Public Art Commission - December 19, 2024

Commission approves $10,500 for Code:ART publicity

The Palo Alto Public Art Commission unanimously approved $10,500 to engage Mega Sugainto for Code:ART publicity. All six commissioners recorded as voting supported the allocation, and staff’s next step is to engage the firm.

Staff said Code:ART visitors had reported limited awareness of the event in advance. The firm would supplement city communications with targeted outreach, including radio and television coverage, as the city makes a significant investment in a longer edition of the event.

Commissioners asked about the firm’s previous work and attendance comparisons from its publicity for the Clay and Glass Festival. Staff said the firm was identified through its work for the Art Center Foundation but did not have comparative attendance data available at the meeting.

Upper Arnautoff fresco panels restored at Roth Building

Conservators have restored four upper color frescoes and the gray fresco above the entrance to the Roth Building, while the final treatment for eight more fragile lower panels remains unresolved. The commission received the update without taking a vote.

Victor Arnautoff created the frescoes in August 1932, and they entered the city collection in 2016. The work included cleaning, removal of non-authentic earlier inpainting and reversible watercolor inpainting of losses. Conservators also prepared treatment documentation and a maintenance plan calling for regular cleaning and periodic condition evaluations.

Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation provided a one-time $115,000 grant requiring a 50% city match. The city applied for the grant in 2019, work began in September 2023, and the conservator contract was approximately $118,000.

In response to concerns about graffiti and other damage, staff said enclosing the frescoes behind Plexiglas could create a harmful microclimate. Cameras, lighting, fencing and future building staff are expected to provide protection. Staff plans to develop treatment and interpretation options for the lower panels, pursue federal and private funding, and update commissioners about tours and a possible public opening discussed for May.

Projection-mapping project advances after contract approval

Staff reported that the council had approved the A3 Immersive contract on consent earlier in December, allowing the projection-mapping project to proceed. Staff planned to bring A3 Immersive to a January commission meeting to present the project and answer questions.

Artwork is installed before park construction is complete

Artwork by Urban Rock Studios has been installed at a park that remains under construction and was expected to open to the public in a couple of months, staff reported. When commissioners asked about the timing, staff said the artwork had been fabricated, stored as long as possible and installed during the available window. Staff said the immediate area would feature boulders, decomposed granite and pathways rather than grass, while overall park construction was somewhat behind schedule.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet