12. 23-0489
Consideration of the Cultural Arts Commission Recommendations for Mural Artwork at the Manhattan Beach Art Center and Police/Fire Locations and Costs, Selection of Final Artwork Design at Manhattan Heights Complex and Disbursement of up to $105,000 from the Public Art Trust Fund (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
A) APPROVE ARTISTS, LOCATIONS, AND COST
B) DISBURSE FUNDS
I like the Tanaka piece submitted for the MBAC wall, but I think others have a point. The wall is not prominently displayed and I'm not sure how many people will really see this artwork. Very heavy car traffic, but not a lot of people walk by this area I am against a mural on the fire department wall. Just because we have a wall does not mean we have to put a mural on it, and if a mural would be placed there, I think the mural should be more clearly representative of Manhattan Beach.
A mural at the MBAC wall is a terrible location. The wall is recessed from the street, barely visible, hidden behind trees. Nobody will even see this mural. $20,000 down the drain. Another location should be considered where there is more foot traffic. I object to a mural at the fire department wall. A mural here looks tacky and its proximity to the 9/11 memorial makes me feel uneasy. Moreover, the shark mural is unquestionably the most ridiculous. A great white shark on the side of a fire department wall? How does this make sense? Also, $85,000 for a single mural? City council already agreed to pay $100,000!!!! to an artist to paint some birds on building adjacent to the pier! $100,000 of tax payer dollars for birds. Wow. Surely we can find 3 more locations around Manhattan Beach and pay three artists each $20,000 for murals at more appropriate locations.
For the Police/Fire proposal, first you don't need to use the entire wall. Next, whoever suggested an aggressive shark on a police/fire building should be removed from all future processes--might as well put a patrolman's hat on the shark. If you feel you have to choose one of these, I'd go with the safety personnel one, but a much smaller mural. Definitely not palm trees. However, in respect to murals as a whole, I tend to prefer the more low-key examples provided by the company (Urban Land Institute?) that did the downtown consulting and identified this potential in the first place.
I have been an MB resident of Manhattan Beach for 15 years. I happily welcome murals to this city. That said, I am against installing murals at the Manhattan Beach Art Center and the Fire Department wall. The MBAC wall is hidden, obstructed by trees. It is not immediately visible to the public and there is essentially no foot traffic along this area. Allocating $20,000 for this mural is a waste of money. Regarding the Fire Department wall, I am not against placing a mural here, but I do not like any of the proposals and none of them relates to Manhattan Beach in any way. Moreover, most are completely unremarkable and don’t represent $85,000 worth of value. The only proposal that is memorable is the shark, and I am most vehemently against this one. It makes zero sense being here and is out of place. Manhattan Beach is not known for sharks, and we shouldn’t be! Either no mural at this location or find new proposals.
I have been an MB resident of Manhattan Beach for 15 years. I happily welcome murals to this city. That said, I am against installing murals at the Manhattan Beach Art Center and the Fire Department wall. The MBAC wall is hidden, obstructed by trees. It is not immediately visible to the public and there is essentially no foot traffic along this area. Allocating $20,000 for this mural is a waste of money. Regarding the Fire Department wall, I am not against placing a mural here, but I do not like any of the proposals and none of them relates to Manhattan Beach in any way. Moreover, most are completely unremarkable and don’t represent $85,000 worth of value. The only proposal that is memorable is the shark, and I am most vehemently against this one. It makes zero sense being here and is out of place. Manhattan Beach is not known for sharks, and we shouldn’t be! Either no mural at this location or find new proposals.
I like the Tanaka piece submitted for the MBAC wall, but I think others have a point. The wall is not prominently displayed and I'm not sure how many people will really see this artwork. Very heavy car traffic, but not a lot of people walk by this area I am against a mural on the fire department wall. Just because we have a wall does not mean we have to put a mural on it, and if a mural would be placed there, I think the mural should be more clearly representative of Manhattan Beach.
A mural at the MBAC wall is a terrible location. The wall is recessed from the street, barely visible, hidden behind trees. Nobody will even see this mural. $20,000 down the drain. Another location should be considered where there is more foot traffic. I object to a mural at the fire department wall. A mural here looks tacky and its proximity to the 9/11 memorial makes me feel uneasy. Moreover, the shark mural is unquestionably the most ridiculous. A great white shark on the side of a fire department wall? How does this make sense? Also, $85,000 for a single mural? City council already agreed to pay $100,000!!!! to an artist to paint some birds on building adjacent to the pier! $100,000 of tax payer dollars for birds. Wow. Surely we can find 3 more locations around Manhattan Beach and pay three artists each $20,000 for murals at more appropriate locations.
For the Police/Fire proposal, first you don't need to use the entire wall. Next, whoever suggested an aggressive shark on a police/fire building should be removed from all future processes--might as well put a patrolman's hat on the shark. If you feel you have to choose one of these, I'd go with the safety personnel one, but a much smaller mural. Definitely not palm trees. However, in respect to murals as a whole, I tend to prefer the more low-key examples provided by the company (Urban Land Institute?) that did the downtown consulting and identified this potential in the first place.
I have been an MB resident of Manhattan Beach for 15 years. I happily welcome murals to this city. That said, I am against installing murals at the Manhattan Beach Art Center and the Fire Department wall. The MBAC wall is hidden, obstructed by trees. It is not immediately visible to the public and there is essentially no foot traffic along this area. Allocating $20,000 for this mural is a waste of money. Regarding the Fire Department wall, I am not against placing a mural here, but I do not like any of the proposals and none of them relates to Manhattan Beach in any way. Moreover, most are completely unremarkable and don’t represent $85,000 worth of value. The only proposal that is memorable is the shark, and I am most vehemently against this one. It makes zero sense being here and is out of place. Manhattan Beach is not known for sharks, and we shouldn’t be! Either no mural at this location or find new proposals.
I have been an MB resident of Manhattan Beach for 15 years. I happily welcome murals to this city. That said, I am against installing murals at the Manhattan Beach Art Center and the Fire Department wall. The MBAC wall is hidden, obstructed by trees. It is not immediately visible to the public and there is essentially no foot traffic along this area. Allocating $20,000 for this mural is a waste of money. Regarding the Fire Department wall, I am not against placing a mural here, but I do not like any of the proposals and none of them relates to Manhattan Beach in any way. Moreover, most are completely unremarkable and don’t represent $85,000 worth of value. The only proposal that is memorable is the shark, and I am most vehemently against this one. It makes zero sense being here and is out of place. Manhattan Beach is not known for sharks, and we shouldn’t be! Either no mural at this location or find new proposals.