Public Art Saint Paul - Fall Report Stewardship
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Public Art Saint Paul
2008
Fall Report • Stewardship
Creating and Caring for Art in Saint Paul’s Civic Realm for 21 Years
Stewardship:
Affirming that Public Art Matters
O ver the past summer, artworks that built the ev-
eryday experience of our civic lives have been van-
dalized, damaged and removed. Marked with paint
and sharpies they have been covered with tarps;
used as hand holds for urban climbing, they have
been un-anchored and trussed for support. Disre-
garded and unloved by its new owner, a major work
of 20th century American art was extracted from
its 30-year home in a prominent downtown loca-
tion and disappeared to another state.
In media interviews of the past months a frequent
question has been “can art survive in a public con-
text?” Being accessible also makes it vulnerable,
but should its vulnerability dictate its covering or
removal? Should lack of adequate public resources
PLACEMAKING
for maintenance and restoration allow for artwork
deterioration and loss of integrity? Should mes-
sages of hate writ large on art speak of who we are
as a civic body?
Public Art Saint Paul sees the glass is half full…
and filling due to an awakened and inspired citi-
zen commitment to public art stewardship. In all
neighborhoods of Saint Paul people have stepped Saint Paul Sculptural Complex, 1971 by George Sugarman, now lost to downtown Saint Paul
forward to affirm that public art matters.
Stewardship, continued on Page 2
Stewards of the Western Sculpture Park Posse with a sculpture by Ted Sitting Crow Garner installed this summer. Stewards from Minhia Chorus restore Meditation in Phalen Park.
Stewardship, from Page 1
Whether works were made of bronze
and stone to speak of history, heri-
tage and heroes; whether they were
shaped in steel or wood in abstract
expression of beauty; whether they
comprise entire landscapes or struc-
tures for our exploration and discov-
ery, public artworks speak to us of
who we are. They deserve our care.
Public Art Stewardship is concerned
with the condition, sustained integ-
rity and awareness of public art.
Throughout our civic history, most
public art was commissioned by pri-
vate groups and individuals and do-
nated to the City. Yet, in the giving
and acceptance, no provision was
made for maintenance, or restora-
tion. So, after 150 or even 15 years
they have corroded and eroded,
streaked with bird droppings and
grime. They have been scratched
Public Art Saint Paul crew re-secured Nathan Hale, which had and painted and skateboarded.
been un-anchored by climbers. Their stories are largely unknown.
There are few signs that name the A steward works to restore Meditation in Phalen Park
works, their artists or speak of their
histories. Our challenged municipal This summer as we watched East Side neigh-
budget does not have the capacity bors work to painstakingly remove spray paint,
to adequately count their noses, as- we saw a community affirm its unity. We saw
sess their condition, clean them off West Side bluff residents lovingly plant prai-
or seal them against elements and rie border around a stone sculpture overlook-
insults. ing the city. Highland Park and Mounds Park
neighbors walk those beautiful prospects and
Supported by our 20th anniversary
keep an eye on sculptures overlooking the
program fund, Public Art Saint Paul
Mississippi River.
has recruited nearly 200 citizens in
a Stewardship Corps to assist pro- Dayton’s Bluff resident Cassandra Moe wrote,
fessional conservators to inventory, “Every day on my way to work I drive down
Nathan Hale’s shoes, restored and reanchored. assess condition, clean and restore McLean to Mounds Boulevard and take a right;
public art. Each steward receives in- as I look left for traffic, I get a glimpse of the
formation about the artwork, a map sculpture. It brightens my morning EVERY
of the site, condition assessment MORNING. I am not an artist and I am not a
forms, a cap and colorful T-shirt. seeker of art. But that piece makes my life bet-
Stewards are charged to check and ter and I appreciate that gift every day.”
report on condition of public art-
works in their neighborhoods, en-
gage their neighbors in awareness of
public art, and assist in maintenance.
By looking carefully, by washing and
tending, we come to know the art
and ourselves.
As new public artworks enter our
civic home, Public Art Saint Paul is
The New York Life Eagle was preened for Lookout Park dedication. working with the City to draft new
public art policies to ensure that
artworks are sustainably made,
that maintenance plans are part of
their creation, and that gifts of art
are accompanied by maintenance
endowments.
By the end of 2009, the first phase
of a new program of public art sig-
nage will be completed, with works
identified and linked to a creative
information program.
Signage in the beautiful new Lookout Park tells the story of the The Ucumacinta River visits the Mississippi by Javier del Cueto
New York Life Eagle. Special thanks to Tom Zahn and Patricia
Hampl for their help!
