PURPOSE   

The purpose of this report is to request City Council select an artist to design and fabricate a gateway public art installation at the intersection of Burbank and Victory Boulevards and Victory Place, formerly known as Five Points.

BACKGROUND

At the October 18, 2005, City Council meeting, Mayor Vander Borght requested that staff bring back a discussion on the potential of developing a gateway public art installation on the one acre vacant parcel at the intersection of Burbank and Victory Boulevards and Victory Place, formerly known as �Five Points�.   At the November 22, 2005 Council meeting, City Council directed staff, with the assistance of an appointed Site Specific Art Committee, to initiate an artist search without the services of an art consultant. 

On March 14, 2006, Council approved the development of a gateway art project, and appropriated a total of $300,000; $150,000 from the Public Art Fund and $150,000 from the Golden State Bond proceeds.  Council also appointed a Site Specific Art Committee comprised of: Mayor Campbell; Councilmember Vander Borght; representatives from the City Manager�s Office, Community Development Department, Public Works Department, Park, Recreation and Community Services Department, the Heritage Commission, the Art in Public Places Committee; Landscape Architect Kim Rhodes; Burbank Boulevard business representatives, Randall Williams and Richard D�Argenzio; and residential representatives, Pat Patterson and Michael Napolitano. 

DISCUSSION

In May 2006 staff released a Request for Proposal/Request for Qualifications for the Five Points Art Installation.  Staff received twenty five proposals from qualified artists throughout the country by the June 30, 2006 deadline.  The Oversight Committee carefully reviewed all proposals, and selected seven semi-finalists.  The semi-finalists were interviewed by the Committee, and ultimately three finalists were selected to develop a proposal and presentation material, including a maquette.  Prior to presenting their proposals to Council for selection, the three finalists returned to the Committee for a final appearance with their maquettes.  The three finalists are Andrea Favilli, Gordon Huether and Beverly Precious.

Mr. Andrea Favilli, a South Pasadena artist, proposes a slightly larger-than-life bronze sculpture of Dr. David Burbank standing in front of a fifty to sixty foot flagpole on a large pedestal which will feature iconic images directly relating to Burbank�s history.  (Attachment A)  The pedestal sits atop a stepped pentagon base that rests on a circular pad of concrete elevated above the street level.   There are also five walkways from the sidewalk to access the flagpole and sculpture.  Mr. Favilli envisions extensive landscaping and benches surrounding the sculpture.  Mr. Favilli also designed and fabricated the �Tree of Life� sculpture located at the Stough Canyon Nature Center, and the �Cameraman� located in the media district.

Mr. Gordon Huether, a Napa Valley, CA artist, is the second finalist.  Mr. Huether is proposing a twenty foot painted steel film reel, with a film stripe of twenty to thirty photographic imagines in glass panels representing the history of Burbank. (Attachment B)  The glass images would be three feet wide by four feet tall.  The photographs would be permanently silk-screened to a laminated and tempered glass surface.  With his proposal, Mr. Huether wished to capture the positive beat of the City and community.  Mr. Huether has one glass installation located at an office development in Burbank, and he is currently under agreement to design and developed another public art installation for a private developer in the City.

The third finalist is Ms. Beverly Precious from Indianapolis, Indiana.   �Burbank Highlights� is Ms. Precious� proposal. (Attachment C) This sculpture evokes films strips arcing over a stainless steel reel forming a gateway or bridge to the City.  The reel emerges from the ground as if it had been planted.  The ground is raised along the reel as if it had been pushed from the soil.  The history of Burbank can be told in ever-changing color glass panels.  The uppermost arch of glass represents the future story with more abstract imagery.  Throughout the glass are circular medallions which could be used to insert symbolic references.  The installation is made of dichroic glass and stainless steel, making this very low maintenance and graffiti resistant.

After interviewing and meeting with the finalists three times the Committee recommends Mr. Favilli develop the art installation at Five Points.  The margin was very narrow, as Ms. Precious received one fewer vote than Mr. Favilli.  Mr. Huether was voted third choice.

Given the size of the location, there will be a need for landscaping.  Each artist had the opportunity to speak with the landscape architect.  Due to the three distinct proposals, specific landscaping designs were not developed for each proposal.  However, the selected artist will work closely with the landscape architect to develop the landscape for the site.  The landscape cost is included in the Burbank Boulevard Beautification Project budget.

FISCAL IMPACT

There is currently $285,000 in the Five Points Art Installation Project (370.PR46A.70005.0000.16611).  There will be no additional fiscal impact.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is the recommendation of staff that City Council select an artist to design and fabricate a bronze sculpture for the Five Points Art Installation Project.

Attachments

go to the top