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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-01-18 Public Art Commission Summary Minutes MINUTES PUBLIC ART COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING Thursday, January 18, 2018 City Hall Community Meeting Room 250 Hamilton Ave 7:00 p.m. Commissioners Present: Jim Migdal, Ben Miyaji, Loren Gordon, Hsinya Shen, Nia Taylor, Amanda Ross, Commissioners Absent: Mila Zelkha Staff Present: Elise DeMarzo, Public Art Program Director Rhyena Halpern, CSD Assistant Director Nadya Chuprina, Public Art Program Coordinator CALL TO ORDER: Chair Migdal called the meeting to order at 7:20 p.m. AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, DELETIONS – None. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS – None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: November 16, 2017 PAC Regular Meeting Minutes Moved: Ben Miyaji; Second: Jim Migdal. All in favor. STAFF COMMENTS: Staff announced that Joyce Hsu’s sculpture Birdie was successfully installed on at the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course in the end of December 2017. The golf course is scheduled to reopen to the public in Spring 2018, but the sculpture is accessible to the public now. Staff also reminded the Commissioners about the approaching artist selection panel meeting for the new Public Safety Building on January 29, from 1 – 4 PM and invited the public to attend the meeting to view artists’ presentations and interviews. Staff provided a brief summary of the selection process to-date and shared the names of the panelists. The panel will recommend one finalist to be approved by the PAC for the project. ACTION: 1. Election of Officers – Chair Migdal opened the discussion by summarizing roles and responsibilities of the Commission Chair and Vice Chair in addition to those related to the Public Art Commission meeting, and then briefed the Commissioners on the elections protocol and procedures. Chair Migdal opened the floor for the elections of officers. Vice Chair Miyaji nominated Jim Migdal to Chair. Migdal accepted. No other nominations for Chair were proposed. Migdal closed nominations for the vote. Voting took place and Commissioner Migdal was unanimously elected to another term as Chair of the Public Art Commission. All in Favor. Chair Migdal opened the nominations for Vice Chair and nominated Ben Miyaji for Vice Chair. Ben Miyaji accepted. No other nominations followed. Chair Migdal closed the nominations for the vote. A vote was conducted and Commissioner Miyaji was unanimously elected to another term as Vice Chair of the Public Art Commission. All in Favor. 2. Deaccession of Artwork - Staff provided a summary of the project background, key elements that comprise the permanent installation, detailed history of maintenance and replacement treatments, and associated costs. Staff demonstrated the visuals of the artwork throughout years 1997 to 2016 to demonstrate many changes to the streetscape of California Avenue and how it affected the integrity of the artwork. The alterations to the artwork included: the boulders in the median and sidewalks were relocated to new sites; the three banners in the entry median remain displayed, but now on a single flagpole (instead of three flagpoles) all of the one hundred bricks were re-fabricated and installed in a different orientation as part of the new slightly shifted crosswalks that are ADA compliant; the median landscape includes California native plants as recommended by the artist, however the new narrower median and the new irrigation boxes installed within the median severely impacted the amount of space available for plants and grasses. Staff then provided the following considerations for deaccession as outlined in the Deaccession Policy: the condition or security of the artwork cannot be reasonably guaranteed; the artwork is not, or is only rarely on display because the City lacks location for its display; no suitable site is available for relocation or exhibition, or significant changes in the use, character, or design of the site have occurred which affect the integrity of the artwork. Staff also noted that no public letters received regarding the deaccession of the artwork. Should the Commission vote to approve the deaccession of California Avenue; California Native, staff will notify the artist of the PAC’s decision and coordinate the removal of existing banners and art plaque. Staff made a recommendation that PAC approve the deaccession of California Avenue, California Native by Susan Leibovitz Steinman from the City’s permanent collection of public art. Vice Chair Miyaji commented that permanently-sited environmental public art projects are challenging to maintain after a time, and the extended drought played a major role. Commissioner Taylor noted that the artwork no longer looks cohesive and recommended that the Commission take the changing nature of environmental projects into consideration with future commissions. Moved: Commissioner Gordon moved to deaccession of California Avenue; California Native by Susan Leibovitz Steinman from the City’s permanent collection of public art. Second: Chair Migdal. All in Favor. 3. Allocation of funds for Baylands AIR – Staff provided the rational for the allocation of funds for Artist-in-Residence at the Baylands: as part of the PAMP, the creation of a public art plan for the Embarcadero corridor east of the 101 and Baylands was identified as a short term priority. Shortly after the adoption of the PAMP staff learned of an upcoming opportunity through Parks and Open Space to participate in the Baylands Comprehensive Conservation Plan. Staff listed the goals of the BCCP and informed the PAC that staff is working with the BCCP consultant to include public art as part of their planning process. Staff wishes to engage an artist to work with the BCCP stakeholders to help broaden Baylands stakeholders’ and the public’s understanding of the definitions of public art through a social practice-based projects; engage the public in a temporary artmaking process, aligned with the programming and educational initiatives of the Baylands; and provide public input to AECOM and City staff to inform the BCCP on public art opportunities at the Baylands. Staff then demonstrated a number of examples of environmental social practice-based projects. Commissioner Ross welcomed this Artist in Residence opportunity and shared that she wants to see an impactful project to educate the public on environmental and conservation issues at large. Vice Chair Miyaji added that this is a forward-looking and meaningful project opportunity. Chair Migdal clarified with staff what would be a potential scope of work and timing for the AIR project. Moved: Vice Chair Miyaji moved to allocate funding in the amount of $10,000 for the Artist-in-Residence at the Baylands project. Second: Commissioner Ross. All in Favor. NON-ACTION: 4. Joint Meeting with Council – Staff and Commissioners discussed the summary of the Public Art Commission presentation to Council scheduled that took place on December 4, 2017 and shared some of the highlights and feedback from Council Members. ANNOUNCEMENTS – None. CALENDAR: Next PAC Regular Meeting – February 15, 2018 at 7 p.m. at Mitchell Park Library located at 3800 Middlefield Rd. MEETING ADJOURNED at 8:11 PM by Chair Migdal.