AGENDA #4f(1)
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TO: |
Mayor and Town Council |
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FROM: |
Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission (CHPAC) |
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Richard Robinson, Chair |
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SUBJECT: |
Recommendation for an Artist Selected for the Public Library Expansion Project |
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DATE: |
January 22, 2007 |
The Public Arts Commission recommends that the Town Council authorize the Town Manager to execute two contracts with Janet Echelman: the first for the creation of a public art project in conjunction with the renovations to the Chapel Hill Public Library and the second to join the design team for the Pritchard Park Art Garden.
On March 4, 2002, the Town Council adopted a Percent for Art Ordinance, which stipulates that 1 percent of the annual Capital Improvement Plan be considered by the Town Council for allocation for public art. The resolution adopted on that date includes guidelines for the selection of artists and artwork.
On May 10, 2004, the Town Council voted to proceed with a Percent for Art project as a part of the Library Expansion.
The Chapel Hill Public Library Expansion budget of $16,260,000 was approved by Town Council, with one percent, or $162,600, going toward public art. The design fee for joining the Pritchard Park Art Garden design team is $15,000.
Following the procedures of the Council’s resolution, the Public Arts Commission has completed an artist selection process and is recommending that Town Council approve Janet Echelman as the artist for the Public Library Expansion.
The CHPAC distributed a national open Call to Artists and received 210 applications. An Artist Recommendation Committee, made up of three public arts professionals from across the country, reviewed all of the applications and created a short list of six artists/artist teams for the Artist Selection Committee to review. An Artist Selection Committee was formed that included two representatives from the Chapel Hill Town Council; two representatives from the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission; two representatives from the Library Board of Trustees; a representative from the Parks and Recreation Commission; a representative from the Manager’s Office; a representative from the Library staff; and the project architect. A selection committee meeting was held in order to narrow the short list down to three finalists. The finalists were interviewed in Chapel Hill and the Committee ultimately selected Janet Echelman. This recommendation was approved by the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission and Janet Echelman is now being recommended to Town Council for final approval as the public artist for the Public Library Expansion Project.
Janet Echelman builds sculptural interventions which respond to environmental forces like wind and water. Recent commissions include the $1.6 million waterfront wind sculpture in Porto, Portugal, and selection of her artist team’s design for September 11th Memorial for Hoboken (NJ), which will be a free-standing island in the Hudson River. Her previous work includes solo exhibitions of painting, prints, and sculpture in museum and public spaces in Venezia, Madrid, Rotterdam, Vilnius, Bombay, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Kyoto, Miami, Houston, and New York.
Janet Echelman, M.A., M.F.A., teaches Public Art at New School University in NYC, and previously taught at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She is recipient of a Fulbright Senior Lectureship, Japan Foundation Fellowship, Rotary International Fellowship, residencies at the Bogliasco Foundation, Fundacion Valparaiso and Art OMI, and artist grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Pollock-Krasner. She graduated from Harvard College, Harvard University, with Highest Honors in Visual and Environment Studies, and received a Masters of Fine Arts from the Bard College.
Her work was honored by the Public Art Network as one of the highlights of the 2004 Year in Review. In 2005, she was elected to the National Council of the Public Art Network through 2008.
Assuming the Council authorizes a contract, the Artist will begin meeting with the architect and Town staff.
The CHPAC recommends that Janet Echelman, who was selected by the Artist Selection Committee and reviewed by the CHPAC, be awarded the Percent for Art commission for the Public Library Expansion Project. Minutes of the Artist Selection Committee meeting is attached.
1. Minutes of December 19, 2006 Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission Meeting (p. 3).