Public Art Committee's project concern builds

A dispute between the city’s Public Art Committee, city officials and a steering committee charged with formulating a $55,000 interactive sculpture project downtown has led to confusion about who’s in charge of the project and frustration about when the project will get off the ground.

Public Art Committee Chairman George Haborak attended the Sarasota City Commission’s Monday, June 18 regular meeting to provide a board update that revolved primarily around the conflicts about a project that’s been debated since August.

The art project, which would be owned by the city, is anticipated to mimic a popular art project concept in downtown Greenville, S.C., called “Mice on Main,” which allows adults and children to walk the streets of downtown and find sculptures of mice in unique places.

Public art coordinator Virginia Hoffman and senior planner Dr. Clifford Smith, though, say the project, which already received commission approval for nine bronze art sculptures at a cost of $55,000, will have a Sarasota theme to it. A steering committee that includes local businesses and organizations to come up with a Sarasota theme has created a broad theme called “Diversity of the Arts: A Child’s Journey.” Local art students are also being asked to offer suggestions and concepts for the project.

The broad theme was presented to the art committee last month, after the art committee requested to review the theme. Board members don’t think the presentation was good enough, though.

The debate has intensified in recent months, with Smith telling art committee members their purview is only for the sculptures and they don’t have control over the story and the illustrations that will come later.
Haborak, board member Trulee Jameson and others disagree with Smith and now say the theme is too broad and they want to provide input on the future storyboard.

“We feel that, as a board, we would be derelict if we didn’t tell you we have concerns and wish to provide future input going forward,” Haborak said. “Mice on Main was successful because it was based on a pre-existing, very popular book. What was presented to us was still riddled with numerous unknowns.”

When Haborak explained that at his board’s May meeting, five out of six board members said they couldn’t support the interactive art project because they are uneasy that the sculptures have been approved but board members don’t have a say over what kind of storyboard will be created. But, before the meeting was over, the board reversed its decision and agreed to support the project, once again, with concerns.

“We’re supportive, but let’s see a marketing program, an author and an illustrator,” Haborak said. “Right now, we have nine sculpture pieces with no story or purpose.”

Smith reminded commissioners the commission already approved the project in September, and the art committee has previously approved the sculptures by a 5-0 vote.

“The steering committee has been waiting to move forward (with a theme and storyboard) since last November after the art committee asked to review the concept,” Smith said.

Hoffman also noted that Jameson is a member of the project’s steering committee and she and others have had ample time to provide input.

“The steering committee has been extremely enthusiastic and is ready to get working on this,” Hoffman said.

Haborak, meanwhile, said it’s been left up in the air whether his committee will get to review anything more than the nine sculpture designs once a call to artists is issued to perform the work.

“That’s up to staff and the commissioners,” Haborak said. “They know where we stand on the issue.”

‘Complexus’ sculpture purchase approved
The red, 70-foot “Complexus” art sculpture that sits on the corner of U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue in front of One Sarasota Tower is now a permanent fixture in downtown Sarasota.

At its Monday, June 18 regular meeting, Sarasota city commissioners approved the Sarasota Public Art Fund’s request to purchase the work from Tennessee-based sculptor John Henry and gift it to the city as a part of its permanent art collection.

Henry agreed to reduce his purchase price from $850,000 to $500,000. The Public Art Fund has raised $350,000 to date and hopes to raise a total of $600,000 for the sculpture. The additional funds will be used to maintain and insure the sculpture.