AGENDA #9a
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission (CHPAC)
SUBJECT: Recommendation for an Artist Selected for the Hargraves Center/A.D. Clark Pool Extraordinary Maintenance Project
DATE: August 25, 2003
The Public Arts Commission recommends that the Town Council authorize the Town Manager to execute a contract with David Wilson for the creation of artwork for the Hargraves Center/A.D. Clark Pool Extraordinary Maintenance Project.
BACKGROUND
On March 4, 2002, the Town Council established the Percent for Art Program, which provides for spending a percent of the budget of selected capital projects on public art. The resolution adopted on that date includes an outline of the process to select artists and art.
On March 25, 2002, the Town Council agreed to proceed with a Percent for Art project as a part of 2002 Streetscape construction.
The budget for the Hargraves Center/A.D. Clark Pool Extraordinary Maintenance project was set by the Council at $1,087,600, with one percent of that, or $10,876, going toward public art. In addition, at its January 13, 2003 meeting the Council allocated $7,000 from the Capital Improvements fund to the Arts Commission for a "Percent for Art" project at the Hargraves Center. The project includes seven mural panels for the site.
Following the procedures of the Council’s resolution, the Public Arts Commission has completed an artist selection process and has decided on its recommendation to the Council.
An Artist Selection Committee that included representatives of the community, a member of the CHPAC, art professionals, representative from the Parks and Recreation Department, a Town Council representative, and an Assistant Town Manager reviewed the work of 15 artists that was solicited through a limited call. Three highly qualified finalists were chosen to be interviewed. After interviewing the three finalists, the Committee discussed the candidates in depth, and selected David Wilson to recommend to the Town Council to receive a commission to create a new public artwork for the Hargraves Center/A.D. Clark Pool extraordinary maintenance project.
ARTIST RECOMMENDED FOR SELECTION
David Wilson is a painter who has worked as a lead or co-artist on several community arts projects across the state of North Carolina. Through the North Carolina Museum of Art Outreach Division, Wilson served as the lead artist on the Senior Center Mural Projects in both Durham and Nashville, North Carolina and as the Artist in Residence at the Durham County Youth Home Project. In addition, he has created murals at Lakeshore Middle School and in Goldsboro, NC. Wilson is a graduate of Hampton University, where he studied under the great muralist John Biggers. He now lives in Hillsborough, NC.
At his interview with the Artist Selection Committee, Wilson discussed his previous work, in addition to his specific ideas for this public art project at the Hargraves Community Center. Wilson’s proposal includes seven murals capturing the history and energy of the Hargraves Center. The murals will be digitally reproduced onto durable panels intended for outdoor use to be displayed on the exterior of the building. The original murals will be displayed inside the building. The Committee was impressed by Wilson’s slide presentation of previous work, noting that he would bring a high level of professionalism to the project. They were also delighted to see his comprehensive action plan that detailed his proposed schedule for getting involved with the Hargraves community, designing the mural, and executing the work.
NEXT STEPS
Assuming the Council authorizes a contract, the Artist will have sixty (60) days to become more involved with the Hargraves community in order to refine and add details to the general conceptual approach which was presented to the Artist Selection Committee on June 24, 2003. The fully developed design proposal shall consist of: a project budget, scaled drawings, a written statement describing the concept for the Art Work, material samples, samples of coatings and finishes, a tentative fabrication schedule, instructions for installing the work at the Site, and maintenance recommendations. Upon reviews, possible modifications and approvals, the Art Work will be delivered to the Hargraves Center by June 24, 2004.
RECOMMENDATION
The CHPAC recommends that David Wilson, who was selected by the Artist Selection Committee and reviewed by the CHPAC, be awarded the Percent for Art commission for the Hargraves Center/A.D. Clark Pool extraordinary maintenance project. Minutes of the Artist Selection Committee meetings are attached.
