Arnaldo Pomodoro, Disk in the Form of a Desert Rose, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park cast 1999-2000. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. Photo by William J. Hebert

Making Sculpture City : the Place of Public Art in Civic Life

Moderator:
Jennifer Geigel Mikulay - Assistant Professor/Public Scholar of Visual Culture at Herron School of Art & Design, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Panelists:
Mary Ann Keeler - Vice President, Michigan Special Commission on Art in State Buildings; Commission on Art in Public Places; Consultant for NEA
Nancy Mulnix Tweddale - Arts Advocate and Community Volunteer
Milt Rohwer - President, Frey Foundation, Grand Rapids
Paul Wittenbraker - Associate Professor of Foundations and founder of Civic Studio at Grand Valley State University (GVSU)

This pre-kickoff session engages the conference’s host city and its recent history with public art. Consistently operating on the cutting edge of public art practice, Grand Rapids has received little recognition for its role in innovating, modeling, and questioning best practices in place making. This interactive session will demonstrate the roles that artists, administrators, and advocates in Grand Rapids play in advancing projects that infuse the city with special places to encounter public art, earning the city the moniker “ Sculpture City.”

A New Eden: Botanical Gardens as Venue for Temporary Sculpture Exhibitions

Moderator:
Joseph Becherer - Director/Curator, Sculpture Program, Frederik Gardens and Sculpture Park

Panelists:
Cathleen Cooke, Director of Exhibitions, Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Patrick Dougherty - Artist
Anita Feldman – Curator, Henry Moore Foundation  

Although the relationship between gardens and sculpture has been a staple in the history of art since antiquity, botanical gardens have emerged as a new and significant venue for Modern and Contemporary sculpture in recent years.  Temporary exhibitions and installation projects have found their way into the verdant spaces of botanical gardens, transforming accepted concepts for many organizations, even influencing mission and long-term visions.  Unlike the incorporation of traditional garden statuary and fountains, Modern and Contemporary sculpture is not an accent to a horticulture display, but a powerful presence that can energize a space, comment on the role of nature in sculpture, and draw vast and diverse audiences that might otherwise not attend either a traditional botanical gardens or art museum.  An open dialogue with the audience will follow the respective presentations.

Deborah Butterfield, Cabin Creek, 1999, Bronze, photo: © Balthazar Korab Ltd.

Art and Design: Project Objectives that Redefine Art(ist)

Moderator:
Janet Kagan - Principal, Percent for Art Collaborative

Panelists:
Kofi Boone - Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at NC State University
Susan Harrison - Program Manager, Art in Architecture Program, GSA
Jack Mackie - Artist, Downtown Phoenix Urban Form Project

This panel will present the complex issues that arise when the scope of the public art commission requires design expertise in areas beyond the experience of the artist, especially when content and function drive the public art process.  Specifically, colleges and universities are training artists to be able to respond to "design" problems such as streetscapes; cities are requiring artists to "tell the story" about place; parks and recreation departments are seeking artists to add value and infrastructure to their trail systems; and, public art agencies are drafting calls for artists to create works that satisfy multiple project objectives in addition to the experience of art.   What is this new role and potential competition for the artist?  What does the artist need to know?  What complementary disciplines must the artist be prepared to fold into their work?

Number 26, 1995-1996, Bronze, by Hanneke Beaumont (Dutch, b. 1947) photo © Balthazar Korab

Across International Time Zones: Global Efforts in Public Art

Moderator:
Tom Moran – Director of Arts Inclusion/Artist Services, NJ State Council on the Arts

Panelists:
Herve Bechy - Director, art-public.com
Rosina Santina , M.S.W., M.F.A.- Adjunct Professor, Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico

As the world becomes more connected, more public art opportunities are available for more artists.This panel will explore how artists can participate in these new world wide opportunities. The panelists will share their insights on the value and challenges of working abroad and reference examples of world wide public art projects and installations.

Lessons on Public Art

Moderator:
Roberley Bell - Professor, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, Rochester, Institute of Technology,

Panelists:
Christina Lanzl - Project Manager, Urban Arts Institute at Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Foon Sham - Professor, Department of Art, University of Maryland
John Young - Chair, Sculpture and Public Art Program, University of Washington

The panel will present a range of methods now being employed to introduce students to the field of public art, from art historical lecture classes to studio programs to those that fall in between. Currently we find that some academic institutions have entire degree areas for public art studies, what does that mean? At other institutions public art courses fall under sculpture studio, does that become exclusive? At yet other institutions we find only a history course on Public Art, does that provide for the necessary hands on skills?  As we consider the education of the artists in the 21st century where do we place studies on public art and what skills do students need to be informed for a career in the discipline of public art. A short list might include: a historical understanding of public art and its role in a society, the need for skills that go beyond the “studio practice” to include concerns of presentation, (models, visual boards, etc), and the critical understanding of working in and with communities.  

