FAC 04-18-2013 ....00/(11
kri 9ss APPROVED MINUTES
C U P E RT I N O FINE ARTS COMMISSION
Regular Adjourned Meeting, Conf. Rm. A
10300 Torre Avenue Cupertino
April 18, 2013
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
At 7:03 p.m., Chairwoman Rajeswari Mahalingarn called the meeting to order in Conference
Room A, 10300 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, California, and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chairwoman Rajeswari Mahalingam, and Commissioners Jessi Kaur (7:15), Russell
Leong, and Michael Sanchez. Absent: Commissioner KC Chandratreya.
STAFF REPORT - None
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None
BUSINESS
1. Minutes of the regular meeting of March 26, 2013.
Leong moved and Mahalingam seconded to approve the minutes as presented. The motion
carried 4-0, with Chandratreya absent.
2. Report from Mayor's meeting with commission members, and confirm representatives to
attend next meetings (first Tuesday of each month, 8:00 a.m., Conference Room A).
Commissioner Sanchez reported on the last Mayor's meeting. He said that all the
commissions were represented, and they reported on one or two highlights for their various
commissions. He took some written notes and will distribute those to the commissioners
later.
Chairwoman Mahalingam reordered the agenda to discuss item 3 last.
P
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4. Status report on the Distinguished and Emerging Artist nomination period, and updates
from commission members about distribution of posters and other outreach efforts.
The staff liaison distributed the flyers created by Commissioner Leong, and the members
discussed the places where they plan to share them, including schools and DeAnza College
faculty.
5. Receive status report from Commissioner Sanchez on public art catalogue updates.
Commissioner Sanchez said that he had been making progress on photographing more of
the city's public art, including the Franco Park artwork that is in the ground. He planned to
photograph the bronze sculptures at Mary Avenue Bridge (hawk and quail family). He
mentioned that his wife had grown up in Cupertino and had been providing interesting
historical insights. He suggested adding some historical background about the city to the
art catalogue as well as some historical photographs. The commissioners agreed with this
concept, and suggested that he contact the Historical Society as well. Commissioner Kaur
volunteered to write up the historical segments.
6. Review of public art proposed for the Rose Bowl project (mixed-used retail and housing on
Wolfe Road). Artist: Archie Held Studio. Developer Representative: Mark Battistini, KCR
Development.
The Cupertino Rose Bowl project, consisting of street-level retail and 204 units in four stories
around a central courtyard, is located at 10090 Wolfe Road in Cupertino. Artist Archie Held
displayed a maquette of the proposed sculpture, titled "Engage" and explained that it would
be a stainless steel sculpture mounted over a water feature. There will be a shallow pool of
about 6 inches, surrounded by a poured concrete wall with an integral seat and a finished
stone cap. Water will flow over a floating, stainless steel tier in the center of the pool, and the
sculpture will be mounted on the tier. The 12-foot sculpture is made of satin finish stainless
steel, and it will be lit directly or from within the pool. The corner location for this sculpture
will make it possible for pedestrians and drivers to see the sculpture from multiple angles,
and the raised platform will make the sculpture appear slightly larger than it is.
The commissioners commented that the sculpture is beautiful, very graceful and simple, and
the seating component is a benefit because it will make the experience of the artwork more
intimate. They were also pleased to learn that the artist was a native of Cupertino.
The staff liaison noted that the Fine Arts Commission prefers that the same artist not be used
for multiple pieces in the city,because they don't want the artwork to look too similar. In
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this instance, two developers chose the Archie Held studio, and coincidentally both projects
were moving forward to the art phase at the same time. Mr. Held said that he would make
sure the pieces were markedly different.
The developer said that there will be about 50,000 square feet of retail space, with restaurants
along Wolfe Road and close to the sculpture. There will be 204 residential units above the
retail. He said the entire complex is very pedestrian oriented, with wide walkways and
integrated seating areas.
The staff liaison said that the Fine Arts Commission encourages some sort of launch party,
such as the one taking place next week at the Aloft Hotel. Mr. Battistini said that installation
is planned for January 2014.
The commissioners asked for more information to be sent to them about lighting plans for
the sculpture and pool.
The sculpture dimensions would be approximatelyl0 feet wide by 12 feet high, seated on a
platform in the center of a 10-foot diameter pool. The piece will also be lighted, although it
had not yet been determined if the lights would be submerged in the pool or mounted in the
surrounding pool wall.
Commissioners Kaur moved and Leong seconded to approved the artwork concept, and
asked staff to send information on the lighting and landscaping around
ad the piece when it is
available. The motion carried 4-0, with Commissioner Chandratreya
Commission also encouraged the developer to announce the installation through a press
release and/or an unveiling ceremony or celebration.
COMMISSIONER REPORTS
Commissioner Jessi Kaur said she greatly enjoyed the recent sister city event for Bhubaneshwar.
The dancing at the event was excellent, and a real feast was provided.
r
Staff Liaison Smith said that the Euphrat Museum would at the recent how update on about war and
activities at the next meeting. Commissioner Kaur said
piece was excellent. There was also artwork from about 50 children in the community about
"Art for Peace", and Mayor Mahoney gave oui:the awards.
April 18, 2013 Cupertino Fine Arts Commission Page 4
Michael Sanchez said he attended the symposium for public art at Santa Clara University. One
presentation was particularly interesting, which was a study done in New Zealand of t-shirts as
public art and how that affects community and culture.
Commissioner Sanchez said he would contact Diana Argabrtite at the Euphrat Museum to get
more details about a Fine Arts Commission speaker for the the Cherry Blossom Festival on April
27 and 28.
6. Review of public art proposed for the Rose Bowl project (continued)
Commissioner Sanchez said that much of the artwork in Silicon Valley cities is abstract, high
tech, and metallic, and that in future he would like to encourage other styles where
appropriate, either more representational, historic, more whimsical, or perhaps tied to
cultures and subcultures.
Discussion followed regarding the city's public art collection, which included a number of
abstract pieces. There are also representational sculptures of children at the library,birds at
the Mary Avenue Bridge, and soldiers at Memorial Park. More whimsical pieces include the
metal and glass mobile sculptures on Tantau, the cockatiels on DeAnza Boulevard, and the
baseball player at the Memorial Park baseball field. Commissioner Sanchez thought that a
representational sculpture of Elisha Stephens would be a nice option, since photographs
show him to be something of a character, typically wearing a stovepipe hat.
It was agreed that the Fine Arts Commission should keep the Planning Division informed
about these suggestions, so that the developers can be keeping them in mind up front while
the project is developed, and that thought should be given to identifying places such as
plazas or walkways where smaller, more intimate artwork such as human-scale
representational pieces could work well.
The staff liaison said that the best solution is i:o provide suggestions to the developer but be
welcoming to the style of art that company prefers. There have been some cases where the
owner opted to transfer the sculpture (or funds and space for the sculpture) to the city. The
city's public art selection process is more lengthy, may require community hearings, and the
artwork is then the city's responsibility to maintain. She noted that public art can include
creative water features, such as a waterfall down a building, a moving light show,
installations using sound, etc.
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ADJOURNMENT
At 7:55 p.m., the meeting was adjourned.
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Staff Liaison K. erly Smith