Title
A Resolution of the City Commission approving the concept and commissioning of a work of public art by Alberto Cavalieri in conjunction with the JQ Group development project at 719 Biltmore Way, 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: 7 to 0; unanimously recommended by the Cultural Development Board approval/denial vote: 6 to 0).
Body
The JQ Group (the “Developer”) is constructing a development project, at 719 Biltmore Way (the “Project”). The Developer has chosen the option of petitioning for a waiver of the Art in Public Places Fee requirement by commissioning and installing artwork as specified in the Zoning Code, Article 9, Section 9-103 B.
After an internal review of qualified artists, the development team selected and commissioned the artist Alberto Cavalieri to design proposed artwork for the Project, resulting in the piece, “Anemoscopic.”
Background of Artist:
Alberto Cavalieri is an artist recognized for his architectural interventions and large-scale works in public places. He continues to redefine the cultural environment through monumental works that capture the relationship between humanity and nature.
Cavalieri is interested in the physical and mechanical aspects of objects and the three-dimensional forms they take. His work focuses on challenging physical laws and a sense of logic, in bending and transforming materials to create the impression that the works are not man-made.
“I create sinuous, contorting steel forms that outline spaces in an organic way; forms that can be easily tied together amalgamate with architecture and seem, at times, to be levitating. I like the idea that my pieces enter a complex dialogue with the spaces they occupy and create off-rhythms that unsettle the horizontal and vertical order we presuppose with our Cartesian conception of space.”
Alberto Cavalieri’s work has been held in featured exhibitions and is in prominent permanent collections throughout the Americas, such as the Museum of Latin America Art, Long Beach, California; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas, Venezuela; Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno, Cuenca, Ecuador, among many others
Description of artwork from the concept proposal and Artist Statement:
“Anemoscopic” is a unique piece fabricated in galvanized steel made by assembling modular, welded parts, and with a finished dimension of 183 in h x 156 in w x 71 n d.
The sculpture will be visible from many perspectives at the street level and up close to contemplate and enjoy, promoting inclusion and connection with the community.
“Metal allows me to create an overriding paradox between matter and form: to create sinuous forms that are full of life and movement, in clear contrast to the rigidity and structure of the material - steel - I use to make them. Knots are one of the abstract forms I use, and their multiple symbolisms increase the scope and resonance of my work. Knots imply human activity, and they have different connotations in terms of how they are used; connotations that could even be contradictory and/or ambivalent. Man makes knots to solve countless functional situations: they are a metaphor for life.”
The concept proposal is attached as Exhibit A to the proposed Resolution.
The cost of the proposed artwork is estimated at $220,000 (two hundred, twenty thousand dollars). Funds toward the artwork should not replace expenses toward any lighting or infrastructure requirements for the project. The artwork and all related expenses for the art will be the responsibility of the Developer. Any difference in cost is to be issued as a check for deposit into the Art Acquisition Fund.
Furthermore, Developer is required to provide for the perpetual maintenance of the artwork in accordance with the City of Coral Gables Art in Public Places: Funding, Goals, and Implementation Guidelines which will be memorialized in a covenant to run with the land.
The Arts Advisory Panel and the Cultural Development Board voted to recommend the proposed artwork by the Artist Alberto Cavalieri at their respective meetings on July 3, 2024 and July 16, 2024.
Recommended Action
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