AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: September 10, 2024
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Stephanie Harris, Director of Community Services
Patty Acuna, Assistant Director of Community Services
Brandy Scott, Arts and Culture Program Associate
Subject: RECOMMENDATION BY THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION
AND CITY COUNCIL LIAISONS FOR THE ACQUISITION AND
INSTALLATION OF THE ARTWORK TRINITY BY JUDY CHICAGO;
AND
APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE
ALL AGREEMENTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS IN A NOT TO
EXCEED AMOUNT OF $589,000 RELATED TO THE PURCHASE OF
TRINITY BY JUDY CHICAGO; AND
APPROVAL OF AN APPROPRIATION FROM THE FINE ART FUND
OF $589,000
Attachments: 1. Photos of Artwork
2. August 7, 2024, Arts and Culture Commission City Council Liaison Report (without attachments)
RECOMMENDATION
The Arts and Culture Commission and City Council Liaisons recommend approval of the acquisition and installation of Trinity by Judy Chicago. Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute agreements and purchase orders necessary for the purchase and installation of Trinity by Judy Chicago in the not to exceed amount of $589,000 and to appropriate $589,000 from the Fine Art Fund for this purpose.
INTRODUCTION
The Arts and Culture Commission conducted a Fine Art Priority Exercise on May 16, 2022, and selected the sculpture Trinity by Judy Chicago for acquisition and recommendation to City Council. The previous Council Liaisons (Councilmember Bosse Meeting Date: September 10, 2024
and Councilmember Nazarian) met on August 24, 2022, and March 27, 2023, to review the proposed acquisition and installation sites. These recommendations from the Arts and Culture Commission and City Council Arts and Culture Liaisons were then brought before the full City Council on May 16, 2023, August 15, 2023, and March 18, 2024.
On December 4, 2023, the proposed installation location of Beverly Gardens Park was brought before the Council Liaisons at the time (then Mayor Gold and Councilmember Bosse) and received full support. Subsequently, on March 18, 2024, the current proposed Wallis Annenberg Campus location, and additional funding requested for the increased ancillary costs, were presented to the full City Council for approval. The increase in ancillary costs was due to several factors. This included the need to update original quotes that were acquired in 2022 and had become outdated - along with extensive site preparation of the existing cement base from a previous installation and current lighting, landscaping, irrigation, and bollard modifications required at this location that was not required at either of the previously proposed sites: City Hall or Beverly Gardens Park.
City Council was supportive of the location, however, Council requested that staff return later with reduced ancillary costs associated with the installation, as well as a reduction in the height of the base back to the initial specifications to better suit the artwork.
It should be mentioned that two previous sites of Beverly Gardens Park and City Hall campus were deemed unsuitable for a myriad of reasons ranging from the anticipated heavy public interaction to the conflicting aesthetic backdrop that such locations would offer. However, the Wallis Annenberg Campus, which is the 3rd proposed installation site has received unilateral support from the artist, the Fine Art/Public Art Ad Hoc, the Arts and Culture Commission, the City Council Liaisons and the previous City Council.
DISCUSSION
Previously, the anticipated “all in” cost of the acquisition of Trinity by Judy Chicago presented to City Council in March was $650,000 to account for the purchase of the artwork at $400,000, and the ancillary costs of $250,000 for the transportation, design and fabrication of the preferred anchoring system, fabrication of the integrated concrete colored base, engineering, inspections, permits, landscaping and lighting. This preferred anchoring system will allow for the artwork to be deinstalled for future conservation efforts, without impact to the concrete base.
After receiving direction from Council, revised quotes were obtained and modifications to the site amenities were made to reduce costs where possible. Modifications to the type of lighting fixtures and quantities were made, as well as adjustments to the type of landscaping, and then some fabrication costs were able to be reduced, allowing for a reduction in the previously anticipated cost of $250,000 to $189,000. This will bring the overall acquisition and installation total to a not-to-exceed cost of $589,000.
FISCAL IMPACT
The funding for acquisition and installation of the Artwork is available in the Fine Art Fund, a restricted fund that can only be used for fine art related expenses. The current balance in the Fine Art Fund is approximately $1.6 million dollars with $700,000 available for artwork acquisition/installation through the Arts and Culture Commission Fine Art Priority Exercise process.
Meeting Date: September 10, 2024
City Council is asked to appropriate $589,000 from the Fine Art Fund for the acquisition and installation of Trinity by Judy Chicago.
