The Albany art project on the evening of Aug. 14. There are plans to enhance the site around it.
Albany’s public art project at the south entrance to downtown, installed in December 2020, may get some enhancements of the grounds around it before it is formally “unveiled.” But the timing is uncertain.
In monthly meetings starting in January, the Albany Arts Commission, which picked the design and the location for this array of metal “wildflowers,” has been talking about what else to do at the site.
The talk has been about things like adding benches, pavers, landscaping, signage, and some of kind “interpretive kiosk” with information from the artist who created the sculptures. Early on, someone suggested trimming the nearby street trees to improve the project’s visibility.
None of it has been done. The city parks department, in whose lap this project landed, has been busy with many other chores including managing the summer concerts in Monteith Riverpark and the Art and Air Festival coming up this weekend at Timber-Linn Park.
Electrical faults have troubled the project’s lights. The trouble was thought to be fixed some time ago, but when I stopped at the site on Aug. 14, the light on one of the sculptures did not seem to be coming on.
The project was an outgrowth of a 1998 city law that 1 percent of the cost of some major building projects be spent on “public art.”
In connection with the city’s new police headquarters and main fire station, the city council in January 2018 authorized $80,000 for this project.
City Manager Peter Troedsson told me last week, when I asked about this, that the $80,000 covered the design, manufacturing and shipping of the pieces. The city spent between $11,000 and $15,000 to prepare the site and install the sculptures, and on repairs.
An additional $3,000 to $5,000 is planned for brick work, landscaping and other improvements to make the setting more like a little park.
Presumably, when all that is done, there will be an occasion, if not an actual unveiling, to officially mark the completion of this art. (hh)
The colored light on the piece on the left was not working when I looked at it on Aug. 14.
Albany Municipal Code 2.96.010 (1)
According to the ordinance the “art” needs to “be an integral part of the building” or “capable of display in other City of Albany buildings.”
These leaves on sticks and improvements are nowhere near a city building. Is Albany violating its own law?
That’s good because as it stands now it’s pretty ugly
Now we know why they need another levy.You can’t fool the people especially in a pandemic.
This project has been a maintenance and management fiasco from the beginning. Sounds like a familiar theme like the clock tower at the train station that constantly never keeps the correct time.
In 1900, this area near the train station and Albany Brewing Company had a beautiful public garden that people enjoyed not art work and clock towers that didn’t work all the time.
Bill, as a Rotarian that worked with other Rotarians to raise the money for the clock, I do have to say that the Rotary Clubs did not pick the vendor. I don’t know why the clocks have issues but I agree that it is annoying that the clocks don’t work correctly. Also slightly embarassing as we have a big plaque on the clock tower. I can tell you that they were not inexpensive clocks.
Bill, I like the clock and tower that Rotary sponsored. However, based on the clock’s performance Rotary deserves a refund.
Its also pretty invisible.