ATTACHMENTS
CHAPEL HILL PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION (CHPAC)
Summary of the Artist Selection Committee Meeting
Hargraves Community Center Project
June 24, 2003
Present: Jeffrey Cohen, Chair; Paul Caldwell, Nancy Atwater, Edith Wiggins, Esthur Foster, Maryjean Williams, Flo Miller, Jan-ru Wan, Susan Leeb, Kathryn Spatz, Nate Davis, Kate Billings (incoming Program Coordinator for CHPAC – not-voting), Karen Slotta (Program Coordinator for CHPAC – not-voting)
Absent: Ed Caldwell, Vernelle Jones, Laura Harrar
Cohen called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
II. Introduction
Cohen welcomed everyone to the meeting. He explained that the goal for tonight’s meeting was to select the artist for the project. The Committee will interview the three candidates as follows: David Wilson from 6:15-7pm, Roberto Delgado from 7-7:45pm, Artie Barksdale from 7:45-8:30pm. After the interviews, the committee will discuss their proposals and select the artist either by consensus or a simple majority vote.
Cohen directed committee members’ attention to the handout listing five prepared questions for the interviews and asked for volunteers to ask one of the five questions during each interview. The questions included: Please describe your approach to public art. Please describe your experience working with communities, architects and other people in the public art process. Do you feel you will be able to work within the project budget? What is your schedule like over the next year? Do you have any outstanding commitments we should be aware of - residencies, teaching jobs, etc.? He added that committee members were free to ask their own questions during the interviews.
Cohen noted that each artist has been asked to show slides of their previous work to reacquaint the committee with the artist’s style.
Cohen added that the committee’s task should be to choose the candidate who’s aesthetic and public art approach best fits the Hargraves Community Center project.
Wilson submitted a public art action plan and information on the materials he will use to create four outdoor murals for the Center. Wilson will use digital imaging and high pressure laminate to create composite graphic panels. The murals would be located on the south and west elevations of the main building, at the pool area and at the west elevation of the Northside gym. The two panels on the front of the main Hargraves building will capture the general history of the Hargraves Center. It would highlight construction of the Center and feature key people and events. The mural that will face out to the main parking lot will depict the essence/importance of the Center to the community. It would feature children and adults enjoying the Center. The mural for the pool area would feature a typical day at the pool. Another panel would feature a community picnic. The Northside gym mural will feature a tournament basketball game outdoors with an enthusiastic crowd watching. A second gym panel will depict the activities of the playing fields. The style of the work will be figurative and each mural will be alive with color. Wilson will work with the community and do extensive research. The original paintings will be on scaled on canvas. These may then be displayed inside the Hargraves Center or at other community locations. Wilson will involve the youth in the project by making copies of the original drawings and letting the young people add their own stories and colors to the drawings.
Delgado proposed several different options for the project. One option would be to create acrylic murals using fiberglass mesh in two locations – the bathhouse area and the stage area of the main building. The second option would be to create 252 tile treatments in the gym to showcase a photographic history of the community. The tiles would be interspersed throughout the interior of the gym and sited so that the images could be easily seen. The third option would be to create both the murals and the tile work on a reduced scale in order to accommodate the project budget. Delagado’s style is to juxtapose images and figures in order to create a complex and somewhat abstract feel to the work. This way different people see different things in the artwork at different times. Delgado will invite people from the community to meet with him and discuss the project. He would solicit family photographs and archival photographs for the project. He would talk with anyone interested in the project and feed on the community’s creativity. Delgado showed samples of his tile work and a sample mural. He noted that his art deals with people. He knows creativity is not a one person job and would work with the community to gather ideas and images. Delgado noted that he will create high quality works of art that would complement the architectural and aesthetic design of the Hargraves Community Center; and provide a design that represents the history and culture of the Center and the community.
After interviewing the finalists, the committee voted. Six votes went to Wilson, four to Barksdale and zero to Delgado. This voting round eliminated Delgado. Committee members then discussed their reactions to Wilson and Barksdale’s presentations. They were impressed with both candidates. It was noted that Barksdale’s proposal has the most community involvement. Wilson will include the community and the youth but he will do most of the painting in his studio. Committee members then discussed how the finished product would look. Many felt that Wilson’s process will provide a more professional look. His outdoor murals will also be very visible. Cohen then asked the committee members to vote. The results of the second vote were:
Artie Barksdale 3
David Wilson 7
David Wilson received a majority of the votes and was declared the selected artist for the Hargraves Community Center project.
V. Closing and Next Steps
Cohen thanked the Panel for attending the meetings and for selecting an artist for the Hargraves Community Center project. He noted that the Town will now enter into a contract with Wilson. It will not be executed until late August because of the Town Council summer recess.
The committee decided that if Wilson is not able to undertake this project, Barksdale will become the artist for this project.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Slotta, Staff member
Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission