By Khalida Sarwari
There was talk last year of filling Saratoga with art, and now that notion appears to be bearing fruit with the installation of a steel plate bench outside the Saratoga Library this fall.
The Saratoga City Council took steps on May 4 toward an agreement with the Montalvo Arts Center to install artwork outside the library. Council members agreed also to give themselves authority to make decisions regarding the placement of art in public spaces on a case-by-case basis and amend the city’s public arts policy to reflect the termination of the city’s arts commission.
An ad hoc committee was formed last October to display public art in Saratoga after Montalvo expressed interest in collaborating with the city to bring some of their artwork into the public sphere. It was this committee, which included Councilwoman Mary-Lynne Bernald and Vice Mayor Emily Lo, that discovered Saratoga’s public art policy has become outdated as it references Saratoga’s arts commission, a program that was suspended in 2005 due to financial constraints.
The ad hoc committee has selected a steel plate bench that consists of five separate letters spelling the word “place” for its first recommended installation in the courtyard outside of the community room. Los Angeles-based artist Steven Simon created the piece in 2008 with the hope that it would “get people to consider the many contexts and purposes of the word.” It was initially placed beneath a grove of trees on Montalvo’s Great Lawn before it traveled to various venues.
“Through the course of this process, we considered a number of different pieces, and this one really spoke out as the perfect piece, in part to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of the city,” said Kaela Bernal, director of legal services at Montalvo. “It talks about place, place being location–self-identity–so we’re really thrilled about entering into this collaboration.”
Montalvo will lease the artwork to the city for about a year at the cost of $7,500, which includes the cost of interpretive signs. The bench will be installed by September.
“We have a piece that is very contemplative, and how appropriate to have that at a library when we can inspire the great minds of our youth in this location, as well as our residents as a whole,” said Mayor Manny Cappello. “So again, kudos, and let’s do more of it.”
Link: Installation of a steel plate ‘place’ bench helps bring art to Saratoga
