HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-08-09 Public Art Commission Summary Minutes
MINUTES
PUBLIC ART COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Palo Alto City Hall
Community Meeting Room
7:30 p.m.
Commissioners Present: Jim Migdal, Ben Miyaji, Hsinya Shen, Nia Taylor,
Loren Gordon,
Commissioners Absent: Amanda Ross, Ian Klaus
Staff Present: Elise DeMarzo, Public Art Program Director
Nadya Chuprina, Public Art Program Coordinator
Monique le Conge Ziesenhenne, Director, CSD
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Migdal called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, DELETIONS – None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS – None
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: May 17, 2018 PAC Regular Meeting Minutes Moved as corrected: Hsinya
Shen; Second: Jim Migdal; Abstained: Ben Miyaji. Approved: 4-1.
STAFF COMMENTS: Staff announced the conclusion of The Blue Trees Instagram photo contest The
winners received certificates at the Canopy’s Great Oak Count Day on July 28. Staff informed the
Commissioners that Digital DNA was permanently removed from Lytton Plaza on June 21 and returned
to the artist. Staff also announced that creative crosswalks designed by Damon Belanger were installed on
July 27 at Louis/Fielding intersection. Staff announced the launch of a new Prequalified Artist Pool call
with the application deadline of September 23, 2018.
ACTION:
1. De-accession of Artwork - Staff provided background information about ten murals on traffic
cabinets in downtown Palo Alto and reiterated the reasons for deaccessioning. Staff updated the
commission on the findings since the May 2018 PAC meeting: artists have been notified about
the PAC’s decision to proceed with the deaccession process. Staff has also followed up with the
City’s Transportation and Planning Dept. to clarify if the removed cabinets could be returned to
the artists. Planning staff has advised that those artists wishing to take possession of the removed
equipment should contact their department to make arrangements. Staff recommended that the
PAC approve formal deaccession of ten murals on utility boxes in downtown Palo Alto by
various artists (remaining and previously removed). Commissioners expressed support for the
decision to deaccession the mural and suggested that it would be great to provide similar
opportunities to local artists in the future, provided that the projects would be of temporary nature
and utilize materials of high quality. Moved: Commissioner Nia Taylor moved to approve the
deaccession of ten murals painted on traffic cabinets painted by Xochitl Kuriger, Kate Orange,
Cristina Strassman, John N. Betts, Ceevah Sobel, Susan Hemmingway, Chelsea Hodge and Kiel
Brennan-Marquez, and Alison Hoyt, Larkin Elderon, and Katie Morton. Second: Commissioner
Gordon. All in Favor.
2. Acquisition of Artwork –Staff recommended that the PAC accept the donations of artworks by
Cubberley artists Daniele Archambault, Barbara Boissevain, Servane Briand, Mel Day, Catherine
di Napoli, Amy DiPlacido, Conrad Johnson, Pantea Karimi, Paloma Lucas, Andrew Muonio, and
Ernest Regua into the City Collection as part of the CASP agreement. Commissioners viewed the
digital images of the offered works and voted by show of hands to select one of the options
provided by artists Catherine Di Napoli and Ernest Regua. Moved: Vice Chair Miyaji moved to
accept the following donations from CASP artists: Bring Art to the Streets!, 2015 by Daniele
Archambault, Salt Pond Square Grid I, 2017 by Barbara Boissevain, Livres en Liberte, 2015 by
Servane Briand, Study Guide for Experimental Contemplatives (Vol.1), 2012 by Mel Day,
Ecstasy 26, 2017 by Catherine Di Napoli, End of a Pen 3, 2017 by Amy DiPlacido, Waterfall
Canyon 3, 2018 by Conrad Johnson, The Man on the Moon iii, 2018 by Pantea Karimi,
Permeable, 2015 by Paloma Lucas, Electric Bay, 2017 by Andy Muonio, Threshold, 2013 by
Ernest Regua. Second: Chair Migdal. All in Favor.
3. Baylands Artist-In-Residence - Staff updated the Commissioners on the Baylands AIR project
developments including the stakeholder outreach and extensive research done by artists Daniel
McCormick & Mary O’Brien of Watershed Sculpture. Based on the research and stakeholder
engagement, the artists proposed creation of a temporary ecological installation to be located at
an identified site at Byxbee Park. The artmaking process will engage BCCPP stakeholder and
volunteer groups in all stages of installation. The installation will take place in September 2018.
Another deliverable of the AIR project is to create a public art overlay for the Baylands corridor
east of Highway 101. Moved: Vice Chair Miyaji Second: Commissioner Shen. All in Favor.
NON-ACTION:
4. Downtown Parking Garage – Staff provided informational update on the project development
and showed the latest architectural drawings. Artist, staff, and design team are currently exploring
the possibility of expanding the public art element to the perforated concrete wall of the
downtown garage structure, if it can be completed within the art budget. Commissioners
expressed their support of this idea stating that this additional element will strengthen the overall
presence of public art integrated into the building.
ANNOUNCEMENTS – Chair Migdal inquired whether it would be possible to permanently change the
PAC meeting time to 7:30 pm. Staff will look into this request and report back.
CALENDAR:
Next PAC Regular Meeting – August 16, 2018 - CANCELLED. PAC Annual Retreat – September 15,
2018 at 9 am at the Environmental Volunteers Center in the Baylands.
MEETING ADJOURNED at 8:20 PM by Chair Migdal.