AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: February 6, 2024
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Magdalena Davis, Community Outreach Manager
Subject: RECOMMENDATION BY THE RODEO DRIVE /SPECIAL EVENTS /HOLIDAY PROGRAM LIAISONS FOR RODEO DRIVE COMMITTEE
PARTNERSHIP WITH MR. BRAINWASH PUBLIC ART DISPLAY,
“LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL”, FEBRUARY – JUNE 2024
Attachments: 1. Overview of “Life is Beautiful” Art Display Partnership with Rodeo Drive Committee and Mr. Brainwash
2. City Council Liaison/Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Committee Report from January 31, 2024 (without attachments)
RECOMMENDATION
Staff requests City Council approve the Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Liaison Committee recommendation for a request by the Rodeo Drive Committee to waive permits for “Life is Beautiful”, a temporary public art display partnership between the Rodeo Drive Committee and the artist Mr. Brainwash.
INTRODUCTION
This report provides a recommendation of the Beverly Hills City Council Liaison/Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Committee (Liaisons) of Vice Mayor Friedman and Councilmember Bosse to approve the permit waivers for an art partnership between the Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) and Mr. Brainwash, titled “Life is Beautiful”. This public art display will include 12 heart sculptures displayed for the public from February 2024 through June 2024. While there is no funding requested from the City, a waiver of permit fees is requested, as well as a review of the interactive art display and support for the installation.
DISCUSSION
Previously, the Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) has activated the street with festive public art displays that offer photo opportunities for shoppers and visitors. This report
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HILLS
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Meeting Date: February 6, 2024
provides an overview of an RDC art partnership with acclaimed artist Mr. Brainwash, including the art displays in sculpture, locations, and details, called “Life is Beautiful”.
While no funding from the City is requested, a waiver of permits of $2,743 total is requested.
Public art displays on Rodeo Drive have been featured during many previous summer activations, including photo backdrops. In 2019 as part of BOLD Summer, Mr. Brainwash large-scale art was temporarily displayed before being installed long term on the 200 block of the street, and elsewhere in Beverly Hills. Last summer, from City Council approved the RDC “IMAGIRO” collaboration with Mr. Brainwash, with the large-scale origami artwork attracting significant media and social media attention.
Thierry Guetta, best known by his moniker Mr. Brainwash, is a French-born street artist with worldwide recognition whose Beverly Hills contemporary art museum opened in December 2022. The proposal for “Life is Beautiful” includes large metal art pieces of heart balloons in bright colors. (Attachment 1). He and the RDC propose to have twelve (12) pieces displayed from February 9 through early June 2024 so the public may view, photograph, and interact with the art. Having temporary art has proven to bring excitement to Rodeo Drive for both visitors and residents, and interest from media.
The heart balloons sculptures appear inflated, but are actually large-scale works of fiberglass, stainless steel, and automotive paint to weather the outdoors, welded to a secure, heavy white base. The hearts are a mix of large and smaller sizes, some of them in groupings of multiple hearts. With both the base and sculpture, each piece is at least 9 feet tall, with the bases 4 feet wide and deep. For the grouping of hearts in various sizes, they will be on one base together (different than the rendering in Attachment 1).
The Mr. Brainwash team, in collaboration with the RDC, has determined the installation locations for all “Life is Beautiful” pieces. Each piece will be offset from the curb. As with all temporary displays, all permitting, review and inspections will be completed by our City’s special event, and building and safety divisions, with review by multiple departments. While a waiver of the permit fees has been requested, the entire permit review process, including stamped plans and insurance, is required. A minimum 6-foot pedestrian pathway will be maintained, and no entrances to businesses will be blocked.
All merchants that are adjacent to the pieces have been notified of the artwork displays by the Rodeo Drive Committee.
The Mr. Brainwash team, with cooperation from City staff to review and permit, will complete the installation, cleaning, maintenance, and removal of the entire display. The City will also provide the same language that is posted on all art displayed around the City, that state no climbing or tampering with the structures, and that they are under surveillance. The RDC, with their contractors Lyn Winter, Inc., and BOLD LA, will lead the marketing and promotion of the partnership.
