HomeMy WebLinkAbout(0008) IR 20-10431 - Pioneer Tower Iconic Public Art Project UpdateINFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
No. 20-10431
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 16, 2020
ION, Page 1 of 1
SUBJECT: PIONEER TOWER ICONIC PUBLIC ART PROJECT UPDATE
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The purpose of this Informal Report is to update the City Council on the Pioneer Tower Iconic Public
Art Project.
A key recommendation of the City Council -adopted Fort Worth Public Art Master Plan Update (October
17, 2017, M&C G-19140) is "to commission destination -quality artworks by nationally or internationally
recognized artists" at four locations, including Pioneer Tower in the Cultural District.
The Pioneer Tower Rehabilitation Project offered an ideal opportunity to begin work on the first Iconic
Artwork project. The Art Commission's recommendation of a projection mapping video approach for the
project was presented to the City Council during the Work Session of April 3, 2018. The Pioneer Tower
Iconic Public Art Project was specifically identified in the Fiscal Year 2019 Public Art Annual Work Plan,
which was adopted by the City Council on November 6, 2018 (M&C G-19412).
On January 29, 2019, a Work Session presentation on the Pioneer Tower Rehabilitation Project detailed
the art infrastructure (data/electrical cables to locations on all four sides of the tower to support
projection of videos) included in the Muckleroy + Falls construction contract (M&C C-29019).
On August 6, 2019, a Work Session presentation on the Art Commission's recommended Iconic Artwork
Strategic Plan included an update on the Pioneer Tower Iconic Public Art Project. This update
introduced local planning consultants JTK Studios LLC / SP Studio LLC, who specified the art
infrastructure and facilitated the selection of curatorial consultant DooEun Choi to identify highly -
qualified new media artists for the project.
On September 26, 2019, curator DooEun Choi presented internationally renowned new media artists,
Quayola (Quayola.com) and Refik Anadol (RefikAnadol.com), to the Pioneer Tower Project Core Team
who recommended they be invited to prepare proposals for the project. The Art Commission concurred
with that recommendation on October 7, 2019. Both artists and the curator visited Fort Worth in late
January 2020 to tour the tower, conduct research, and meet with potential institutional collaborators. At
the Art Commission meeting of May 11, 2020, both artists presented their proposals*.
On June 8, 2020, the Art Commission voted to make formal recommendations to the City Council to
authorize Artwork Commission Agreements with Quayola Studio Ltd and Refik Anadol Studio, LLC, for
the Pioneer Tower Iconic Public Art Project. Two M&Cs to authorize these agreements will be included
on the June 23, 2020, City Council agenda for consideration.
For more information, please contact Martha Peters, Director of Public Art, Arts Council of Fort Worth,
at 817-298-3025.
David Cooke
City Manager
*To view the artists' proposal presentations search "Public Art Commission" on May 11, 2020 at http://fortworthtexas.gov/fwty/.
Curator DooEun Choi's comments 00.17.29 00:19:44; Quayola's presentation 00:19:44 - 00:36:41; and, Refik Anadol's
presentation: 00:52:27 - 01:09:38]
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER
FORT WORTH, TEXAS