AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Brandy Scott, Arts & Culture Program Associate
Patty Acuna, Assistant Director of Community Services
Subject: REQUEST DIRECTION FOR THE REPAINTING
RESTORATION AND RE-INSTALLATION OF CAROL
BOVE’S IO SCULPTURE ON THE ORIGINAL CEMENT
PLINTH
Attachments: 1. Photograph of IO sculpture 2015
2. Photograph of IO sculpture 2019
3. Agenda Report – City Council September 19, 2017
4. Staff Report – City Council August 21, 2018
RECOMMENDATION
Staff is seeking City Council direction on next steps on the repainting restoration of the artwork IO by Carol Bove.
1. Restore the Carol Bove, IO sculpture and return to the original base design, in the original location per the artists’ request and the original agreement.
2. Restore the sculpture and re-install it in an alternate location to-be-determined.
INTRODUCTION
IO by Carol Bove was selected through the then Fine Art Commission’s Priority Exercise in 2014. The sculpture was purchased for $200,000 through the Fine Art Fund. The piece was installed in Beverly Gardens Park at the southwest corner of the intersection of Beverly Drive and Parkway in September of 2015. The painted, stainless-steel glyph was mounted on a flat, cement, 6” plinth - flush with the ground.
Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
Less than one month after the sculpture was installed, the piece showed signs of damage due to public interaction by way of scratches and black scuff marks. Staff consulted with David Zwirner Gallery, the artist’s representative at the time, and Standard Sculpture, the artist’s chosen fabricator to inquire about mitigation measures and restoration options. At the recommendation of the gallery, their preferred vendor was brought out to evaluate and clean the artwork and perform a light buffing. The scratches and marks reappeared within weeks.
The agreement between the City and Zwirner Gallery did not include a warranty to address damage, however the gallery did provide a provision for final payment to be issued 30 days after the piece was installed. With the lack of resolution from the gallery for the ongoing issues, the City withheld the final payment of $40,000. The Fine Art Commission was informed of the continued issues and advised staff to reach out to the gallery to negotiate having the gallery restore the artwork and recommend a more durable alternative for protective options. Additionally, the Fine Art Commission began discussing options on how to better protect the sculpture.
In June of 2017, the Fine Art City Council Liaisons, Mayor Bosse and Councilmember Mirisch, met to discuss the status of the sculpture, potential resolutions, and damage prevention. Liaisons directed staff to work with the gallery to find options to protect the sculpture or manufacture the piece out of different material. The Liaisons felt that not enough had been done to resolve the issues that were occurring or to protect the piece from public interaction.
The recommendations were brought before the full City Council at the September 19, 2017 Formal Meeting, City Council was presented the option to return the sculpture to the Gallery for a refund, minus a design fee, due to the recurring damage issues. City Council recommended keeping the piece and exploring options for a restructured, elevated base that would deter the public from interacting with the sculpture.
Staff engaged the services of Mia Lehrer and Associates (MLA), a landscape architectural firm that produced three options for raising the artwork with landscaping surrounding the base. The Fine Art Commission made a selection which was supported by Fine Art City Council Liaisons, Vice Mayor Mirisch and Councilmember Bosse at the May 15, 2018 meeting. The piece would be installed on six 12” pillars in a “bow tie” shaped planter surrounded by flowering ceanothus. This species of vegetation, once matured, grows to approximately 12” tall and would obscure the pillars to maintain the appearance that the sculpture was sitting on top of the plants.
The artwork was restored and reinstalled by Standard Sculpture on the new pillar design in 2019. Within weeks of the installation the gloss topcoat began peeling and appeared compromised in several spots. Staff immediately addressed this concern with Standard Sculpture. Staff also reached out to the City’s art conservator, then operating as Rosa Lowinger & Associates (RLA), to provide consultation as to what circumstances could cause the topcoat to peel. Ultimately, it was determined that the peeling could have been caused by a number of things, from a failure during the application process, to defective materials or public interaction.
