AFFECTS WARD 2
CITY OF HAMILTON
PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT Culture and Recreation Division
Report to: Chair and Members Submitted by: Joe-Anne Priel, Community Services General Manager Committee
Date: January 28, 2004 Prepared by: Anna M. Bradford ext. 3967
SUBJECT: Art Gallery of Hamilton's Temporary Public Art Installation - Future Cities (HSC04010) (Ward 2)
RECOMMENDATION:
(a) That the Art Gallery of Hamilton be authorized to install six temporary public art exhibitions on city property, with the proviso that the Art Gallery of Hamilton meets all of the conditions requested by all effected city departments.
(b) That these conditions will be monitored continually by the Culture & Recreation Division of the Public Health & Community Services Department.
Joe-Anne Priel, General Manager Public Health and Community Services
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH) located within the heart of downtown Hamilton is currently closed for extensive re-cladding and renovations. Several of their programmes will continue to run at off-site locations.
The AGH is seeking authorization to use the following public areas as part of its Future Cities Project a temporary public art exhibition: Work: Didactic Museum Artist: Michael Allgoewer & Maggie Martineau Method: Engraved Plastic Panels Locations: • Mary Street Bridge • York Street Bridge SUBJECT: Art Gallery of Hamilton's Temporary Public Art Installation - Future Cities (HSC04010) (Ward 2) - Page 2 of 5
• Indian Chief Carving – Hamilton Harbour Commission
Work: Prominent Women’s Heritage Artist: V. Jane Gordon Method: Bronze plaque – 8” by 10” Location: Lawn area on the north side of the Football Hall of Fame – City Hall forecourt
Work: Scenic Views of Hamilton Artist: Liss Platt Method: Wooden “scenic views” signs with battery operated audio. Locations: • Main Street at Wellington, south side of the street beside the bus shelter • Hamilton Beach at Fitch Avenue near bike/hike path • On the Bat Street Bridge overlooking the train tracks Beckett Drive at Garth Street, top of stairs to Dundurn Street South or top of stairs to Chedoke Street
Work: Concrete Poetry Artist: Simon Frank Method: Poetry is stencilled on the sidewalks (will fade with time) Location: Across Sculpture Court of AGH, Go between Football Hall of Fame and City Hall, Left on Jackson in front of Whitehern, Right on MacNab, Cross Hunter (go under rail line), Left on Bold, Left on James, Right on Hunter, Left on Hughson, Right on Jackson, Left on Bowen, Left on Main, Right on John, Left through Gore Park, Cross James (right), Left on King back to Gallery (starting point)
Work: Untitled Artist: John Deal Method: Resin boxes strapped to trees Location: City Hall Forecourt
All installations will occur during the month of March, with the exhibition scheduled to open April 15 and continue until October 31, 2004. The Manager of Culture is working with both the Art Gallery of Hamilton and effected city departments to facilitate this project. Effected city departments are reviewing the project and developing conditions for the Art Gallery of Hamilton to honour before any installations would commence.
BACKGROUND: The Art Gallery of Hamilton is currently undergoing extensive renovations to its building and will be closed until 2005. During this closure period, the Gallery will be creating innovative public exhibits which highlight the message of art and our community. One such exhibit, developed by Shirley Madill, Senior Curator, is titled Future Cities. The Future Cities exhibition project is a means of exploring issues around the topic of “future cities”, using Hamilton’s new amalgamated city as a point of departure. Understanding
SUBJECT: Art Gallery of Hamilton's Temporary Public Art Installation - Future Cities (HSC04010) (Ward 2) - Page 3 of 5
that the City is the form, the condition of the social relationships within our society, it was opportune for the AGH to work with the community and with artists and architects in this visual extravaganza surrounding the idea of a contemporary global city. Future Cities explores the multi-layered character of the contemporary city and exposes how urban space may be used in innovative ways. Using indoor and outdoor space in the downtown core approximately 40 artist will be invited to feature their works. Most of the works will be exhibited on private property. The AGH is working directly with the owners to seek permission to use their property.
Work: Didactic Museum Artist: Michael Allgoewer & Maggie Martineau Didactic Museum sets up the city as a living museum. The contents of the collection are defined only in the context of didactic panels attached to relevant sites and architectural anomalies in the downtown core and industrial heartland of urban Hamilton. The act of defining certain objects and sites as pieces of art will bring the living museum into people’s daily lives in a surprising manner. The collection will be based upon historical and aesthetic parameters, as set out by the Curators.
