HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-10-19 Public Art Commission Summary Minutes
MINUTES
PUBLIC ART COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
Thursday, October 19, 2017
City Hall Community Meeting Room
250 Hamilton Ave
7:00 p.m.
Commissioners Present: Jim Migdal, Hsinya Shen, Amanda Ross, Nia Taylor, Mila
Zelkha joined the meeting at 7:09
Commissioners Absent: Ben Miyaji, Loren Gordon
Staff Present: Elise DeMarzo, Public Art Program Director
Nadya Chuprina, Public Art Program Coordinator
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Migdal called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.
AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, DELETIONS – None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS – None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: September 21, 2017 PAC Regular Meeting Minutes Moved: Jim Migdal;
Second: Hsinya Shen. All in favor.
STAFF COMMENTS: Staff updated the Commissioners on the status of the de-accession evaluation
process for Digital DNA, Go Mama and California Avenue, California Native. DeMarzo reported that
staff is in the process of gathering public input and welcomed members of the public to submit comments
in relation to the mentioned above artworks. Staff also provided a status update on the artist application
process for the Public Safety Building public art project. Staff also announced an upcoming installation of
Toby Atticus Fraley’s Artwork Forge coming to King Plaza in November and invited the Commissioners
to join the Art Center Project Look Docent tour of the newly installed artwork.
ACTION:
1. Charleston-Arastradero Corridor – Elise DeMarzo introduced Joe Saxe, contract project
manager hired by the Public Art Program to oversee some public art projects in municipal
development on a contract basis, to the PAC. Saxe provided a summary of the artist selection process,
public art goals and placement opportunities, artist Susan Zoccola’s process behind her concept
development and presented images of five conceptual renderings to the commissioners. After meeting
with the design team in January and touring the corridor, Zoccola began exploring a number of
potential concepts. Due to the many constraints of trees, underground utilities, fire department access
needs, and rights of way, and a desire to spread the artwork elements throughout the corridor, the
final five sites were determined as the best for siting artworks. Informed by the intent of the project –
a heavily trafficked corridor in which the streetscape project is intended to enhance bike and
pedestrian safety, Zoccola set out to create wheel based compositions marking entrances and key
places along the corridor that would be dynamic for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike while
marking a few places along the corridor for drivers to pay extra attention looking for cyclists.
Commissioners reviewed the presented designs and clarified with staff on the choice of materials and
colors for the sculptures. Moved: Chair Migdal moved to approve artwork by Susan Zoccola for the
Charleston-Arastradero corridor. Second: Commissioner Taylor. All in favor.
2. California Avenue Parking Garage – Staff provided overall background information on the
development project of the new California Ave Parking Garage to be constructed in Spring 2019.
Staff utilized the prequalified pool of artists to select twenty artists that were brought to the panel for
consideration. The panel reviewed the artist pool and shortlisted five finalists to give presentations
detailing more about their previous work, their design development, and their interest in this
particular project. Ball-Nogues Studio was the highest ranked artist team. With more than twenty
years of experience, the studio has prominent public artworks in Santa Monica, Nashville, LAX, San
Francisco, Alberta, Canada, and even at the VA hospital in Palo Alto. Staff provided images to
highlight some of the previous projects completed by Ball-Nogues Studio. Member of the public and
Chair of California Ave Business Association Jack Morton addressed the Commissioners to provide
feedback on the architectural design development process for the new garage structure and shared that
the California Ave merchants are looking forward to meeting with the artist and providing input for
the design of the integrated artwork. Staff recommended that the Commissioners approve Ball-
Nogues Studio as the artist for the California Avenue Parking Garage project. Moved: Commissioner
Ross moved to approve Ball-Nogues Studio as the project. Second: Chair Migdal. All in Favor.
Chair Migdal left the meeting at 7:40 p.m.
NON-ACTION:
3. Joint Meeting with Council – Staff and Commissioners discussed an outline and strategy for the
presentation to Council scheduled to take place on December 4, 2017.
ANNOUNCEMENTS – None.
FOR YOUR CALENDAR:
Next PAC Regular Meeting – 7 PM, November 16, 2017
Joint Meeting with City Council - December 4, 2017.
MEETING ADJOURNED at 7:55 PM by Commissioner Ross