Meeting Date: February 6, 2024
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no funding request from the City for this partnership between the RDC and Mr. Brainwash, however a waiver of fees for the necessary permits and inspections for this public display is requested. Approximate totals are:
Special Event Permit $1,688
Temporary Installation Permit $1,055
Total Waiver: $2,743
Keith Sterling,
Deputy City Manager
Approved By
Attachment 1
Overview of “Life is Beautiful”
Art Display Partnership with Rodeo
Drive Committee and Mr. Brainwash
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LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
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MR BRAINWASH
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Attachment 2
CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
POLICY AND MANAGEMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council Liaison/Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Committee
FROM: Magdalena Davis, Community Outreach Manager
DATE: January 31, 2024
SUBJECT:
Rodeo Drive Committee Partnership with Mr. Brainwash for Public Art Display, “Life is Beautiful”, February – June 2024
ATTACHMENT: 1. Overview of “Life is Beautiful” Art Display Partnership with Rodeo Drive Committee and Mr. Brainwash
Committee and Mr. Brainwash
INTRODUCTION
This report provides the Beverly Hills City Council Liaison/Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Committee (Liaisons) of Vice Mayor Friedman and Councilmember Bosse with an overview of an art partnership, “Life is Beautiful”, between the Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) and Mr. Brainwash, beginning in February 2024 through June. While there is no funding ask from the City, a waiver of permit fees is requested, as well as a review of the interactive art display and support for the installation.
DISCUSSION
Previously, the Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) has activated the street with festive public art displays that offer photo opportunities for shoppers and visitors. This report provides an overview of an RDCart partnership with acclaimed artist Mr. Brainwash, including the art displays in sculpture and decals, locations, and details, called “Life is Beautiful”. While no funding from the City is requested, a waiver of permits of $2,743 total is requested.
Public art displays on Rodeo Drive have been featured during many previous summer activations, including photo backdrops. In 2019 as part of BOLD Summer, Mr. Brainwash large-scale art was temporarily displayed before being installed long term on the 200 block of the street, and elsewhere in Beverly Hills. Last summer, City Council approved the RDC “IMAGIRO” collaboration with Mr. Brainwash, with the large-scale origami artwork attracting significant media and social media attention.
Thierry Guetta, best known by his moniker Mr. Brainwash, is a French-born street artist with worldwide recognition whose Beverly Hills contemporary art museum opened in December 2022.
The proposal for “Life is Beautiful” includes large metal art pieces of heart balloons in bright colors, accompanied by quotes on sidewalk decals that reference love and life, such as “Follow Your Heart”. (Attachment 1). He and the RDC propose to have twelve (12) pieces displayed from February 9 through early June so the public may view, photograph, and interact with the art.
Having temporary art has proven to bring excitement to Rodeo Drive for both visitors and residents, and interest from media.
The heart balloons sculptures appear inflated, but are actually large-scale works of fiberglass, stainless steel, and automotive paint to weather the outdoors, welded to a secure, heavy white base. The hearts are a mix of large and smaller sizes, and between the base and sculpture, are up to 9 feet tall, 4 feet wide and deep. For the grouping of hearts in various sizes, they will be on one base together (different than the rendering in Attachment 1).
Accompanying the heart sculptures, are proposed to be twelve quotes referencing life and love on the sidewalk. While these will appear to be stenciled on the group, the quotes will be vinyl decals. Similar to other sidewalk decals used for social distancing and other uses in the past, these decals will be affixed securely, while not causing any damage to the sidewalk upon removal.
Sample quotes include “Follow Your Heart” or “Life is a Beautiful, Magnificent Thing.” The Mr. Brainwash team, in collaboration with the RDC, has determined the installation locations for all “Life is Beautiful” pieces. Each piece will be offset from the curb. As with all temporary displays, all permitting, review and inspections will be completed by our City’s special event and building and safety divisions. A minimum 5-6 foot pedestrian pathway will be maintained, and no entrances to businesses will be blocked. All merchants that are adjacent to the pieces have approved of the artwork displays.
The Mr. Brainwash team, with cooperation from City staff to review and permit, will complete the installation, cleaning, maintenance, and removal of the entire display. The City will also provide the same language for signs that are posted on art displayed around the City, that state no climbing or tampering with the structures, and that they are under surveillance. The RDC, with their contractors Lyn Winter, Inc. and BOLD LA, will lead the marketing and promotion of the partnership.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no funding request from the City for this partnership between the RDC and Mr.
Brainwash, however a waiver of fees for the necessary permits and inspections for this public display is requested. Approximate totals are:
Special Event Permit $1,688
Temporary Installation Permit $1,055
Total Waiver: $2,743
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends City Council Liaisons provide feedback for “Life is Beautiful”, a temporary art display partnership between the Rodeo Drive Committee and Mr. Brainwash. Based on Liaison recommendations, this item will be placed on the consent agenda for the February 6, 2024 Council meeting.