Crystal Liu, underground, ‘stuck in between’, 2016, collage, gouache, ink and watercolor on paper, 47 in. by 104 in., $24,000.

Motion: Motion to approve the reinstallation of the following artworks for display at the San Francisco International Airport Grand Hyatt Hotel:

Michael Dvortcsak, Sublimens, 1986, oil and wax on canvas, 87 ½ in. by 72 ½ in. by 1 ¾ in.
Moved: Beltran/Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

10. 2019/2020 Prequalified Pool Results
Mary Chou
Action

Senior Project Manager Mary Chou of Public Art presented results of the 2019/2020 Prequalified Artist Pool Selection process. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was issued January 7 – March 14, 2019 for visual artists residing in the United States. The Arts Commission received 1206 submissions, which were reviewed of the course of four days. 601 applicants scored within a competitive range to be included in the 2019/20 Prequalified Artist Pool.

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

Motion: Motion to approve the following artists’ inclusion in the 2019/2020 Prequalified Artist Pool as recommended by the Artist Selection Panel:
Moved: Beltran/Sklar
The motion was unanimously approved

11. New Southeast Community Facility at 1550 Evans
Jackie von Treskow
Action

Project Manager Jackie von Treskow presented the project outline for the New Southeast Community Facility at 1550 Evans Plaza Sculpture Project. Ms. von Treskow reminded the committee that the Arts Commission conducted an artist selection process for the new SECF Plaza and Garden Sculpture opportunities that resulted in the Artist Selection Panel abstaining from recommending a finalist proposal for selection. Consequently, the Arts Commission and SFPUC have revised the project outline to reflect new project goals and criteria. These criteria include: the sculpture will support the new SECF as a destination, and be an icon and asset for the neighborhood; the work will activate the SECF plaza in both day and nighttime hours, welcoming and engaging viewers from afar and up close; and, be of a large, landmark scale.

Commissioner Keehn, Beltran, and Sklar thought the criteria that the work “be of an abstract, non-figurative design” was too prescriptive, and would be limiting for artists. They asked that staff work with SFPUC to revise this criteria language prior to Arts Commission approval of the project outline.

Commissioner Keehn asked to receive and review the list of proposed artist selection panelists, and requested that she serve on the selection panel. Commissioner Keehn also noted that the artist selection timeline was very compressed, and suggested that it be revised to accommodate ample time for artist outreach and recruitment.

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

Motion: Motion to approve the project outline for the New Southeast Community Facility at 1550 Evans Plaza Sculpture Project, pending revision of artwork criteria language.
Moved: Beltran/Schnair
The motion was unanimously approved

12. San Francisco International Airport: New Project Site Walkthrough
Susan Pontious
Presentation

Ms. Pontious presented a walkthrough of new commissions and purchases for: Terminal 1, Air Train, Long Term Parking Garage, REACH, which she will also present at the Full Commission meeting on May 6, 2019. Commissioner Keehn asked about the revision requested by the Committee for the sculpture design by Mark Handforth. Ms. Pontious stated that the sculpture had been fabricated and reviewed and that the design revision did not seem to have been communicated to the artist.