Title
A Resolution of the City Commission approving the concept and commissioning of a work of public art by gt2P Studios in conjunction with the Alta development project at 4101 Salzedo Street, in fulfillment of the Art in Public Places requirement for public art in private development (recommended by the Arts Advisory Panel approval/denial vote: 5 to 2; unanimously recommended by the Cultural Development Board approval/denial vote: 5 to 0).
Body
Alta Developers (the “Developer”) is constructing the Merrick 250 development project, at 4101 Salzedo Street (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 reviewing a selection of qualified artists, the development team selected and commissioned the artist team gt2P to design proposed artwork for the Project, resulting in two pieces, “Suple Tree Sculpture” and “Coral Mural.”
Background of Artist:
Gt2P is a Santiago de Chile based collaborative studio creating projects that span public art, architecture, and collectible design, represented by the New York gallery, Friedman Benda.
Working across scale and media, their practice is rooted in a unique approach the studio calls “Paracrafting”, which integrates art, science, cultural-material context, and contemporary production processes through parametric thinking. By working within this signature frame, they create a network of intersection points that resonate across creative and cultural boundaries. The resulting work speaks in unexpected ways -sometimes playful, sometimes poetic- to the zeitgeist of our time.
To date, gt2P has been featured in numerous international museum exhibitions, including: The Design Triennale at Cooper Hewitt; Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco; The Design Museum, London; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; Henan Museum, China; MAXXI Museo Nazionale Delle Arti Del XXI Secolo, Rome; Bellevue Arts Museum; the Museum of Art and Design, New York, among others.
Gt2P’s work is held in permanent collections worldwide, such as the Denver Art Museum, Colorado; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; The Cooper Hewitt Design Museum in New York; Bard Graduate Center in New York; and The London Design Museum.
Description of artwork from the concept proposal:
“Suple Tree Sculpture” is a piece inspired by the grapefruit trees that allowed the development of Coral Gables. Straight segments are made from two types of standard stainless-steel pipes with CNC perforated for the upper section segments that have an interior LED lighting system. Node segments are painted in bronze color.
“Coral Mural” is a piece inspired by the coral stones underneath Florida’s sea using the algorithm of our previous project “Hope Keeper.” Each coral cell is composed from two to three CNC laser cut and folded steel sheets that are bolted together. One by one, all fifty-eight coral cells are drilled to the canvas wall. Each opening in the mural’s cells have a thin steel mesh inside of them that prevents the intrusion of water and small birds.
Landmark: From afar the pieces work as a collection that populates the corner of the paseo with reminiscences of the values of Coral Gables.
Geometry and invitation: Up close, appear the detailed geometry and texture that invite you to get even closer and be part of the piece.
Inner Space: an experience (is created) of introspection and connection with the piece.
The concept proposals are attached as Exhibit A to the proposed Resolution.
The cost of the proposed artwork is estimated at $703,000 (seven hundred, three thousand dollars). Funds toward the artwork should not replace expenses toward any lighting 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 team gt2P at their respective meetings on September 6, 2023 and September 19, 2023.
Recommended Action
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