ACTION: AUTHORIZE THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO ISSUE ART PROGRAM CONTRACTS FOR PHASE 2 STATIONS

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1 6.d DATE: APRIL 4, 2013 TO: FROM: BOARD OF DIRECTORS RICHARD D. THORPE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ACTION: AUTHORIZE THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO ISSUE ART PROGRAM CONTRACTS FOR PHASE 2 STATIONS RECOMMENDATION Authorize the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to issue Art Program contracts for Phase 2 Stations in an amount not-to-exceed $2,860,000. SUMMARY The Art Program for the Exposition Light Rail Transit Project (Project) is a partnership between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority (Authority). The Public Art Budget has been established in the amount of $2,860,000 for Phase 2 of the Project. Beginning in April, 2012, Metro conducted Artists Workshops, issued Calls to Artists and conducted a selection process with peer review and community input to recommend station artists for the Phase 2 Expo Light Rail Stations. Eight artists have been recommended as a result of this process. After the artists have completed their designs, the artwork will be provided to the fabricators, who will transform the designs into photographic ceramic tiles, glass mosaics or ceramic mosaics. The frame maker(s) will assemble the tiles into the finished art panels and construct frames for each panel. The contracts for these services will be awarded on a competitive basis.

2 DISCUSSION In April, 2012, Metro conducted Artists Workshops to familiarize the local community with opportunities and requirements for participation in the Metro Art Program for Phase 2 of the Project. The workshops were held at the Santa Monica Main Library and the Palms-Rancho Park Library and were attended by more than 200 artists. In June, 2013, Metro issued Calls to Artists, which were sent to over 4,000 artists and California arts organizations. The Notices were posted on social media such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as on the Metro English and Spanish language blogs, The Source and El Pasajero, and both the Metro and Authority websites. The Calls were announced on seven arts-specific list servers and websites including the City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, Los Angeles Culture Net, University of California Institute for Research in the Arts and Public Art Coalition of Southern California. Metro Brief ads announcing the artist opportunities were placed in 93 publications in 11 different languages. In addition, the public radio station KPCC ran a story on the Calls to Artists. The Call to Artists material discussed selection criteria including submittal of digital images and qualifications based on professional recognition such as awards, honors, exhibition record etc. Based on these criteria, the qualifications of the 396 artists that responded to the Calls to Artists were evaluated by an artist selection panel. The selection panel had ten members that included community residents representing organizations such as the 18 th Street Art Center in Santa Monica, LACMA, the Vincent Price Art Museum, the Expo Line Urban Design Committee, as well as an artist who had participated in the Phase 1 station art project. The 26 artists whose qualifications ranked highest were asked to submit art concept proposals. Metro assembled Community Resource Guides for Artists specifically created for the Phase 2 art project which were provided to each finalist. The Resources Guides were intended to provide artist finalists with an overview of the artistic, social and environmental context of the seven new stations during the proposal period of the artist selection process. The Expo Urban Design Committee, City of Santa Monica and community groups, including the Palms Neighborhood Council and Westwood Gardens Homeowners Association, contributed information about the history, demographics, cultural resources, open spaces and bicycle resources in the area. Historical materials from the Metro Dorothy Peyton Grey Transportation Library were also included. In February, 2013, art concept proposals were presented by the artists to the art selection panel. Following the art concept proposal presentations, the selection panel ranked the following eight artists as most qualified and appropriate for the 2

