SALEM PUBLIC ART COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
January 20, 2015
The Public Art Commission (PAC) was held on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 in Room 313, Third Floor, at 120 Washington Street, Salem, Massachusetts.
Chairperson Norene Gachignard called the meeting to order 6:05pm
Roll Call:
Members present: Norene Gachingard (chair), Ellen Hardy, Claudia Paraschiv, J. Michael Sulivan, Juliette Fritsch, Victor Miguel Cruz, Lillian Hsu and Deborah Greel, Public Art Planner, was also present.
Approval of Minutes
Claudia Paraschiv made a motion to approve the minutes of December 16. Juliette Fritsch seconded the motion.
Discussion followed: Under the discussion on Art Box, Paraschiv asked to add “in engaging the public” to the following statement “Paraschiv noted and Gachignard concurred that this is a successful program.”
Motion passes 6-0
Potential Lighting Initiatives
Greel informed the commission of lighting initiatives with downtown buildings and a potential light festival.
Buildings
Greel has reached out to Stanley Smith, a Salem resident and board member of Light Boston, Inc., a non-profit, citizen’s advocacy group to enhance Boston’s urban environment by promoting, planning and implementing appropriate exterior lighting of the city’s significant buildings, monuments, public spaces and streetscapes. When Mr. Smith returns from a trip to Paris, Greel, Kathy Winn, Deputy Director of Planning and Community Development and John Giardi, City Electrician will meet to explore cost effective ways to light downtown buildings starting with City Hall.
J. Michael Sullivan has asked to a part of this committee and invited to the meeting.
Festival
Greel reached out to Steven Rosen, owner of Available Light, a lighting design firm in Derby Square and they put together a group including lighting designers, museum designers, and social media and marketing specialists to brainstorm possibilities of bringing a light festival to Salem. In October the group did a ‘walk about’ to identify public spaces. The group thought that a festival along the South River would be a good place to design a light festival as it could encompass buildings on one side of the river and engage Peabody Street Park on the other. The time of year was suggested in early spring and early November when the days are shorter.
The team at Available Light will come up with a proposal of the parameters of the festival and a budget.
The commission was encouraged by these initiatives and look forward to seeing the proposals for lighting buildings and a light festival.
Updates:
Documents and Exhibits
- Potential Art Box Locations
Artist Row Program - Call for Creative Entrepreneurs
Greel informed the commission that there were 18 applications for Artists’ Row submitted by the January 16 deadline. The Artists Selection Panel which includes, Juliette Fritsch, Kylie Sullivan and Stacey Pappas will meet on January 23rd to review the applications.
Public Art Installation – Call for Designers
Greel informed the commission that the Public Art Installation Panel which includes, Lillian Hsu, Kylie Sullivan, Matt Kirchman, Claudia Paraschiv and Deborah Greel will meet on Wednesday, January 28 to review the four “Request for Qualifications” proposals.
Potential Art Box Locations
The commission reviewed the potential ArtBox 2015 locations. Greel will meet with the City Electrician to determine which boxes are owned by the city. Fritsch suggested choosing boxes in areas that be enhanced with an art box. Hardy noted that the box near the Collins Middle School would be such an area.
Discussion ensued concerning the process of choosing the artists who will paint the boxes. Paraschiv suggested that the PAC hold a public selection process. Cruz suggested an open critique of the work discussing the positive and negative of each submission.
Greel reiterated that the process of choosing the finalist in previous years had been done by a panel of judges who had been chosen by the volunteer ArtBox committee. Hsu suggested and Sullivan concurred, following the same process by appointing an ad hoc Artist Selection Panel as was done with the Creative Call for Creative Entrepreneurs for Artists Row and Call for Artists and Designers for the Public Art Installation. PAC asked Greel to consider potential jurors for the Artist Selection panel. Gachignard tabled further discussion until the next meeting.
Public Comment:
Salem resident, Mike Lash, questioned the PAC about number 3 of the Criteria for Proposals, which asks if an artist has permission from a private property owner. The Criteria reads: “Name the desired location(s) and whether you have secured permission”. He asked if the PAC has jurisdiction to ask for this information. Fritsch mentioned if the artist has a location but has not sought approval the PAC would not automatically say no. Hsu said that the PAC would be their first point of contact and will be a resource for the artist and the process. Sullivan felt if a potential site is privately owned the artist should need permission. Hsu said that a private location could affect public property. Greel used the example of Splaine Park, a public park, but the retaining wall, that potentially could be a site for a mural, is privately owned.
Lash, who served on the volunteer ArtBox Committee, suggested to the commission if the current process for choosing finalists for the boxes is working then the process should stay the same. Artists who have submitted applications have not been part of a public selection process. He also mentioned that choosing outside judges is good publicity for the program.
Adjournment:
Gachignard called for a motion to adjourn. Paraschiv made the motion to adjourn, Fritsch seconded the motion. Motion Passes 7-0 Meeting adjourned at 7:20pm
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