Stephanie Harris,
Director of Community Services
Approved By
Meeting Date: September 10, 2024
ATTACHMENT 1
STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: August 7, 2024
To: Arts and Culture Council Liaisons Councilmember Mirisch and Councilmember Wells
From: Brandy Scott, Arts and Culture Program Associate
Stephanie Harris, Director of Community Services
Subject: Recommendation by the Arts and Culture Commission for Acquisition and Installation of the Artwork Trinity by Judy Chicago Attachments: 1. Photo Montages of Artwork
2. March 18, 2024, City Council meeting packet
INTRODUCTION
The Arts and Culture Commission conducted a Fine Art Priority Exercise on May 16, 2022, and selected the sculpture Trinity by Judy Chicago for acquisition and recommendation to City Council. The previous Council Liaisons (Councilmember Bosse and Councilmember Nazarian) met on August 24, 2022, and March 27, 2023, to review the proposed acquisition and installation sites. The recommendations from the Arts and Culture Commission and City Council Arts and Culture Liaisons were then brought before the full City Council on May 16, 2023, August 15, 2023, and March 18, 2024.
At the August 15, 2023, City Council meeting, staff was directed to secure a 10-year warranty from the fabricator, Ironwood, and return for final approval for installation at the secondary location, Beverly Gardens Park on the corner of Parkway and Canon.
Following the Council meeting, the Deitch Gallery secured an extended 10-year warranty. The warranty will be effective for 10 years from the date of completion of Trinity for the City of Beverly Hills.
Following the August 15, 2023, City Council meeting, staff met with the Arts and Culture Commission Fine Art/Public Art Ad Hoc and Jeffrey Deitch from Deitch Gallery to review the next steps. At this time, we were informed that the artist, Judy Chicago, no longer supported Beverly Gardens Park as an installation site due to the various concerns raised at the Council meeting, including the possible heavy public interaction with the artwork. The artist also felt that the site lacked the imbedded back drop and protective barrier that the City Hall location would provide.
The Arts and Culture Commission Ad Hoc proposed the Wallis Annenberg property on the corner of South Santa Monica Boulevard and North Crescent Drive. This proposal was supported by the artist and gallery and presented to the full Arts and Culture Commission at the November 14, 2023, Commission meeting. The proposal was Meeting Date: August 7, 2024
approved with a 3-2 vote, 3 in favor and 2 abstaining. This location was then presented to Robert van Leer, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Wallis. The location and orientation were supported and approved by The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of The Wallis.
On December 4, 2023, the new proposed location was brought before the Council Liaisons at the time (then Mayor Gold and Councilmember Bosse) and received full support. Subsequently, on March 18, 2024, Director Stephanie Harris presented the newly proposed location and additional funding for the increased ancillary costs, to City Council for approval. The increase in ancillary costs was due to several factors including that the original quotes were outdated and acquired in 2022, and the extensive site prep of the existing cement base from a previous installation, current lighting, landscaping, irrigation, and bollard modifications that is required at this location that was not required at either of the previously proposed sites: City Hall or Beverly Gardens Park.
City Council was supportive of the location, however, requested that staff return at a later date with reduced ancillary costs associated with the installation, as well as a reduction in the height of the base back to the initial specs to better suit the artwork.
Staff will present updated information related to this proposed Fine Art acquisition and corresponding installation costs.
DISCUSSION
The City’s Project Administration Team completed photo montages reflecting a lower base and protective hedge as requested by City Council. The montages depict the sculpture on a 6” base with a protective, manicured, box hedge that is 12” in height and 24” in width. The team has included Kurapia, a low maintenance, drought resistant groundcover, between the base and hedge, and decorative shrubbery will be planted in the northwest corner of the site to bring it all together.
Previously, the anticipated “all in” cost of the acquisition of Trinity by Judy Chicago that was presented to City Council in March was $650,000 to account for the purchase of the artwork at $400,000 and the ancillary costs of $250,000 for the transportation, design and fabrication of the preferred anchoring system (that will allow for the artwork to be deinstalled for future conservation efforts without impact to the concrete base), fabrication of the integrated concrete colored base, engineering, inspections, permits, landscaping and lighting.
Following the March 18, 2024, City Council meeting and receiving direction from Council, Staff reviewed the quotes and worked to reduce costs where possible.
Modifications to the lighting fixtures, landscaping, and some fabrication costs were able to be made allowing for a reduction in the previously anticipated cost of $250,000 to $189,000. This will bring the overall acquisition and installation total to a not-to-exceed cost of $589,000.
The Arts and Culture Commission Ad Hoc and the Gallery believe this proposed site location will provide an ideal back drop and protective barrier, and is considered ideal due to its visibility from both vehicular and pedestrian traffic on Crescent and South Santa Monica Blvd.
Meeting Date: August 7, 2024
FISCAL IMPACT
The funding for acquisition of the artwork is available in the Fine Art Fund, a restricted fund that can only be used for fine art related expenses. The current balance in the Fine Art Fund is approximately $1.6 million dollars.
The “all in” cost of the acquisition and installation of Trinity by Judy Chicago is not-to-exceed $589,000.
RECOMMENDATION
The Arts and Culture Commission recommends that the Arts and Culture Council Liaisons support the lowered profile of the installation, and the newly reduced ancillary costs associated with the acquisition and installation of Trinity by Judy Chicago. If supported, this item will be brought before the full City Council for final approval.