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A Resolution approving the concept and donation for a work of public art by Vaughn Spann, in conjunction with the Alexan Crafts development project at 330 Catalonia Avenue in fulfillment of the Art in Public Places requirement for public art in private development (unanimously recommended by the Arts Advisory Panel approval/denial vote: 9 to 0; unanimously recommended by the Cultural Development Board approval/denial vote: 6 to 0).
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Trammell Crow Residential (the “Developer”) is constructing a mixed-use project at 330 Catalonia Avenue, Alexan Crafts (the “Project”). The Developer has chosen the option of petitioning for a waiver of the Art in Public Places Fee requirement by commissioning, installing, and donating artwork to the City as specified in the Zoning Code, Article 9.
As part of the Developer’s agreement with the City, the northeast corner of Salzedo Street and Catalonia Avenue is being deeded to the City as a public park where the sculpture will be installed. The development team worked collaboratively with David Castillo on selecting an artist to design artwork in response to materiality, suitability for a general audience, weather, and intrinsic value. Artists of international caliber were considered with a final selection to commission work by the artist Vaughn Spann.
Artist Vaughn Spann was born in Florida and lives and works in Newark, New Jersey. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University in 2014 and an MFA from Yale School of Art in 2018. Spann was a recipient of the 2017 Alice Kimball Traveling Fellowship and has been invited to participate in numerous exhibitions, including recent solo exhibitions in Pennsylvania and Kansas. His work can be found in prominent collections throughout including the Brooklyn Museum, High Museum of Art, Hirshhorn Museum, Perez Art Museum Miami, and the Rubell Museum, among others.
In the artist’s own words, he has a powerfully evocative, painterly vocabulary and synthesizes abstracted textures and forms into symbols, histories, and subjectivities that push against the boundaries of nonrepresentational art. His formal compositions give way to concepts, signs, and signifiers that carry with them the changing nuances of their age.
The “rainbow” motif is one of Vaughn Spann’s most widely sought-after and recognizable images. As monumental paintings, the image has entered major museum collections and some of the most important private contemporary art collections in the world. The artist considers the image one of inclusivity and familiarity. The narrative concept is about everyone participating in public spaces and how the beauty of color and fantasy is able to engage viewers of all backgrounds and beliefs. Because it is such a familiar and beautiful image, it intends to conjure notions of beauty, inclusivity, and imagination.
The artwork is a unique work for the City of Coral Gables and will be incorporated into a natural environment allowing for extended time in relaxation and contemplation. As a place to walk and relax, the artwork does not interfere with pathways or other elements which are part of the natural flow of the area and adds to the experiences afforded by public parks. The artwork creates greater value to the experience of the park by having an internationally known artist’s work as an attraction, increasing the use of the City’s public space.
The Corten steel and aluminum sculpture is approximately 9 and a half feet tall and sits on a rectangular pedestal that is about two feet high. Situated in the center of the park, it will be positioned for best visibility.
The concept proposal and information about the artist is attached as Exhibit A to the proposed Resolution.
The cost of the proposed art piece and installation is estimated to be over $700,000 (seven hundred thousand dollars). The artwork and all related expenses will be the responsibility of the Developer.
The Arts Advisory Panel and the Cultural Development Board voted unanimously to recommend the proposed artwork by the artist Vaughn Spann at their respective meetings on March 9, 2022 and March 15, 2022.
The Developer is required to provide additional fees toward the perpetual maintenance of the artwork, in accordance with the City of Coral Gables Art in Public Places: Funding, Goals, and Implementation Guidelines.