The Arts Commission will start the review process of a proposal by artist Marc Fornes for an Art in Public Places installation at the Village Entrance during its Monday meeting at 5:30 p.m. Fornes was retained by the city to develop the proposal.
Photos courtesy city of Laguna Beach.
Fornes and his team of artists and architects have designed and built a number of thin-shelled pavilions that aim to provide unique spatial experiences for communities while also contributing to the visual identity of the site and catalyzing community engagement, a statement from the city said.
The proposed design by Fornes is a pavilion-style sculpture created from layers of aluminum suspended over pedestrian and bicycle pathways in curvilinear patterns. The sculpture offers a sense of space with opportunities for artists and the community to gather for such events as live music, readings and screenings, according to the statement. The artist has included other concepts such as a pedestrian bridge, which are not part of his proposal or intended for inclusion in the Village Entrance project.
“Ultimately, our design aims to highlight the existing natural beauty, history and visual culture of Laguna Beach. The structure is an articulation of meeting points, a nexus nestled at the entrance to the city. Connections between channel and street, canyon and water, city and nature will born under the pleated colors of our pavilion allowing the spirit of Laguna Beach to shine even more brightly,” Fornes said in the proposal.
“This is an exciting opportunity to discuss a fabulous proposal by a talented artist who has an international reputation for his innovative designs. This will likely be a discussion of how our community is reflected through an iconic sculpture that is a space we can gather and enjoy,” said Pat Kollenda, vice-chair of the Laguna Beach Arts Commission.
“When we undertook the Cultural Arts Plan the community overwhelmingly responded that they wanted a space to gather, a place where their artists could share their talents through performance and art. A proposal such as this opens up a new kind of opportunity for the community,” added Adam Schwerner, chair of the Commission.
Public input will follow Fornes’ presentation on Monday and the Arts Commission will take action on Aug. 26.
Meetings are held in the Council Chambers, 505 Forest Ave. For more information, contact cultural arts manager Sian Poeschl at [email protected].
To view the proposal visit lagunabeachcity.net/news/displaynews.htm?NewsID=2039&TargetID=20
Fore more information on the Village Entrance Project, visit lagunabeachcity.net/cityhall/pw/village_entrance_project
Form before Function. Is this the best you can do? How about a transit stop with some bathrooms?