It is the intention of the Curators (artists) to select 20 sites if budget permits. Each site will have an engraved plastic didactic panel attached which gives information such as name, date, dimensions, building material, catalogue number and description/history. It is as if each object is part of a permanent museum collection and is currently on display. The Curators (Artists) are requesting the use of the following: • Mary Street Bridge • York Street Bridge • Indian Chief Carving – Hamilton Harbour Commission
Work: Prominent Women’s Heritage Artist: V. Jane Gordon Various small bronze plaques will at various locations in the city. These plaques are a play on the development and contribution of women of the shaping of Hamilton i.e.
“On this site in 1824 Carmella declared, “I will chop up my different vegetables and arrange them on a long table” inventing the salad bar which became a Hamilton institution.”
Bronze plaque – 8” by 10”
Location: Lawn area on the north side of the Football Hall of Fame – City Hall forecourt.
Scenic Views of Hamilton will be comprised of 10-12 wooden “scenic views” signs placed at various locations throughout Hamilton. The signs will be rather rustic, made of wood and paint, to invoke actual “scenic view” signs or trailhead signs that would be encountered when hiking. On the face of the sign, there would be a small speaker face, and a red button. Once the button is pressed, a short (30 -45 second) narration that directs the views attentions to the scene at hand would be heard through the speaker. The speaker system is battery operated.
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Work: Scenic Views of Hamilton Artist: Liss Platt The artist has identified the following “scenic views” on city property: • Main Street at Wellington, south side of the street beside the bus shelter • Hamilton Beach at Fitch Avenue near bike/hike path • On the Bat Street Bridge overlooking the train tracks • Beckett drive at Garth Street, top of stairs to Dundurn Street South or top of stairs to Chedoke Street
Work: Concrete Poetry Artist: Simon Frank Concrete Poetry is a site-specific direct intervention into the urban landscape. A poem is spread out along the streets of downtown – with each work or line of the poem on the sidewalk and connected to the next with blue arrows (references the work of Eugene Denecourt – who in 1835, invented the walking trail in France using blue arrows.) The arrows map out a path through the city, beginning and ending at the AGH. The poem will be about what the artist is seeing during the geographical path that the poem is taking.
The Artist is recommending the following path. The poetry is stencilled on the sidewalks only and not on any roads. Although the stencilling method is considered permanent it will fade considerably with time until it diminishes. Across Sculpture Court of AGH Go between Football Hall of Fame and City Hall Left on Jackson in front of Whitehern Right on MacNab Cross Hunter (go under rail line) Left on Bold Left on James Right on Hunter Left on Hughson Right on Jackson Left on Bowen Left on Main Right on John Left through Gore Park Cross James (right) Left on King back to Gallery (starting point)
Work: Untitled Artist: John Deal
The artist has a selection of objects from celebrities such as Jean Chretien, Sheila Copps, Ian Thomas, Daniel Lanois, and Eugene Levy etc. These objects are encased in a box-like shrine (entirely made of resin). He wishes to attach these boxes to five
SUBJECT: Art Gallery of Hamilton's Temporary Public Art Installation - Future Cities (HSC04010) (Ward 2) - Page 5 of 5
different trees in the City Hall forecourt. The fastenings will be 1 ½ inches wide X 3/32 inch thick band. The band will loop through two slits in the sides of the shrine and will be secured using a steel clamp. There will be no damage to the trees. Request to the City: Permission to use five trees located at City Hall Forecourt.
Work: To be determined - several to chose from Artist: Marie Whiteman Large photographs depicting industrial images along side of nature images. All Hamilton based.
Request from the City: Permission to exhibit in the 1st Floor Lobby of City Hall
ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES: Not applicable.
FINANCIAL/STAFFING/LEGAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no staffing or financial implications. The Art Gallery of Hamilton will provide insurance in the amount requested by Risk Management with the City of Hamilton as additionally named insured. Risk Management is working with both City and Art Gallery of Hamilton staff to ensure that the City of Hamilton is not exposed to any liability during the exhibition including installation and dismantling.
POLICIES AFFECTING PROPOSAL: Policy for the Arts 1992
CONSULTATION WITH RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS/AGENCIES: Public Works Department Corporate Services – Finance & Administration, Risk Management
CITY STRATEGIC COMMITMENT:
A Great City in Which to Live To ensure that Hamilton remains a great city, Council commits to providing quality services that residents can rely on and to support the community’s quality of life. Arts & Culture Council is committed to promoting the development of arts, culture and heritage throughout the City.