HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-17 Public Art Commission Summary Minutes
MINUTES
PUBLIC ART COMMISSION
MEETING
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Palo Alto City Hall
Community Meeting Room
7:00 p.m.
Commissioners Present: Ben Miyaji, Nia Taylor, Jim Migdal, Loren Gordon, Amanda
Ross, Hsinya Shen
Commissioners Absent: Ian Klaus
Staff Present: Nadya Chuprina, Public Art Program Coordinator
Monique leConge Ziesenhenne, Director of Library &
Community Services
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Migdal called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.
AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, DELETIONS – Non-action item 5 was tabled till the February 21
meeting.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS – None
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: December 20, 2018 PAC Meeting Minutes Moved: Vice Chair Miyaji;
Second: Chair Migdal. All in favor.
STAFF COMMENTS: Staff announced recent installations of artworks for Fire Station 3 and Avenidas.
A kinetic bench titled Welcome Wagon by Pete Beeman was installed outside the new fire station facility
along Newell Road. A mural from reclaimed wood titled 148 Possibilities by Martin Webb was competed
for the new atrium lobby at Avenidas.
ACTION:
1. Election of Officers – Chair Migdal summarized the general duties of the Chair and Vice Chair,
including the monthly time commitments to facilitate the meetings to the Commissioners. Chair
Migdal opened the floor to nominations for the position of Chair. Migdal nominated Vice Chair
Miyaji. Miyaji accepted the nomination. Moved: Chair Migdal made a motion to close the
nomination. Second: Commissioner Gordon. All in Favor. Commissioners filled out the ballots
and passed to staff. Staff announced the votes: Commissioner Miyaji won the Chair vote (6-0).
Commissioner Migdal opened the floor to nominations for the position of Vice Chair. Chair
Miyaji nominated Commissioner Gordon. Gordon accepted the nomination. No other
nominations followed. Moved: Commissioner Migdal made a motion to close the nomination.
Second: Chair Miyaji. All in Favor. Commissioners filled out the ballots and passed to staff.
Staff announced the votes: Commissioner Gordon won the Vice Chair vote (6-0). Chair elect
Miyaji thanked Commissioner Migdal for his leadership and dedicated service as the PAC Chair.
2. Mobile App for the Public Art Collection – Staff provided an overview of the STQRY platform
functionalities and reported on the outcomes of the mobile app trial, providing stats on the
numbers and types of public engagements with the artworks during the trial period. Staff
presented pricing options for monthly, annual and 3-year subscriptions. There was some
discussion about staff capacity to manage content and facilitate appropriate on-site signage that
would allow the public to access the multimedia content. Moved: Commissioner Migdal moved
to approve funding for the mobile app for the public art collection with a pricing option at staff
discretion. Second: Chair Miyaji. All in Favor.
3. Approval of Temporary Public Art Installations at King Plaza – Staff provided an overview of the
selection process for temporary public art for King Plaza. Staff presented and shared visuals of
previous installations and initial concepts for King Plaza by five selected artists and art
collectives, including FreelandBuck, Adam Marcus, Paz de la Calzada, Randy Colosky, and
Electric Coffin. The artists presented to the Commissioners were ranked by a selection panel
comprised of Elise DeMarzo, Palo Alto Public Art Program Director, Ian Klaus, Public Art
Commissioner, and Valerie Tam, Public Works Engineer, based on the following criteria: artistic
excellence of previous body of work, site-specificity to Palo Alto of the proposed concept, and
how dynamic and engaging the proposed concepts are. Staff clarified with the Commissioners
that the public art team would be working closely with the selected artists to refine and develop
further the presented initial concepts to meet specific requirements of the exhibition site and take
in account the feedback from the PAC. Commissioners requested that staff keep the PAC
informed of the proposals as they develop further. Commissioners also requested that those who
served on the selection panel share their feedback on the artist selection process with the PAC.
Moved: Commissioner Midgal moved to approve upcoming temporary art installations and
allocation of funds in the amount of $40,000 for artists FreelandBuck and Adam Marcus;
Second: Commissioner Shen. All in Favor.
NON-ACTION:
4. The Baylands Artist-in-Residence – Staff and commissioner Migdal led a discussion about the
Baylands Comprehensive Conservation Plan (BCCP) Public Art Overlay. Commissioners
expressed overall support for the drafted plan prepared by Watershed artists as well thought-out
and clearly stated. Commissioners highlighted the temporary ecological installation by the artists,
its appropriateness to the unique ecosystem of the Baylands and great educational value for the
public.
ANNOUNCEMENTS – Staff announced the upcoming CASP artist reception at the Palo Alto Art Center
on Thursday, January 24, 5:30 – 7:30 pm.
CALENDAR: Next PAC Regular Meeting – February 21, 2019 at 7 pm.
MEETING ADJOURNED at 8:46 by staff.