HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-02-2004 Public Art Advisory Committee
Agenda
Public Art Advisory Committee
Thursday, September 2, 2004
3:30PM
Lobby Conference Room
A. Call to order
B. Public discussion of any item not on the agenda
C. Consideration of the minutes of the July 29, 2004 meeting
D. Discussion of details of the Benton Hill Park entryway project
with artist, Joe Prescher.
E. Review of sketches of Northside Neighborhood art project
houses with John Coyne.
F. Review of Peninsula Park sculpture proposals (dependent on
submittal by student artists).
G. Discussion of revisions to Neighborhood Art projects process
· Definition of "art"
· Required inclusion of artist in project development
H. Discussion of downtown alley project and use of public art
funds
I. Report on Public Art Program Network meeting, Aug. 2004.
J. Committee time/Other business
K. Adjournment
MINUTES
IOWA CITY PUBLIC ART ADVISORY COMMITTEE
THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2004, 3:30 P.M.
LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL
PRELIMINARY
Members Present:
Barbara Camillo, Charles Felling, Rick Fosse, James Hemsley, Mark Seabold,
Terry Trueblood, Emily Walsh
None
Absent:
Staff Present:
Karin Franklin, Marcia Klingaman
Ruth Baker, Helen Jahnke, Nancy Zemblidge (Benton Hill Park Residents)
Visitors Present:
Call to Order
Charles Felling called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.
Public discussion of anv item not on the aaenda
There was no discussion.
Consideration of the Minutes of Julv 1, 2004 Meetina
Motion:
A motion was made by Rick Fosse, seconded by Emily Walsh, to approve the Minutes.
The motion carried.
Presentations of proposals for the Benton Hill Park entrvwav proiect
John Covne - Iowa City
John Coyne presented an example of his work, the Black Angel, which is on display in the Ped Mail. The
Black Angel is made of cast aluminum with a steel armature. It is designed to take any kind of stress.
Coyne proposes using the same materials for the Benton Hill entryway.
The surface finish of the arch will have the same kind of patination as the Black Angel. Coyne would bring
out the silvers in the aluminum, resulting in reflective surfaces. The process is going into a matte gray to a
black, from a black all the way through the scale to a reflective silver.
The arch is a complex form, but a simple design. It is 10 feet high to the bottom of the Benton Hill Park
lettered area and 14 feet at the widest point between the pillars. Coyne will cast the aluminum
components in either 5-foot sections or 3-foot sections. Each section is fitted around and attached to the
pipe. Components are welded together and the seam of weld would be seamless. The archway would be
fabricated in sections and arrive at the site in one piece. For maintenance purposes, he will apply four or
five coats of an industrial lacquer.
Coyne wili contract out the aluminum casting, cement work, and the transport and assistance with the
installation.
A November 1st deadline is conceivable, but a spring deadline would be more realistic.
Steve Maxon and Doris Parks, Max-Cast Inc. - Kalona
Max-Cast displayed a scale model of their proposed entryway. The bowed arch is made of cor-ten steel,
chosen for its corrosion resistance. Cor-ten is also more organic looking with less of a satin finish and a
color that would go well with the brick-colored pillars, the greenery and the bronze elements of the piece.
The "Benton Hill Park" lettering is made of bronze plate and treated with a green patina. The lettering
appears in a recessed area in the front of the arch. The archway is approximately 15 feet high, 20 feet
wide and 2 feet thick at the thickest point.
The arch is bolted to two 10-foot high concrete pillars that are reinforced with cor-ten steel rods. Concrete
would be poured, on site, into % " plywood forms, embedded in 2x3' steel-reinforced footings. Most likely,
the joints between the pillars and arch would be bolted into the pillars, welded into the steel rods, with a
steel plate to allow access to the framework.
A fish-scale design of poured concrete, reminiscent of the house that once stood in the area, would be
applied on the inside of the plywood forms. Terra Cotta stain is added to the concrete mixture, rather than
being treated later with a stain. A sealer would be applied to the pillars.
