Art on the River Selections.
DU~~E
~ck~
MEMORANDUM
May 31,2006
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Art on the River 2006 Selections
Included in the City of Dubuque's Vision Iowa application is the requirement to install art
elements and landscaping at the Port of Dubuque. In November 2005 the City Council
approved the creation of the Art on the River outdoor sculpture project. This project is
modeled after similar projects in other cities whereby artists submit a proposal for their
piece to be selected as part of an outdoor exhibit. A panel of judges review the artwork
and make a recommendation on pieces to be selected and installed for a period of one
year.
The jury panel consisted of Michelle Robinson, Curator of the Figge Art Museum in
Davenport; Sean Ulmer, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Cedar Rapids
Museum of Art; and Edwin Ritt, Executive Director of the Dubuque Museum of Art.
Assistant City Manager Cindy Steinhauser is recommending City Council approval of
the 2006 Art on the River jury selection for outdoor sculpture at the Port of Dubuque.
The Art on the River Committee and the Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission concur
with the selections made by the jury panel.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
(ttA ~/t~
Michael C. Van Milligen ~
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
D~~~E
~<-k~
MEMORANDUM
May 30, 2006
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager /' "I (II
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager~
TO:
SUBJECT: Art on the River 2006 selections
Introduction
The purpose of this memorandum is to request City Council concurrence with the
selection of artwork for the 2006 Art on the River Competition.
Backaround
Included in the city of Dubuque's Vision Iowa application is the requirement to install art
elements and landscaping at the Port of Dubuque. As stated in the application, the
concept is to create art elements and landscaping throughout the Port of Dubuque to
add interest and create a sense of whimsy. The city of Dubuque currently has $300,000
budgeted for this purpose.
In November 2005 City Council approved the creation of the Art on the River outdoor
sculpture project. This project is modeled after similar projects in other cities whereby
artists submit a proposal for their piece to be selected as part of an outdoor exhibit. A
panel of judges review the artwork and make a recommendation on pieces to be
selected and installed for a period of one year. The selected artists receive a small
stipend for loaning the city his or her art for the year. The pieces are listed for sale, but
are required to be on display for a period of one year. During the course of the year,
special events are held to promote the idea of public art and to encourage the public to
purchase any of the sculptures on display. At the end of the year, the city, in
conjunction with the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission would hold a special
reception where the art is auctioned off. The city would receive 25% of the sale price of
all sculptures that are sold to go towards expanding and providing long-term funding of
the Art on the River project. Any unsold artwork is returned to the artist.
In compliance with our Vision Iowa application, a committee identified 10 highly visible
locations at the Port of Dubuque to locate this artwork
Discussion
On May 1, 2006 applications were received for the 2006 Art on the River outdoor
sculpture competition. A total of 38 pieces were submitted from 21 artists from 15 cities
in eight states. On May 8, 2006, a jury panel conducted a blind review of the submittals.
The jury panel was comprised of the following individuals:
Michelle Robinson, Curator of the Figge Art Museum (previously Davenport Museum of
Art. Michelle has been curator since Fall, 1998 and was on the design committee for
the new 100,000 square foot David Chipperfield designed art museum, which opened to
the public last August. Previously she worked in the curatorial department at the
Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas and taught art history
for the University. She is finishing a PhD dissertation on early 19th century British
landscape painting at Kansas University.
Sean Ulmer is the Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Cedar Rapids Museum
of Art (CRMA). Joining the staff of CRMA in the fall of 2005, he brings fifteen years of
curatorial experience, including over eighty exhibitions and numerous acquisitions. Prior
to his position at CRMA, he was Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the
University of Michigan Museum of Art from 2001 to 2005. Before that, he was at the
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, where he had a broad
curatorial portfolio as Assistant Curator of Painting and Sculpture. His five years at
Cornell were preceded by his position as Exhibitions Coordinator at The Ohio State
University's Wexner Center for the Arts. Sean received a BA Art History from the
University of Toledorroledo Museum of Art and a MA in Art History from The Ohio
State University.
Edwin Ritt is the Executive Director of the Dubuque Museum of Art (DuMA). Prior to his
appointment at DuMA, Edwin has been Executive Director for the Thomasville, GA
Cultural Center, The Historic Greenville, SC Foundation, Asheville, NC Art Museum and
Chief Curator and Deputy Director of the Greenville, SC County Museum of Art. Edwin
received a BA in English and Studio Art at Wilmington College and an MA in Art
History from the University of Cincinnati.
Based upon a blind review, the jury panel is recommending nine pieces for exhibit at the
Port of Dubuque. Due to the anticipated construction activity at the Port, only nine
pieces were selected and the locations are along Bell Street, Rivers Edge Plaza and on
city owned green spaces at the Port of Dubuque. Attachment 1 provides detail on each
of the nine pieces including the title, artist, city, description of the piece and the value of
each piece. Attachment 2 is a powerpoint that shows at image of each piece selected.
On May 15, 2006 this recommendation was reviewed by the Art on the River Committee
and again on May 23, 2006 by the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission. Both
groups concurred with the recommendation of the jury and commended the jury for the
quality of the selection.
c
Upon City Council concurrence with this recommendation, city staff will notify all artists
of the recommendation and work with selected artists to coordinate installation of the
artwork by September 1, 2006.