3 Metro Expo Line Phase 2 stations. Of the eight selected artists, six are residents of Los Angeles County. Attachment A includes a general description of each station concept and a short biography of each of the selected artists. National/Palms Station: Expo/Westwood Station: Expo/Sepulveda Station: Expo/Bundy Station: Olympic/26 th Street Station: Colorado/17 th Street Station: Colorado/4 th Street Station: Colorado/4 th Street Station: (Sculpture) Shizu Saldamando Abel Alejandre Susan Logoreci Nzuji De Magalhaes Constance Mallinson Carmen Argote Judithe Hernandez Walter Hood On February 19, 2013, the art concept proposals for each station were presented to the Urban Design Committee at a public meeting and received unanimous support. Representatives from the City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs and Planning departments participated during the selection process and have expressed their support. Additionally, stakeholders representing all areas of the alignment have been involved through their participation on the selection panel and have indicated their support as well. In order to ensure the art is completed in time for the opening, the Authority must enter into contracts with these artists and fabricators. Artists will produce original designs for a total of 94 art panels that will be installed within Gateway Arches and Seating Modules at each station. Also under consideration is the inclusion of a sculpture at the Colorado/4 th Street Station in Santa Monica, which will be the terminus point of the Exposition Line. Fabricators will translate the original artwork into durable mosaic/tile materials and deliver artwork to the frame fabricator. The frame fabricator will create painted steel frames, assemble mosaic/tile artworks and deliver ready to install art panels to the Authority jobsite. Art panels will be installed by the Authority Design-Build Contractor. Before competitive solicitations to retain the fabricators and frame maker can be issued, the designs themselves must be completed. Frame making and assembly of the final panels is a laborious and time-consuming process. Therefore, staff is requesting that the Board of Directors authorize the CEO to enter into agreements with these artists, conduct competitive solicitations as necessary for the other elements of the art program, and enter into contracts with firms submitting the best value proposals for the remaining work. FINANCIAL IMPACT Funds for the proposed artists contracts, fabrication and frame makers are available in the Art Program Budget within the Project s Special Conditions category. 3

4 NEXT STEPS Upon approval by the Authority Board, contracts with the artists, fabricators and frame maker will be executed by the CEO. ATTACHMENTS A. Station Artists and Concepts 4

5 ATTACHMENT A Phase 2 Artists and Concepts National/Palms Station: Art Concept Proposal Shizu Saldamando, artist Art panels will combine images of pencil drawings on wood panels and hand-cut Japanese washi paper collage to illustrate the people, places, nurseries and plant life of the area. SHIZU SALDAMANDO has exhibited her artworks at venues that include the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C, as well as internationally. Expo/Westwood Station: Art Concept Proposal Abel Alejandre, artist Artworks on gateway arches will depict the legs of travelers headed to their destinations reference the history of the local area. ABEL ALEJANDRE is well known for the murals he created for the 1984 Olympic Games. Expo/Sepulveda Station: Art Concept Proposal Susan Logoreci, artist The artworks will present aerial views of local neighborhoods, depicted in an intricate series of colored pencil drawings. SUSAN LOGORECI has completed public art projects for the Los Angeles International Airport and City National Bank. Her work has been exhibited locally as well as internationally

6 Expo/Bundy Station: Art Concept Proposal Nzuji De Magalhães, artist A series of art panels will be united by a flowing sash, meant to convey the history and vitality of the local neighborhood. NZUJI DE MAGALHÃES is a Los Angeles-based artist originally from Angola, Africa. Her work has been exhibited locally and on the East Coast... Olympic/26th Street Station: Art Concept Proposal Constance Mallinson, artist Landscapes will be overlaid with colorful objects and natural materials collected on walks in the local area. Each of the landscapes will contain subtle references to several art historical periods. CONSTANCE MALLINSON has exhibited her artwork widely. Her work is included in collections such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Colorado/17th Street Station: Art Concept Proposal Carmen Argote, artist In this series of artworks, clothing will represent both the commuter and the commute. Art panels will reveal open closets full of clothes will reflect changes in the commuter flow at different times of day. CARMEN ARGOTE has exhibited her artwork at California State University, Los Angeles as well as teaching there. 2

7 Colorado/4th Street Station: Art Concept Proposal Judithe Hernández, artist Located at the terminus station, the twenty-four art panels will depict a composite of global mythologies. Layers of images will create metaphors for day and night as well as the seasons. JUDITHE HERNÁNDEZ has completed public art projects for in Los Angeles and her work has been acquired by private and public collections. Colorado/4th Street Station: Sculpture Concept Proposal Walter Hood, artist The artwork will reference both the geological and cultural history of Santa Monica through the use of materials that recall Saint Monica, Kuruvungna and the Palisades. WALTER HOOD is principal of Hood Design Studio. His work has been exhibited at venues that include the Oakland Museum of Art, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Van Allen Institute. He has completed public art projects for the San Jose Public Art Program, Cornerstone gardens and the Hyde Park Community Center among others. 3