Max-Cast proposed embedding six 4"x4" bronze nature plaques on the four sides and the two back sides
of the pillars. Two 8"x10" plaques referring to the history of the Benton Hill Park area would appear on the
front side of the pillars.
Iowa City Public Art Advisory Committee Minutes
July 29, 2004
Page 2
There was concern that the cor-ten could create stain probiems.
Max-Cast would fabricate the piece at their shop. The materials priced out at just under $10,000. The
November 1" deadline is feasible.
{Emily Walsh left the meeting at this point)
Joseph Prescher - Iowa City
The archway design consists of three elements; steel, cast concrete and cast bronze. Elements of the
archway include two 12-foot high cast-concrete posts in the form of stylized stems. There is a concrete
birdhouse at the top of each post with cast bronze and iron petal motifs beginning at about 11 feet high.
Wings are an addition to the original design and are cast in concrete. Ideally, the birdhouses would be
functional and the cast concrete caps removable for cleaning. A light fixture could be placed atop the
birdcages by running conduit up through the concrete pillars and a section of the birdhouse, through the
top cap. The lighting could make it more difficult to clean the houses.
The span piece is made of beaded cut steel. The front of the arch has a cast piece holding the name of
the park and a central plaque with a Smiling Sun cast in bronze, represented as feminine. A Smiling
Moon is on the reverse side, cast in aluminum, represented as masculine. Prescher proposed that the
Moon side have a quote, such as "Walk in Beauty" or "Walk in Truth." The wings and sun face are
perforated. He is open for suggestions on what typeface to use. In line with the current trend in Iowa City
for Victorian and art nouveau styles, he is considering the steel as dark green and the concrete colored,
perhaps in a stone shade.
Prescher has not worked at this scale before. He will fabricate the molds and has contractors, who do
have experience workin~ at this scale, to pour the concrete, cast the steel, bronze and aluminum and cut
the steel. A November 1 I deadline is feasible.
The committee would like pricing information and more detail on color renderings and on engineering
aspects, e.g. how much wind load can the reinforced steel sustain, the stress loads for concrete, bolting
and plates.
JC MacQueen - Iowa City (not in attendance)
The committee reviewed two sketches from his website for the entryway. The committee agreed to limit
their selection to the three invited artists.
Discussion of preferred artist for Benton Hill Park entry proiect
Following discussion, the committee and the Benton Hill Park residents ranked the artists' proposals. A
majority felt the Coyne piece was interesting but not appropriate for this site. The organ ice shapes and
features of the Prescher piece were favored over the historic features and more rigid form of the Max-
Cast proposal. The majority selected Joe Prescher for the project.
Committee Time/Other business
Karin and Marcia will meet with Prescher to discuss details of the project and the contract. The contract
can be presented to the Council on August 31, or September 14. The committee will aim for a project
completion in the spring of 2005.
The project budget is $30,000; $10,000 from the Park Project budget and $20,000 from Public Art.
There will be no meeting on August 5'h because the artists submitting proposals for the Peninsula Project
are not ready.
The next meeting will be September 2nd.
Adiournment
There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at approximately
5:30 p.m.
S:/pcdfminuleslpubliC arU2004/art07.29-Q4.doc
NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC ART PROJECT PROCEDURES
The Neighborhood Public Art Project has been established to move the focus of the Iowa City
Public Art Program to art in the neighborhoods and to allow neighborhoods to actively participate
in the selection, site location, possible production and installation of art in their neighborhoods.
Definition of Public Art - The Iowa Arts Council defines "public art" as an artwork or art place
that is created bv an artist or designer. a group of artists and/or designers. or a collaboration
between artists and/or designers for a specific site or place for the public to experience.
The following is the process for implementation of the Iowa City Neighèarhaad Neighborhood
Public Art project:
Neil!hborhood Selection Process
Neighborhoods wi1l be notified through the Otììce of Neighborhood Services of the opportunity
to participate in the Neighborhood Art Proiect. A letter of interest must be submitted bv the
neighborhood association that wil1 include the following:
~ How the neighborhood intends to solicit input from the entire neighborhood.
