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CAC - Consideration of a New Permanent Art Concept by Veronika Kellndorfer Toward Fulfillment of the City’s Art in Public Places Program Requirement for a Project at 9735 Washington Boulevard (Brick & Machine)
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Meeting Date: July 21, 2020
Contact Person/Dept: B. Christine Byers / Administrative Services - Cultural Affairs
Phone Number: (310) 253-6003
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - Cultural Affairs Commission (07/17/20).
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (07/16//20); Serena Wright-Black, Assistant City Manager (07/16/20)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC) consider the information provided, together with the recommendation of the CAC Public Art Subcommittee, and approve Veronika Kellndorfer’s art concept titled, Architecture of Plants, Euphorbia Ammak, toward fulfillment of Culver City’s Art in Public Places Program (APPP) requirement for a new development project at 9735 Washington Boulevard (Brick & Machine).
BACKGROUND
Clarett West Development (Claret) is the developer (Applicant) of a new project -- Brick & Machine -- located at 9735 Washington Boulevard (corner of Washington Blvd. and Delmas Terrace). The project is designed by Culver City-based Abramson Architects and comprises a 4-story building (Brick) and a 3-story building (Machine) that combined, total approximately 70,000 sq. ft. of interior office, retail and restaurant space (the rooftop area of the Machine portion of the project will provide additional garden and restaurant seating space). Brick & Machine is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2021.
Pursuant to CCMC Section 15.06.120, new commercial development projects with a building valuation of $500,000 or more and remodeling projects (tenant improvements) with a building valuation of $250,000 or more are subject to the City’s Art in Public Places Program (APPP) requirement. The minimum 1% APPP allocation that Claret is required to fulfill for Brick & Machine is $185,000. This amount is based on the 1% APPP allocation associated with two Building Permits, B19-0042 and B19-0043.
DISCUSSION
Claret hired Marc Pally to serve as art consultant for the project. Mr. Pally is an experienced artist, curator and administrator specializing in public art and among his many accomplishments, is the commission of Tony Tasset’s Rainbow for Sony Pictures Entertainment. Mr. Pally oversaw an extensive artist search for Brick & Machine which is outlined in detail in the attachment. Of the three finalists, Berlin-based artist Veronika Kellndorfer was selected for this project in part because of her commitment to natural systems and architectural spaces. Originally trained as a painter, Ms. Kellndorfer is widely known as a photographer, with many of her photographic images having been transferred to glass panels that have been exhibited as stand-alone artworks or incorporated into buildings. She has exhibited internationally and her work is in permanent museum collections in Europe, South America and the United States (<http://kellndorfer.com/cv.html>).
Ms. Kellndorfer’s concept for Brick & Machine is titled, Architecture of Plants, Euphorbia Ammak, and is based on a source image that the artist made while visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Freeman House which sits above Franklin Avenue in Hollywood. Vertical cacti dominate the image which also includes horizontal window mullions and some of the urban landscape visible from beyond the Freeman House property. The image will be transferred onto multiple industrial security glass panels by a silkscreen process and then fired at very high temperatures. Once the image transfer process is complete, the glass panels will be shipped from Germany to Los Angeles where they will be assembled into insulated glass units with the fused image residing within the air gap between the two panes of glass comprising each panel.
The artwork will span three stories of the main entry/lobby off of Delmas Terrace where the Brick and Machine sections of the project meet. The art will be approximately 42’ high and just over 14’ wide. The physical structural components of the Brick & Machine entry way (floor breaks, window/door frames, etc.) will be juxtaposed against those architectural details captured in the image from the Freeman House. The artwork will shift with light as well as the viewer’s perspective. The artwork will be back lit with ambient, low-glare lighting so as to remain visible throughout the day and into the evening. Morning and late afternoon will provide the most contrast for viewing the image.
The attached art plan includes a budget of $185,000 which covers the artist’s fee, fabrication, shipping, insurance, etc. Some costs associated with this artwork are being covered through the larger construction budget. Andrea Morse of Sculpture Conservation Studio is reviewing the materials and maintenance plan for this artwork.
The CAC Public Art subcommittee (Vice Chair Pali and Commissioner Williams) met virtually via Webex events with the Applicant, Marc Pally, Abramson Architects, Christopher Grimes and Veronika Kellndorfer on June 22, 2020. The subcommittee supports the concept as presented and recommends the CAC approve Veronika Kellndorfer’s artwork titled, Architecture of Plants, Euphorbia Ammak toward fulfillment of the APPP requirement for Brick & Machine.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The cost for design, fabrication and installation for this project is borne entirely by the Applicant. The responsibility and cost for future maintenance and restoration of the artwork is the responsibility of the property owner pursuant to Section 15.06.150 of the CCMC. There are, however, City staff costs associated with project coordination, preparation of a covenant, other documentation and outreach materials.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 20-07-21_ATT_Art Plan for Brick & Machine by Veronika Kellndorfer
MOTION
That the Cultural Affairs Commission:
1. Approve an art concept by Veronika Kellndorfer titled, Architecture of Plants, Euphorbia Ammak, toward fulfillment of the APPP requirement for Brick & Machine.