In addition to the upcoming Urban Trees 5 project, the port is initiating a joint effort with the Port's Land Use Planning Department to renovate the existing concrete picnic tables in Embarcadero Marina Park North. All proposals are due by March 10.
20 February 2008
Urban Trees 5 - Calling All Artists
In an effort to attract locals and tourists alike to the waterfront, the port initiated the Urban Trees program in 2003. They commissioned 30 artists to construct tree themed sculptures - based on a 12 foot by 6 inch (diameter) pole - to be placed along a half mile stretch of San Diego Bay, from Broadway Pier to Hawthorn St. The project was initiated as part of the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan, in which the port, along with the City of San Diego and Centre City Development Corporation, are gradually giving the area a face lift.
Trees is now entering its fifth iteration, and the port is calling for artist submissions for jury consideration. For each of the Trees projects the port chooses only 30 artists to participate, although the last version, Urban Trees 4, had nearly 120 applicants. All finished pieces are available for sale at the close of the exhibition, which will run for about a year.
All artist proposals are due to the port by March 5. Winners will be chosen at the committee meeting on March 12, and all selected artwork must be ready for delivery and installation by June 30. Artists may submit up to two proposals each.
13 February 2008
Today's Committee Meeting Cancelled
The Port committees meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 1:30pm. Today's meeting, however, was canceled due to scheduling conflicts. The Port is attempting to reschedule the meetings to accommodate board members with other such committee and board obligations.
The next meeting is scheduled for March 18th, but subsequent meeting dates have not been finalized as of yet.
The Coronado Bridge proposal mentioned in the previous post with have to be presented at next month's meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for March 18th, but subsequent meeting dates have not been finalized as of yet.
The Coronado Bridge proposal mentioned in the previous post with have to be presented at next month's meeting.
12 February 2008
New Lights for Coronado Bridge?
According to the agenda for tomorrow's Port District meeting, Public Arts Director Sass will be proposing the signature art piece for the Port, in cooperation with CalTrans, which will revamp the way the iconic bridge is illuminated. There is mention in the agenda item of wanting to incorporate technology such as LEDs in the piece.
The bridge is not technically under the Public Arts Committee's jurisdiction, but the proposal argues that because the bridge bisects the bay, which the PAC does control, and is "visible from each member city," that this would be an appropriate project for the PAC to take on. CalTrans is reportedly already on board with the project, and the PAC has agreed upon a budget of $15-20,000.
The proposal at tomorrow's meeting, then, will be asking the Port Authority to effectively finalize this partnership and begin the process of seeking out designs for the project.
The bridge is not technically under the Public Arts Committee's jurisdiction, but the proposal argues that because the bridge bisects the bay, which the PAC does control, and is "visible from each member city," that this would be an appropriate project for the PAC to take on. CalTrans is reportedly already on board with the project, and the PAC has agreed upon a budget of $15-20,000.
The proposal at tomorrow's meeting, then, will be asking the Port Authority to effectively finalize this partnership and begin the process of seeking out designs for the project.
06 February 2008
An Introduction to the Unified Port of San Diego
San Diego's Unified Port district was established in 1963 as a self-supporting public benefit corporation by an act of the state legislature, according to its website. The port oversees the public properties along the bay, as well as Imperial Beach, and more than 600 waterfront businesses.
The port's public art program has been involved in dressing up San Diego's waterfront for more than 10 years. The art is intended to not only beautify the waterfront, but also to attract tourists to the area. Of the annual budget of $2.6 million (of the Port's roughly $130 million) to support the small staff and acquisitions and maintenance of these public projects, approximately $600,000 was set aside this fiscal year to buy and borrow new art, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The various installations and public projects have occasionally sparked controversy over the past decade, and some proposed projects were pulled because of public outcry. One installation, a montage of fiberglass boats, was abandoned in 1999 after the public said it too closely resembled a shipwreck. A more recent addition, Unconditional Surrender, which is a 25 foot color representation of the famous V-Day in Times Square photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, has brought the wrath of UT Art Critic Robert L. Pincus, among others.
The port's public art program has been involved in dressing up San Diego's waterfront for more than 10 years. The art is intended to not only beautify the waterfront, but also to attract tourists to the area. Of the annual budget of $2.6 million (of the Port's roughly $130 million) to support the small staff and acquisitions and maintenance of these public projects, approximately $600,000 was set aside this fiscal year to buy and borrow new art, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The various installations and public projects have occasionally sparked controversy over the past decade, and some proposed projects were pulled because of public outcry. One installation, a montage of fiberglass boats, was abandoned in 1999 after the public said it too closely resembled a shipwreck. A more recent addition, Unconditional Surrender, which is a 25 foot color representation of the famous V-Day in Times Square photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, has brought the wrath of UT Art Critic Robert L. Pincus, among others.
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