STEWARDSHIP From Fear to Fearlessness:
The Defacement and Restoration of Meditation in Phalen Park
I n 2006, Public Art Saint Paul gathered artists Together we began to transform our fear to can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only
from throughout Minnesota and the world to fearlessness. love can do that.’”
carve sculptures from Minnesota stone. In the
spirit of amity and understanding, Chinese Public Art Saint Paul’s team and commu- We thank those who partnered with us to
sculptor Lei Yixin brought forth from Winona nity volunteers worked from dawn to dusk to produce the Unity Ceremony and undertake
limestone the face of a woman that conveyed complete the restoration. The dim remaining the Restoration: Evelyn Lee, Dragon Festi-
profound serenity in her enigmatic smile. He traces of blue will bleach out in the sun. By val; Romi Slowiak and Sarah Fehr, East Side
named the sculpture Meditation. the week’s end, “the lady was again smiling.” Arts Council; Leslie MacMurray and Karen
Stone, Payne Phalen Planning Council; Mari
As Lei worked every day over six weeks, tens The vandalism is being pursued as both a Bongiavoni, East Side Neighborhood Devel-
of thousands watched and were transformed crime of felony property damage and as a fed- opment Corporation; Ilean Her, Council on
by the experience. He visited Lake Phalen eral domestic terror “hate crime.” Public Art Asia Pacific Minnesotans; Nick Banovetz, Pa-
and walked its lakeside paths and at the edge Saint Paul is participating in the City’s process dilla Spear Beardsley; Melvin Giles, East Side
of a tranquil lagoon, he saw a willow tree. of restorative justice and our costs of repair- Peacekeepers; Rich Lallier, Karen Clark, and
This was the place he Joe Buzicky, Saint Paul
chose for his sculpture. It Parks and Recreation;
was dedicated in joy at the Councilmember Dan
2007 Dragon Festival and Bostrom and Police
stood for a year – beheld Chief John Harrington.
and loved by tens of thou- Unity music by David
sands of park visitors. Harris, Li-chen Chen,
the African Chorus of
During the night of July
Arlington Hills Presby-
12, in the midst of the
terian Church, Minhia
2008 Dragon Festival, this
Chorus, the Hmong
beautiful park and Medita-
Youth Choir, the drums
tion were horribly defaced.
of Mu Daiko, and the
Paths, buildings, festival
bells of the Church of
booths, signs and even
Gustavus Adolphus.
trees were sprayed metal-
Words of healing by
lic blue with messages and
Rev. Howard Dotson,
symbols of hate. Meditation
Arlington Hills Presby-
was the iconic ground zero
terian Church; Rev. H.
for this crime; hate was
David Stewart, Dayton
the intended welcome for
Avenue Presbyterian
thousands of celebrants
Church; Rev. Terrance
Sunday morning.
Rollerson, the Com-
The sculpture was cov- pass. Ning Li translated
ered with tarp. As the and read the words of
sculpture’s owner, it was artist Lei Yixin. Conser-
Public Art Saint Paul’s re- vator Kristin Cheronis
sponsibility to attempt ex- led the restoration with
peditious restoration. But assistance from many
before we could begin, we community volunteers.
knew that deeper restora- Artist in residence Mar-
tion of our individual and community spirits ing the damage are on record in the police cus Young led and inspired us all. Public Art
was essential. case. There are suspects, but no arrests have Saint Paul’s Finette Magnuson, Aki Shibata,
yet been made. Nic Hager, Travis Spangler, Cody Anderson
Public artist in residence Marcus Young en- and Abe Gleeson worked tirelessly.
visioned and shaped a Unity Ceremony that Minnesota Rocks! came to the attention of
gathered hundreds at Phalen Park on August those planning the National Martin Luther The Saint Paul Foundation provided a major
15. Within the enclosure of a white tent, peo- King, Jr. Memorial in Washington as they grant to support the restoration. Target Foun-
ple viewed and pondered to the beat of taiko sought an artist to create the memorial’s dation, the Prosoco Company, and many pri-
drums. Voices were heard: words of grief from carved stone centerpiece. They traveled to vate individuals and organizations joined the
the community and Dragon Festival leaders, our symposium site and met Lei, who was effort. Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church
words of comfort and aspiration from religious later awarded this important commission. At plans to dedicate a portion of its Thanksgiv-
leaders, words of civic values and determination the Unity Ceremony, his words of forgiveness ing collection to restoration and stewardship
from the police chief and Councilmember. The reflected the impact of working on the King as part of a larger effort to face racism in the
forgiving words of the artist were read. Choirs memorial: community.
of many faiths and cultures sang and church “I want to say think you to everyone com-
bells rang. Using pieces of white tape, people Story, images, and links to media features on
ing today. I am deeply moved. I did not ex- the Unity Ceremony and Restoration can be
entered the candlelit gossamer enclosure and pect such a thoughtful and soul touching
began to remove the hate. Enrolled as stewards found on Public Art Saint Paul’s news blog:
ceremony. I will forgive those who damaged http://publicartstpaul.blogspot.com.
of the sculpture, their orange shirts appeared as the sculpture. Martin Luther King taught us
lanterns in the summer evening’s dying light. ‘darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light Images © Andy King & Linnnea Larson.