In June of 2019, the City of Beverly Hills, received a legal notification from the artist that the new base did not fit her creative vision and demanded the City install a 6’ high fence and privacy screen to obstruct the public view of the sculpture until it was returned to the Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
original 6” cement plinth. The fence was installed while legal discussions between the Gallery, the artist, and City staff continued.
Two major factors delayed movement on the next steps for the sculpture. First were the ongoing discussions with Zwirner Gallery and Standard Sculpture regarding liability for the failure of the paint integrity and next steps to address the remediation of the work, followed by the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.
DISCUSSION
In 2024, the City was contacted by an associate from the Zwirner Gallery indicating that the artist transitioned her gallery representation to the Gagosian Gallery. At this time the Zwirner Gallery associate also informed City staff that Standard Sculpture had moved out of state and was unable to repaint the piece. The Zwirner Gallery representative provided a list of art fabricators and art conservation companies that had been approved and recommended by the artist to complete the repainting.
City staff reviewed the list which included the City’s art conservation vendor, Rosa Lowinger & Associates (RLA). Staff reached out to all listed vendors to obtain quotes with only RLA responding with a quote, which included a one-year warranty. The quote was shared with the Gagosian Gallery and artist to ensure both approved the detailed repainting process.
Staff met with Gagosian Gallery representative, Mary Mitsch, in July of 2024 to discuss a timeline and options for the future of the sculpture. The gallery representative presented three options for the City to consider on the future of IO:
1. The Gagosian Gallery offered to take the sculpture on consignment and pay the City the current appraised price.
2. The City retains ownership of IO, repaints and reinstalls the sculpture at an alternate installation site where the sculpture would be less susceptible to public interaction.
o It should be noted that during the 2014 proposal for potential installation sites, the City Hall campus just west of the Crescent Garage elevator entrance was considered as an option.
3. The City retains ownership of IO, repaints and reinstalls the sculpture on the original cement plinth in its original location; Beverly Gardens Park.
Should Council choose to retain ownership of IO, staff will work closely with RLA to repaint and reinstall the artwork at a location based on City Council’s direction.
FISCAL IMPACT
The repainting, original base re-build, and reinstallation is estimated to cost $77,912.
Once direction on location is received, staff will acquire the applicable quotes and return with a complete appropriation request.
Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
The funding for this project would come out of 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 $2 million dollars.
Stephanie Harris,
Community Services Director
Approved By
IO by Carol Bove
2015 Beverly Gardens Park
painted steel 100” x 100” x 54”, cement plinth 5’ x 5’ x 6”
IO by Carol Bove
2019 Beverly Gardens Park
painted steel 100” x 100” x 54”, pillars 12” with ceanothus *bottom image is a mock-up with mature landscaping
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AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: September 19, 2017
Item Number: D—12
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Nancy Hunt-Coffey, Director of Community Services Subject: AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN
AGREEMENT WITH DAVID ZWIRNER GALLERY TO
RETURN THE ART PIECE 10 BY CAROL BOVE TO
THE DAVID ZWIRNER GALLERY AND OBTAIN A
REFUND FROM THE GALLERY
Attachments: None
INTRODUCTION
lo by Carol Bove has experienced continual maintenance issues since it was installed in 2015. As a result, the piece does not appear to be a suitable addition to the City’s outdoor art collection. The City Council is therefore asked to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement and any other required documentation for return of the art piece to the Zwirner Gallery on behalf of the artist, Carol Bove, and to refund the money City has paid to the Gallery less a $20,000 design fee upon return of the piece.
DISCUSSION
lo by Carol Bove was installed in September 2015. By October 2015 the piece was showing scratches and black marks. The Gallery and fabricator were consulted and the fabricator provided one treatment for the piece; however, the scratches and marks reappeared shortly thereafter. The Gallery and fabricator were again consulted, and the recommendation was to have the piece treated on a regular basis. Estimates to treat the piece on a regular basis were substantial, or the contractors recommended by the Gallery were not able to perform the work. The Gallery was further consulted as to whether there are additional or different coatings for the piece which would be more durable, but no other options were offered.