~ An estimated schedule of the process.
~ Who wil1 be the chief neighborhood contact person for the proiect
~ How the artist wi1l be selectcd and what role thev wil1 play in working with the
neighborhood.
Artwork Selection Process
Neighborhoods must solicit all residents ofthe neighborhood to participate in the selection
process to determine the type of artwork that they wish to acquire/commission and the location
(s) of the proposed artwork. These meetings ean aee~r if¡ a 'lariety af [annats. The neighèerheod
ean ehoese to infefmally meet ta determine if a eonsens!!s ean Be easily reaehed Of! these elwiees.
If nat. f"rther meetings witft the assistanee af a ataff persen ta fee"s deeisian making may be
neeeasafY· The neighborhood ean alGa ehoese ta should-_begin the decision making process with
a "concept: artist". This type af artist shwould be able to collaboratively work with the
neighborhood 'lemed ili aallaBarati...e deeisian ma!älig as well aG the through the mechanics of
design and artist selection. The Public Art staff can provide assistance to the neighborhoods to
locate potential "concept" artists. This eonee¡¡t artist \\'8!!ld 8e eeR1H'lissiened thre!!gh the Publie
,'\rt Pi'sgram aRd paid f-ef as Anv fee for the "concept" artist would be part of the budget for the
neighborhood art project. Once a type of artwork is decided upon, the neighborhood will work
with theft concept artist in determining the design, composition, scale, etc. of the artwork utilizing
the selection criteria established for the Public Art Program. This artist can also assist in the
development of calls to artists (if applicable) for the neighborhood and guide the neighborhood
through a selection process. It is also completelv acceptable that the concept artist submits a
proposal for the completed neighborhood art proiect.
All existing criteria established through the Iowa City Public Art Program; procedures for site
selection, maintenance, accession and deaccession/relocation must be met in the consideration of
the artwork.
Review Process
The neighborhood sfliHl-must present their concept plan for the artwork, proposed site(s) and
method of artwork or project artist selection, and proposed budget to the Public Art Advisory
Committee (P AAC) for initial consideration. The P AAC wi]] use the attached "Neighborhood
Art Proiect Proposal Review Criteria" as a guideline for decision making, The P AAC will then
forward their recommendation ento the City Council for approval. Unless specifics about the
artist and/or artwork are available at that time, the City Council will be asked to approve the
"concept" of the project, the artist selection method, the budget and the artwork site.
After approval of the concept, site location and budget by the City Council, "calls-to-artists" (if
necessary) will be developed by the neighborhoods with the assistance of staff and the P AAC.
Selection of the artist/artwork by the neighborhood will be in accordance with the Acquisition
Procedures developed for the Public Art Program. After review of the final project by the Public
Art Advisory Committee, the City Council will then be asked to approve the final selection of
artist/artwork and budget.
Neighborhood Mentoring Process
Upon completion of their art project, the participating neighborhood will-may be asked to work
with and share their experiences with one other neighborhood association interested in
participating in the Neighborhood Art Project.
NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC ART PROJECT PROPOSALS
REVIEW CRITERIA
In reviewing the concept plans for the Neighborhood Art proiect proposals. the Public Art
Advisory Committee should consider the following:
· Has the neighborhood provided the opportunity for all residents to participate in the
process?
· Has there been participation in the process bv professional artists in creating a proiect
or designing/creating the artwork being proposed?
· Have all long-term maintenance requirements been addressed?
· Have initial contacts been made regarding availability ofthe site for installation of the
artwork?
· Are the existing criteria established through the Iowa Citv Public Art program
capable of being met (ie. Acquisition. Maintenance. deaccessionlrelocation):
particularlv:
Site Selection
· located on public property
· visible and accessible
· does not disrupt traffic flow
· durability of artwork in relation to location
· Has the Artist selection process been determined and is it feasible?
· Is the proposed budl!et reasonable?