SUBJECT: 2001 PUBLIC ART WORKPLAN THIRD QUARTER REPORT AND MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR REPORT FOR PUBLIC ARTWORKS
COUNCIL DISTRICT: City-Wide
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the 2001 Public Art Workplan Third Quarter Report and Maintenance and Repair Report for Public Artworks.
In accordance with Section 22.10.0101 of the San José Municipal Code, the San José Arts Commission, through the Office of Cultural Affairs, presents an annual Public Art Workplan to the City Council. The City’s first Public Art Workplan was adopted February 1992. On February 21, 1995, the City Council requested that the Office of Cultural Affairs provide quarterly updates on the progress of the Public Art Workplan and the Public Art Program.
On February 20, 2001, the City Council approved the 2001 Public Art Workplan.
August 7, 2001, the City Council accepted the 2001 Public Art Workplan Second Quarter Report with a referral (No: 8-7-01-5.2) that staff submit a report to Council on how art is maintained.
Funds to support the 2001 Public Art Workplan are set forth in Chapter 22.08 of the Municipal Code. Community-based projects and artists training programs are supported by Transient Occupancy Taxes.
The 2001 Public Art Workplan consisted of 36 projects, including 18 City of San José capital projects and 12 San José Redevelopment Agency projects. During the period covered by the Third Quarter Report, an artist selection process for Boston Properties’ Plaza de Almaden resulted in the selection for the project of internationally recognized artist James Carpenter. Public art projects expected to be completed during the fourth quarter include a public art mural by San José artists Carlos de Silva, Erik Irquidi and Juan Raul for the Olinder Community Center, and a sculptural installation commemorating the City’s Ohlone heritage will be installed at Confluence Point. Artist selection will be completed for several branch library and parks projects.
The City currently maintains a collection of seventy public artworks ranging from two-dimensional works such as paintings to major sculptural and structural works such as the “Veteran’s Memorial” and “Five Skaters” at the Arena.
The responsibility of collection management is a concern that has been raised by the Arts Commission since the first Public Art Workplan was initiated in 1991. At that time $20,000 was budgeted to repair and restore ten works held in the City’s collection. Since that time, the Office of Cultural Affairs has increased spending from approximately $5,000 to $10,000 annually for repair, restoration and routine maintenance of public art, with an emergency reserve of $30,000.
The majority of the City’s artworks are maintained in good fashion and are repaired and conserved in a timely manner. Within the past six months “Agriculture” and the “Veteran’s Memorial” received routine maintenance, tagging was removed from “Essence to Essence” at Confluence Point, oil splashes were removed from “Plumed Serpent”, “Giselle” was restored due to vandalism, and necessary repairs were made to “Five Skaters”. In addition, routine work orders have also been submitted for light bulb replacement at several public art sites. One artwork, the fountain at the Biblioteca, has remained in disrepair from severe vandalism until such time that a thorough reconstruction can be completed.
In May 2001 the Office of Cultural Affairs initiated a Request for Proposals from qualified art conservationists to review and assess the City’s entire public art collection. Conservation Art Services of San Francisco was selected to develop a comprehensive survey of the condition of the collection and to estimate maintenance and conservation costs. A full report is due from Conservation Art Services in March 2002.
The Public Art Workplan and Quarterly Reports are reviewed by the Public Art Committee, the Arts Commission, and City Council, all of which are publicly noticed meetings.
The Request for a collection condition assessment was issued regionally.
The 2001 Public Art Workplan and Quarterly Reports are coordinated with the Budget Office, the Department of Public Works, and the San José Redevelopment Agency.
NANCY JOHNSON
Director, Conventions, Arts and Entertainment