EDUCATION
A Diary of a Public Art Steward
and familiarity with a specialized process. Any
uneasiness had been eliminated early in the
day and I leave the site feeling confident that
my contribution was constructive. I’m ready
for tomorrow’s work.
Day 2
9:00: The re-waxing process begins. Before
continuing her work with areas of corrosion
and paints out discolored portions of the
bronze, Kristin trains us to successfully ap-
ply wax to the sculpture. Two of the most
experienced team members handle propane
torches to heat the bronze in preparation for
waxing. When the metal reaches the correct
temperature, just cool enough to touch, we
apply with brushes a thin coat of clear bowl-
ing wax over the entire sculpture. The wax-
ing is completed before lunch and it is left to
harden overnight.
Day 3
7:30: The earliest day begins while there is still
a morning chill in the air. It is necessary for
the temperature to remain cool for the entire
buffing process. We use cloths to polish the wax
applied yesterday. Kristin explains that the buff-
ing action forces wax platelets into an armor-
Liz Amundsen assisted in cleaning the New York Life Eagle. like structure, which provides the aging bronze
protection from its surrounding environment.
By Lizzie Amundsen In less than an hour and a half, the conservation
Public Art Saint Paul 2008 Intern process is complete. A renewed sheen animates
School of the Art Institute of Chicago the New York Life Eagle, now ready for another
year in the city. She looks happy!
Day 1
9:00: Eight of us assemble on a hot hot sum-
mer day at Lookout Park anticipating our
participation in the conservation of a nearly
120 year old sculpture. Led by professional
conservator Kristin Cheronis, several team
members are already acquainted with the
procedure for cleaning the New York Life Eagle.
As someone with minimal pertinent experi-
ence or knowledge, I begin the day unsure of Summit Lookout Park was dedicated on August 15.
my usefulness, and of the scaffolding rising This extraordinary park came to be through the efforts
overhead! of the Ramsey Hill Association, led by Denise Beigbeder
and Judy McLaughlin and many generous patrons. It is
9:30: We spray down the sculpture’s limestone a constant delight to see the park enjoyed by hundreds of
base with water from an extended hose. Once people each day.
the porous stone is thoroughly soaked, it is
scrubbed with brushes and sponges dipped in bronze with shop cloths, brushes and odorless
a diluted Orvus solution. The mild detergent mineral spirits. Along with the wax we are
is effective at lifting grime from the surface of withdrawing a year’s collection of Lookout
the stone. Park construction dust, exhaust fumes, and
other contaminants. Diligence is necessary
10:00: Those of us inexperienced in conser- to ensure that each surface of the bronze is
vation begin a series of short training ses- considered. While we give our attention to de-
sions. We are shown how to properly clean waxing, Kristin focuses on specific details on
the bronze in a manner similar to that used the sculpture, combating corrosion.
on the base. A stronger solution of Orvus is
scrubbed across the sculpture, which is then 4:30: We finish the day’s work. Kristin’s care-
rinsed. In less than 10 minutes, the entire ful guidance and emphasis on personal safety
team is actively working with the bronze. (being cautious on the scaffolding, frequently
taking water breaks, insistence on the use of
1:30: After lunch and further training our gloves, etc) generates healthful productivity
team removes the top layer of wax from the The Eagle was happy to be clean.
A Major Work of 20th Century American Art Lost to Saint Paul
Saint Paul Sculptural Complex, 1971 By George Sugarman
Saint Paul Sculptural Complex
by GeorgeSugarman is a ma-
jor 20th century American
artwork. The painted alumi-
num sculpture was site-spe-
cifically commissioned for the
First National Bank of Saint
Paul’s downtown headquarters
expansion in 1971 upon rec-
ommendation of Walker Art
Center Director Martin Fried-
man, Minneapolis Institute of
Director Anthony Clark, and
Minneapolis College of Art
and Design President Arnold
Herstand.
Highly visible at the corner
of 5th and Minnesota Streets,
the sculpture was seen from
the surrounding streets and
revealed its further exuberant
complexity from within the
two-story building entrance
way. Comprised of 40 individ-
ual elements, it was fabricated
at the famed Lippincott, Inc.
As the Bank’s leaders Philip
Nason and Clarence Frame
had hoped, Saint Paul Sculp-
tural Complex made a worthy
contribution to the art of our time and it stood aerie brilliantly completed by the Ramsey Hill owner’s representative…and only then were
well with the generations that experienced it Association. we “regretfully informed” that the owner had
in daily civic life. For 38 years, it was a signifi- opted to sell the artwork “to someone in Tex-
cant cultural asset and spot of much needed Last spring, First National Bank Building rep- as.” It was last seen in the yard of a suburban
color in our urban environment. resentatives worked with us to draft a plan to rigging company.
save the Sugarman sculpture for Saint Paul.
