Public
Art Program for the Pasadena Center
CITY OF PASADENA PUBLIC ART PROGRAM
FOR CITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Public Art Program
for the Pasadena Center
May 2009
On January 26, 2009, the City Council reviewed the
Final Art Plans for the Pasadena Center Public Art Program for
exterior art commissions. The Council requested that the Arts &
Culture Commission work with the Pasadena Center Operating Company
to create an amended artist selection process for Council
consideration within 90 days. The Arts & Culture Commission
submitted a report to the Council on April 27, 2009.
PCOC
Public Art Process Timeline
December 2008
On
Wednesday, December 10, 2008 the Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission
reviewed and approved the Final Art Plans for the exterior artwork
for the Pasadena Center.
“Lightfield” by artist Hans Peter Kuhn is an
abstract light sculpture installation to be located on the public
plaza adjacent to the east Conference Center pavilion. “Lightfield”
is composed of 25 illuminated polycarbonate tubes that rise
approximately 5 feet from the base. The field of light will swivel
and be randomly repositioned by an automatic mechanism, a two-axis
swiveling base programmed to allow each tube to move and rotate in a
conic fashion. The tubes may also be programmed to disengage,
allowing them to sway in the wind. The base is concrete with
granite-clad sides and top, 15’x38’ in plan and 20” high
.
Kuhn presents his concept as based on
the dichotomy of nature and culture. To him, the juxtaposition of
the composed sculptures with random movements against the cultural
nature of the Civic Auditorium suggests the tension between cultural
attitudes and the phenomena of nature.
“Thinking
Caps” by artist Dennis Oppenheim is a sculptural
piece in architectural scale forming an enclosure of projection
surfaces which conveys the notion that it creates and holds ideas,
thereby reflecting the many activities, conferences, functions, and
meetings that take place within the Pasadena Center. Sited on the
west end of the Plaza, adjacent to the Ballroom, the sculpture is
15’h x 30’d and consists of three hats: train hat, sun hat and
conductor’s cap. They are made of structural steel, galvanized
and/or powder coated steel, punch plate, perforated metal and
grating, Lexan and pattern projectors. These hats form an enclosure
or gathering space that viewers can enter to observe the images
projected onto each of the hat’s surfaces. These images are an
abstract representation of thought – of the person “wearing” the hat
and producing the “ideas.”
“Thinking Caps” draws its inspiration
from the saying
“put on a cap…end up with an idea…”
Hans Peter
Kuhn Biography
Dennis Oppenheim Biography
Art at the Pasadena Center, Planning Document
Capital Improvement Project Public Art
Guidelines
PCOC Public Art Process Timeline
Pasadena Center Scale Models of Artwork
August 2008
The
City of Pasadena Public Art Program for City Construction Projects
is underway for the Pasadena Convention Center. Currently under
renovation, the Pasadena Center is located in downtown and is
comprised of the historic Civic Auditorium (built in 1927) and two
flanking new and renovated buildings that will contain meeting rooms
and a ballroom. The Center serves as the southern terminus of the
Civic Center axis, a classic Beaux Arts plan implemented in the
1920s. Situated on Green Street in downtown Pasadena, the Civic
Auditorium is one of several original buildings constructed as part
of a grand civic design that includes iconic Pasadena City Hall and
the Public Library. These buildings are civic and national treasures
listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Artists
Hans Peter Kuhn, Dennis Oppenheim and Man One have been selected to
create original artworks specifically for the Pasadena Center as a
part of the City’s Percent for Art Program for City projects. Kuhn
and Oppenheim are working on projects for the exterior locations and
Man One is focusing on an interior space within the meeting room
building.
A National Call for Registry
resulted in 403 submittals, from which the three artist commissions
were selected by a Selection Panel. A second Selection Panel
composed of local arts professionals and civic figures invited
artists to submit for interior commissions. All three artists are
currently developing concepts for their artwork. These concepts will
be reviewed for approval by the Arts and Culture Commission no later
than winter 2008. City Council will approve all final submissions.
Completion of artwork is set for early spring 2009.
Hans Peter Kuhn concept art plan
approved by the Arts & Culture Commission in December 2007
Dennis Oppenheim concept art plan
approved by the Arts & culture Commission in December 2007
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