Fiscal Note
No appropriation is necessary.
Title
Accepting City Ownership of Artwork in the newly renovated Madison Central Library and affirming the value of involving artists in the design of capital projects
Body
WHEREAS, Madison's Public Art Plan recommends that artists be included as collaborators in the design of all of Madison's major capital projects so that their work inform the project's direction; and
WHEREAS, when the intention that art and design shape the overall form of a major civic building project is met with cooperation from architects, engineers, staff, donors and other critical members of the project team, it is possible to create an exceptionally beautiful and functional public space; and
WHEREAS, the public art plan for the Central Library was to create a public space that 1) celebrated existing works of art by carefully conserving them and giving them new life in a fresh context, 2) provided local artists with the opportunity to contribute artist-made-parts to the project as sub-contractors to the architects, 3) commissioned significant new contemporary sculptural installations that harmoniously bridge the old and the new, and 4) created temporary exhibition opportunities for local visual, new media, installation and performance artists; and
WHEREAS, the Madison's Central Library accomplished the goals set forth in the public art plan and now serves as a model of the type of arts-integrated design that is possible when artistic visions and ideas inspire an entire project; and
WHEREAS, a design team consisting of architects, staff members, Madison Public Library Foundation board members and staff, and local arts professionals actively participated in selecting specific works of art, funding their creation, and identifying locations for their placement; and
WHEREAS, the selected artworks reflect a broad based community enthusiasm for conserving beloved works from the old library and commissioning contemporary pieces for the newly renovated space; and
WHEREAS, existing works such as "Untitled," a mural by Aaron Bohrod; "Overcoming Bias" by Antonio Testolin; "Hieroglyph" by O. V. Shaffer; "Untitled" a wooden sculptural divider by Jim Spitzer; St. George and Dragon reproduction; and "Wildflower" by Edward Berge were all evaluated by qualified conservators and great care was taken to preserve, restore and relocate them in the new space; and
WHEREAS, the Madison Arts Commission, through the Art in Public Places program, voted to fund two of the aforementioned pieces, Niki Johnson's "Stacked" and Heath Matysek-Snyder's "Stacked 1.25" (Kominy Series) and the Common Council voted on October 2, 2012 in Resolution ID #27694 to approve these selections; and
WHEREAS, the building's architectural firm, Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd, hired artists Sofia Arnold and Derrick Buisch to create images that were transferred onto vinyl wallpaper and installed throughout the building, and the Madison Public Library Foundation engaged Tom Loeser and Dave Chapman to create seating in the children's area called "Willow Pods," and the project budget allowed for the purchase of "Daily Exchange" by Niki Johnson; and
WHEREAS, the Madison Public Library Foundation wishes to transfer ownership of all the artwork they commissioned for the building; and
WHEREAS, the Library Director approves this request and has been involved with the selection and siting of the work and does not anticipate any public safety or cost prohibitive long-term maintenance issues as a result of this gift; and
WHEREAS, the Madison Public Library Foundation desires to donate five (5) artworks to the City, including:
· "Question Mark" by Roberto Behar & Rosario Marquardt (R&R Studios)
· "Stack 1.25" (Kominy Series) by Heath Matysek-Snyder
· "Stacked " by Niki Johnson
· "Book Club Bench" by Hongtao Zhou
· "Willow Pods " by Tom Loeser and Dave Chapman
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council of the City of Madison accepts ownership from the Madison Public Library Foundation, of the works of art located in Madison's Downtown Public Library, subject to the following conditions:
· The City may remove the artworks if not properly maintained.
· The City may remove the art works if the area occupied by the said sculptures is required for facilities development or other improvements or uses of the public library, by giving the Madison Public Library Foundation thirty (30) days written notice prior to removal.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Mayor and the Common Council reaffirm their appreciation for the vision that has inspired the new central library, the artists, staff, and partners who have contributed to it, and their very strong and ongoing support for including artists as collaborators in the design of all of Madison's major capital projects.