Shared Responsibility in the Lives of Artworks in the Public Realm

Moderator:
Shelley Smith - Associate Conservator, Intermuseum Conservation Association

Panelists:
Michele Cohen - Program Director, Public Art for Public Schools, NYC Department of Education/NYC School Construction Authority
Tin Ly - Conservation Manager, Public Art and Design Program, Broward Cultural Division
Barry Tinsley – Artist

From concept to fruition, the life and interpretation of artworks both historical and modern is based on the success of complex and collaborative relationships.  This session proposes to introduce artists and other professionals involved in the production of artworks to the process of selecting, accessioning, maintenance, and preservation. The artwork may be under the stewardship of museums or government bodies with specific structures in terms of organization and administration.  The panel will consist of diverse professionals who have worked together on the preservation and accessibility for the art that falls under their jurisdiction and can offer insight on both and local and national level.   Case studies will be presented  that incorporate increasingly complex legal and ethical issues related to accession, deaccession, ongoing maintenance, intellectual property rights, interpretation, and artist responsibility for  artworks in private and public collections.  The scope of responsibility is changing as are the ethics in dealing with both new and historic works from artists either living or deceased.  Another aim is to raise awareness regarding the issues of evolving interpretation of artworks, how and why this occurs, and how conservation research in recent years has influenced the interpretation and production of art in terms of fabrication .

Framing Public Art History - Developing a Critical Language

Moderator:
Harriet Senie - Director of Museum Studies and Professor of Art History, City College, CUNY

Panelists:
Sarah Schrank - Professor, Cal State University
Erika Doss - Professor, University of Notre Dame
Cher Knight - Professor, Emerson University

Context: Place in Sculpture Making

Moderator:
Helen Lessick – Public artist; public art consultant, former manager for Washington State Arts Commission; public art collection manager for Seattle and Los Angeles; facilitator for temporary art projects in New York and Portland.

Panelists:
Todd Bressi - Urban Designer, Urban Design, Place Planning, Public Art
Norie Sato - Artist
Dennis Montagna - Program Director, Monument Research & Preservation, National Park Service

Outdoor sculpture, a fixture of American urban spaces for 200 years, has been embraced and enhanced by contemporary public art commissioning practices. This panel analyzes the systems and rationales municipal agencies use to engage the work and thinking of sculptors in the design and creation of public places for specific sites and contexts.  Public art commissions often require the artist to be part of a team effort, contributing to a collaborative design of public space.  Panelists will examine the opportunities for original thinking in federal, local and non-profit agencies, and explore new trends in percent for art programs.  Particular focus will be on municipal infrastructure projects, calling for art in utilities and transportation systems, and federal monuments.  This panel will discuss how to decode municipal Request for Qualifications, examine budget constraints, and target the opportunities right for their work and talents. It would also allow for allow attendees to pose questions and share their experiences, gaining some insights into how RFQ-generated art commissions arise within the world of Public Art. This panel is recommended for art administrators, city planners and artists considering applying to commissioned public art projects.

Brave and Bold: A Critical Review

Moderator:
Jennifer McGregor - Director of Arts & Senior Curator, Wave Hill

Panelists:
Eleanor Heartney - Critic, Art in America
Joel Henning - Critic, Wall Street Journal

During this session we will capture a wide survey of recent public sculpture projects from across the globe. Rather than through the eyes of sculptors, curators, academics or art administrators, three-four noted critics will be asked to present on projects they find meaningful to the burgeoning tradition of public art. Following each of the respective presentations, the moderator will engage the group in a dialogue and entertain questions from the audience. This is an important and informative forum to gauge the pulse of public sculpture across the global scene.

In Dialogue:  Michele Oka Doner and Public Commissions

Presented by: Joseph Antenucci Becherer Commissioning Curator Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park and Michele Oka Doner, Artist

Timed to coincide with this year’s International Sculpture Center conference, critically acclaimed artist Michele Oka Doner has completed her most recent public commission.  Beneath the Leafy Crown for Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is an extensive project in which the artist has created and placed more than 1,600 individual bronze elements and mother-of-pearl in 1,200 square foot terrazzo.  Oka Doner will discuss the project from its inception to completion in a dialogue with commissioning curator, Joseph Antenucci Becherer. The artist will also discuss the larger body of her work specific to her experiences with public commissions.  A question and answer session will be available to the audience following the dialogue.