Arts and Culture Commission Meeting Date: July 8th, 2024
To: Commission Members
From: Natalie Draper, Library Director
Title
Approval of Public Art Review Committee (PARC) Recommendation for Bridge Square Public Art Integration.
Body
Action Requested:
The ACC Approves Recommendation of Public Art Review Committee (PARC) for Bridge Square Public Art Integration.
Summary Report:
Based on recommendations in the Interpretive Framework document, community input regarding a desire to see the land acknowledgement statement honored in Bridge Square, the support of the Arts and Culture Commission, and the commitment within the land acknowledgement to "[engage in] acts of healing and honest storytelling about this place", staff reached out to Minneapolis-based Dakota artist, Marlena Myles about working on the project in Bridge Square.
In March, the ACC approved a consulting budget in order to compensate the artist for her time spent working to develop an initial proposal integrated into the design for Bridge Square. She met with landscape architects and consultants with the 106 Group to share her vision, at which point we brought John Sterner on to bring the lighted colonnade to life in sculpture. John Sterner has worked with the city in the past and we have a good relationship with the artist. His cor-ten steel eagle "soars" near the ped-xing at Highway 3 and Third Street.
The concept was presented over two meetings in June by Marlena Myles and John Sterner for PARC review. Sean Allen, Michael Johnson, Martha Anderson, Rihanna Gonzalez, Dave Bennett, Claudia Garcia, and Jennifer Tonko were present at both meetings. The attached presentation was given, and the overall concept was recommended for ACC approval by a majority of those on the PARC, with one exception.
After SHPO review there may be some refinement to the physical artwork given the complexity of the Bridge Square redesign and the need to preserve archaeological remains under the square.
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