The First National Bank ultimately merged Conservator Kristin Cheronis examined the This was a terrible experience – one that is
into US Bank. Ownership of the building sculpture, thoroughly documenting its instal- about far more than the sculpture. It is also
was transferred to series of out-of-state real lation and prepared a detailed proposal for about the demise of civic commitment among
estate investment corporations. In 2007, the sculpture de-installation, transport and stor- increasingly remote owners of major down-
current owner made plans for renovations age pending restoration and identification of town properties.
and deemed that the Sugarman sculpture no a new site.
longer had a place in the building. Here is what Saint Paul has lost.
The Saint Paul and F. R. Bigelow Foundations
Councilmember Dave Thune and Public Art generously responded to our “public art emer- “…The Saint Paul Complex is the most audaciously
Saint Paul challenged the departure of this gency” by providing $20,000. Thune stood and exuberantly variegated large-scale sculpture cre-
wonderful artwork from our City. Beginning ready to recommend Saint Paul Neighbor- ated in our time. Recently, growing numbers of artists
in fall of 2007, we raised questions about the hood STAR support from Community Invest- have been examining the potential of a public art – as
sculpture’s title. After 4 months of inquiry, ment Funds. Attorneys drafted an agreement art and for the role it might play in renewing our cit-
US Bank disclaimed any ownership of or for de-installation and transfer of sculpture ies. Sugarman conceives of public art as retaining its
responsibility for the sculpture. Thune along title to Public Art Saint Paul. Board members identity as art and at the same time animating an envi-
with staff of the Heritage Preservation Com- and friends offered their pro-bono profession- ronment. Sugarman’s Saint Paul Sculptural Complex
mission and Public Art Saint Paul expressed al time, including architect Craig Amundsen provides us with a standard of artistic quality and
to all parties the importance of saving this im- and attorneys Zach Crain, Pat Plunkett and an important contribution to the evolving tradition of
portant piece of the City’s cultural history. Ed Fox. All of our busy contractors cleared public art in America.”
their calendars and turned down other work __Irving H. Sandler, 1971
Our hope was to save this work, as we had the opportunities to address this emergency per from Sugarman: Sculptural Complex
New York Life Eagle. The Dynex [Real Estate the building owner’s stated timetable that de- in an Urban Area
Trust] Corporation donated that magnifescent manded removal by May 31. Sandler was president of the
American section of the
sculpture to Public Art Saint Paul in 1998. International Art Critics
We paid for its removal from their property As the deadline approached, we became con- Association
and over the next six years, the sculpture was cerned that we had not received an executed
completely restored and installed in Summit copy of the negotiated agreement. Two days
Lookout Park. This summer saw its bluff-top before the project date, we contacted the
Join Public Art Stewards!
W e are citizens of all ages in all parts of the city who believe that public art matters. We
take time as we walk and play in the city to look at the sculptures in our care. We pick up trash
on the site, inspect the art and call Public Art Saint Paul if we see any damage. We’re proud
of our work to clean and restore these treasures. We tell our friends and neighbors about the
artworks and the artists. Our T-shirts are cool!
You too can be a steward!
For information (and a T-shirt!), contact Public Art Saint Paul: 651-290-0921
or e-mail pasp@publicartstpaul.org
Abe Gleeson recruits Talon Scouts in Summit Lookout Park.
East Side Stone Sentinel Finette Neighborhood young people of the Midway Rock Stars Jun-Li Wang and Councilmember Pat Harris is a
Magnuson with restored Meditation. Western Park Posse. Rayna Olson of Hamline Midway Coalition Highland Handler.
In time for the holidays: Everyday Poems For City Sidewalk
Imprinted in sidewalks throughout Saint Paul,
these 34 award winning poems were chosen from
a citywide contest that drew 2000 entries. This
hand-bound 60-page book with letterpress cover
also includes an essay by project artist Marcus
Young. Sized to fit handily into pocket or purse
for reference during urban walks.
Supply limited!
$18 plus $2 shipping and handling
Call Public Art Saint Paul to order using
Visa or Mastercard 651.290.0921
Or send check with delivery instructions to:
Public Art Saint Paul
253 East 4th Street,
St #201
St. Paul, MN 55102
For information on Everyday Poems for City Sidewalk,
including map of poetry stampings see:
www:publicartstpaul.org
Public Art Saint Paul • 253 East 4th Street • Suite 201 • Saint Paul MN 55101 • 651-290-0921 • www.publicartstpaul.org
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