Recommendation
I recommend approval of the 2006 Art on the River jury selection for outdoor sculpture
at the Port of Dubuque.
CC: Art on the River Committee
Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist
~JI
'.
Art on the River 2006 Selected Artists
Title: Rondo
Artist: John Anderson-Bricker
City: Dubuque, Iowa
Description: Rondo is a nonobjective sculpture that may have figurative
references but primarily focuses on the interplay of similar positive and negative
shapes. Additionally Rondo appeared as an appropriate impression of lyrical
movement or striding.
Buy now price: $2,500
Reserve bid: $2,000
Title: Ferrous Fish
Artist: Gail Chavanelle
City: Dubuque, Iowa
Description: The fish are those of the Upper Mississippi. The metal bends
gracefully as real fish do actually move. They could turn to "swim" against the
wind as fish do in the current of the river.
Buy now price: $550
Reserve bid: $600
Title: Family Outing
Artist: Gail Chavanelle
City: Dubuque, Iowa
Description: Family Outing is a signature piece for Gail Chavenelle. It was
originally designed to represent her son's family, Dubuquers who have enjoyed
our Mississippi Riverwalk. The Mississippi River is important for all families in
such a river town as Dubuque. The Family Outing sculpture reminds us of our tie
to the river.
Buy now price: $700
Reserve bid: $750
Title: The Wheel That Won the West
Artist: Tom Gibbs
City: Dubuque, Iowa
Description: Tom Gibbs derives his themes from twentieth-century history music,
and philosophy, and his forms are inspired by the concrete world of natural
landscape and mechanical technology. The influence of time on all of these
things is expressed in his work by a dynamic between destruction and
construction, degeneration and generation and negative and positive momentum.
'.
The forms in The Wheel That Won the West are as layered as the limestone
bluffs which are so much a part of the landscape in his native Dubuque.
Buy now price: $22,500
Reserve bid: $22,500
Title: Skylines
Artist: Mike Helbing
City: Berwyn, III
Description: Expresses the artist's fascination with the dream of mind travel in the
sky and motion.
Buy now price: $27,000
Reserve bid: $30,000
Title: River Spirit
Artist: Lynette Power
City: Winona, MN
Description: Seven foot (7') bronze heron sculpture.
Buy now price: $24,000
Reserve bid: $18,000
Title: Seedling
Artist: Stephanie Sailer
City: Lawrence, KS
Description: Seedling represents the first phase of life for a plant once it has
trudged through the earth to feed of sunshine rays. The stem is thin and
tenuous, originally unable to support the weight of the future foliage. This is the
moment marked by unbounded possibilities, quite similar to ourselves as we start
new stages in life.
Buy now price: $3,500
Reserve bid: $2,500
Title: Sod Buster
Artist: Michael Spoerl
City: Sherrill, IA
Description: This is a larger than life statement about the priority, importance,
and permanence of agriculture in the Midwest presented in the simple theme of a
horse drawn plow.
Buy now price: $4,000
,.
Reserve bid: $4,000
Title: Woolly Bear Bench
Artist: Bounnak Thammavong
City: Lawrence, KS
Description: While living and working in New Hartford, IA I watched many Woolly
Bear Caterpillars wiggle across the studio floor. Their movements, shape and
color inspired this sculptural seating.
Buy now price: $5,000
Reserve bid: $4,000
'~,; ~
c..;';" .~
'. -, . ...
. ." "',.'1' .':
~ ~ .
,
c
o
. .
...- co co L{)
NC'0 ...-
CIl
Ol-
C~
-
-
~ E
E.o
.0 :J
:J(j)
(j)~
CIl ...... CIl
_Oa>CIl
.CIl ~ rn a>
tt_~
<(<((j)U
II+- '+- '+- '+-
o 0 0 0
'- '- '- L-
a> a> a> a>
.0 .0 .0 .0
E E E E
:J :J :J :J
ZZZZ
Q')
"'0
a>
-
()
a>
a>
CIl
CIl
a>
()
a>
Cl..
-
o
......
a>
.0
E
:J
Z
CIl
C
o
-
.0
.I::
><
W
"'0
C
ro
CIl
c
o
-
()
a>
o
U
-
o
......
o
-
ro
......
:J
U
-
C E
o :J
CIl a>
C CIl
.0 :J
&~
a>~
~ a> a>
o .I:: Ol
...... () Ol
~~iL
CIl
C
o
-
.0
.I::
><
W
"'0
C
ro
CIl
C
-
()
a>t
<(
0_
U 0
15 E
...... :J
o a>
rn CIl
...... :J
:J~
U CIl
~"'O
a> . Cl..
E ro
-cr
:::> ......
C ro
ro"'O
a> a>
(j)U
t
<(
-
...... 0
.9 E
() :J
a> a>
...... CIl
o :J
-~
-
- a>
cr :J
C 0-
~~
"'0 :J
WO
- i'I
)
~;..
-.~. .:; 7~~
... l'"
"t~
~""'""
~~
~....'t
'?-~
~
.~.,
",-.-
~
--
,.....~.