The options that are available are to keep the piece and absorb the ongoing maintenance cost or return the piece to the David Zwirner Gallery in exchange for a 9/14/20 17
9 Meeting Date: September 19, 2017
refund for the cost of the piece, minus the nonrefundable $20,000 artist fee. Should the City choose to return the piece, the Gallery has offered to pay the cost to deinstall and ship the piece back to New York. The recommendation is to return the piece to the Gallery.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost to purchase the Bove piece was $200,000. After accounting for the $20,000 nonrefundable artist fee, the fine art fund would be credited $180,000 if the piece were returned to the Gallery.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council is asked to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement and any other required documentation required to return lo by Carol Bove to the David Zwirner Gallery.
(Nancy Hunt-Coffey
Approved By
9/14/2017
BEVERLY
HILLS
STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: August 21, 2018
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Nancy Hunt-Coffey, Director of Community Services Subject: Recommendation by Fine Art Council Liaisons Mirisch and Bosse to Implement Planting and Other Measures to Protect the Art Piece Jo by Carol Bove
1. Rendering of lo by Carol Bove Attachments:
INTRODUCTION
This report transmits a recommendation to the City Council to protect Jo by Carol Bove.
Jo is a white painted steel sculpture that is installed in Beverly Gardens Park in the Rodeo to Beverly block. The piece has experienced scratching and marking, likely due to public interaction with the piece. As a result, the Fine Art liaisons, Mirisch and Bosse recommend that the piece be raised in a planter and surrounded by plants as represented in the attached rendering.
DISCUSSION
Jo by Carol Bove was installed in Beverly Gardens Park in September 2015. By October 2015 the piece was showing scratches and black marks, particularly on the lower portions of the piece. Conversations with the Gallery began immediately with the Gallery providing some suggestions and or services to alleviate the problems. However, none of the options that were offered proved to be a permanent solution.
At the September 19, 2017 City Council meeting, consideration was given to returning the piece to the gallery. However, City Council determined that the piece was an important addition to the City’s collection and that it should be retained. It appears that the scratching and black marks may be coming from park patrons either climbing on or otherwise interacting with the piece. As a result, staff was directed to come up with options for raising the piece and adding plantings around it to protect the piece from being interacted with by members of the public.
Staff engaged the services of Mia Lehrer and Associates (MLA), the landscape architectural firm responsible for the recent re-design of Beverly Gardens Park. MLA produced three options which allowed for the raising of the piece and plantings around it.
These options were shared with the Fine Art Council liaisons Mirisch and Bosse as well as the Fine Art Commission at their meeting on May 15, 2018. After consideration, the liaisons recommend the attached rendering which will create a “bow tie” shaped planter around the piece which would be planted with flowering ceanothus plants which grow to Meeting Date: August 21, 2018
approximately 12” tall. Then the piece would be raised by 12” so that it appears to sit at the top of the plants.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost to raise the piece and install the planter around it is currently estimated to cost approximately $35,000. Should the liaison’s recommendation be accepted by the City Council, staff will engage the services of an engineer to assist with designing the mechanism to raise the piece. The project would then be bid to obtain the actual costs for the project. Staff will return to City Council at that time with a request to proceed with the project and to appropriate the funds. Funds from the Fine Art Fund could be used for this project. These funds are restricted in purpose to be spent on art related projects.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council Fine Art liaisons Vice Mayor Mirisch and Councilmember Bosse recommend that lo by Carol Bove be raised and that a planter be established around the piece as represented in the attached rendering.
ncy Hunt-Coffey
Approved By
Attachment 1
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I”,
Li m
BEVERLY GARDENS PARK BLOCK 15: 10 -CAROL BOVE SCULPTURE OPTION 2 SIUDIO-MLA JUNE 13, 2018
- [T4” wide mow —Sculpture on 12” pylons =Ceanothus Centennial’ Plaque in original . location 1 Plan Q SCALE: 1/16” = 1-0” 0 8 16 24 32 Perspective Ceanothus Centennial’ l’h x 4-6w