--~~
,
t
I
~
.--~
_..~r"~' '- -'- '
~~:..'.'.-'" .'
s.:c..~~.' ,..
~~-,;,;~~."" .
,:f- :~~~~
.." '.. ,,=-~~
._~::~~
,.... .. ,'- . .
.,,;,-;:---...........'~....~ '-..
.....
L-
Q)
..::s:.
u
";:: - -
OJ -
I
C
0 CO -
en 3:
L-
Q) 0
"0
C Q)
0 <t: ::J
"0 C 0-
C ..c ::J
0 0 .0
0:: J ::J
0
.......
Q) en >.
....... t::
i- :-=
<t: U
Q)
Q) ro
..c c ~
.1') Q) 0
LL >
ro
(/) ..c Q)
:J U :J
0 0-
.... .- :J
.... ro
Q) <.9 ..Cl
LL :J
o. . . 0
......
Q) (/) . .
~ t >.
I- ......
<( 0-
U
Q.)
0) Q.) co
c c ~
Q.) 0
...... >
:::l
0 co Q.)
..c
>>U :::l
0-
E :::l
co.o
co (9 :::l
LL ..0
......
Q.) C/) >>
...... t :t=
I- <(U
.~
.
'.
_t.'
.'
.'J
......
C/)
0)
s
0)
.i::
......
C
o
S
......
CO CO
.i:: 3:
I- C/) 0
0)15
0) ._ 0)
.i::C)::J
S E g
0)0.0
.i::I-::J
I- ..0
......
.. C/) ..
0) ._ >.
+:;t~
f-<(()
;','i~
~f:i,',,/.;'~
0)
C
.0
--
(1)-
l/)I -
(1) c
.c ~ ~
>..- C:
~~(1)
Cf) en
.......
.. l/) :....:
(1) ._ ........
+-'L~
i-<t:O
'-
(])
:s:
;t:OZ
.~ n.. ~
CI) (]) -
::::: ro
'- (]) c
(]) c 0
.> >. c
0:: ---l .-
..>
.. +J >
(]) If) ..
- .- >.
;t:t-
1-<(0
(..... . ;..~~ ....;..
.,. .
~..........
,
-
! I
j ~
I
!
f
I f
I
!
I
:
f
----
.
-
~
'\
..
,
'J
'"
;:,
2
(
.
~
"
~
~.
.E
~
.~
. IE,
.s
~
'W;;
-.
.
-
.....
0)
.-
roC/}
C/}~
.0)
O)C
c ro
:=..c
-00...
0) 0)
0)......
C/}C/}
.. ......
0) .CJ) >.
:t=t......
1-<(0
0)
u
c
0)
.....
3:
ro
---l
~
~; ':I
'1:1 ;:!. V
.;.~ .2:~:_
"=l'" I:.I..J';
:=ii"';z.B;.
?2g~:~
~ :- ..t:. :-'~
'15......;; IT,"';'"
~~~in
jo; Ct ~ t: - '::
'''l S lJ 8. y. :::
"ii,"~a.:.i
.J... .c .;; :J Q:::
.; = t;; ~ :: ;;
~ ~I E ,~ ~ :~ .:.
~ :! yo, ~ ~ ,a.....;
g..:;.... c: -,oo'!:
.... ,,, ... :J 1! ~ .,
!:1-0'=- '1';:'-'~ <'I.'
~_ ~ -;;. = :i'
Q :1.' ~ .E ('T)~::
:_ ''$ -= fI',~ ~ -::.
,...~:;;:;;QTIi~.
.;:.
t
;;
"" ~...~
.si
~ .:
E~
~:E
:.... ~
- ~
]"3
4" ~
8
..; .!;
;1=
.::: .:<
n.
~ '"
&~
~-
- ....
J
,~.~J
.....r
III
~
II
a a
li~ 'tt &PI:
~II
't ' '\111I
I
,
.. I,
.....,'
lllli!Q.
11\
-.
~
"
i:I
"
III
\
~~,~
1::
Q.)
o
Q..
Q5u)<(
--
(/) Q.)
:::l ro
CO .c .C
() L..
-0 ._ Q.)
O~.c
U) .. U)
-
.. (/)
Q.) "- >.
+Jt:t=
i-<(u
\ r--
" I ,
, --:,..
\
.~
r
i 1
~
l
t. \ ,
i
/
/
r--l
o:l-uO
" " .
:gVi;;
tn":l<
<n!!~
....JtZI:
I . ~
.~
= .!:! l<
-g .S ::c
EZ3~
o N
~
~
r
10,...
I ~,~
.,.
rh I ~~
Ii. '1 ,,~
\~~~
-&. "i::f l<
(2~?=
~~
~ ~ 1<
" 0 :t
eS'
.sU'.l~
~
r=
" ~
." J
~
0)
C
0
>
..c ro
u E
c
Q) E
CO ro U)
.... ..c
ro I- ~
Q) ~ Q)
CO ro u
>. c c
c Q)
0 :J ....
0 0 3:
S CO ro
---l
.......
Q) (f) >.
:t= t .......
I- <( U
- "