Art in Public Places Board - Special Meeting

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] So you would, uh, we'll proceed with the lobbyist. Good afternoon. Raymond pereira, office of the city attorney. Any person who receives. Compensation, remuneration. Or expenses for. Conducting lobbying activities is required to register as a. Lobbyist with the city clerk prior to engaging in lobbying activities before city staff boards. Committees or the city commission. A copy of the applicable ordinance is available at the office of the city clerk. Miami city hall located at. 3500 pan. >> american. >> drive, miami, florida 33133. Thank you. Roll call. Right. We'll stand for the pledge of allegiance, please. For all those who will be testifying, please rise and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly. >> affirm the. Testimony you will give today? >> is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Thank you. Olga. Vice chair olga granda, board member. Doctor denise wallace nelson. >> delgado. Board member lissette garcia. Arrogance present. Board member christina cuervo here board member gary. Feinberg here board member jennifer boone. Board member. >> maria. >> napoli here board member. >> juan. Valadez. Here board member jacqueline roach, board . >> member patricio. Suarez. >> we have chrome. Okay. Um in addition, while physical presence is required for quorum, board members MAY participate in meetings. Remotely in. Extraordinary circumstances.. >> whether the absence of a member constitutes such a. Circumstance is a. Determination that must be made in good judgment of the board. Um, I understand there has been a request for a board. >> member. >> to join virtually. Um that's correct. Uh member jacqueline roach has requested to join virtually via zoom. And at this time the board will have to. >> take a vote to. >> allow, uh, her. >> participation virtually. Sounds great. Okay. >> do you want. Just make a motion? >> I move to allow the. Participation virtually. I'll second it. All in favor? I I motion. >> passes for jacqueline roach to appear. >> by. Zoom 6 to 0. Thank you. And the. >> remote person be a quorum. No no you need to have in person quorum and in an. Extraordinary. >> circumstance we could allow for such person. >> to join. And for the record she is not online. So for today we would the board would need to elect a chair and acting chair for this meeting. And at the upcoming meeting the board will. >> be electing a. >> vice chair for the rest of the year. So it is up for. Nomination or. >> self nomination for acting chair for the meeting elect um . >> christina cuervo as acting chair for this meeting. Second. Okay. >> all. >> in favor? I. Thank you guys. What an honor. Motion passes 6 to 0. Um board member christina coiro is acting chair. Okay. >> thank you everyone. Um, I guess so. Welcome to our special meeting. Uh, today SEPTEMBER 23rd. So would you like to make the lobbyist note? We we already established the lobbyist note. I think we can go ahead with the order of the day. Okay. >> okay, so. >> we have we have minutes to approve for OCTOBER 6th, 2025. Okay. >> is there a motion for the minutes from OCTOBER 6th, 2025 a year ago? Yeah. >> I can make a motion to approve the meeting minutes from OCTOBER 2nd. Okay. >> there's a motion and a second. So all in favor? Do you need to take a vote? Uh, yes. Juan valdez yes. Maria napoli. Yes doctor. Denise wallace. Yes board member lisette. Can I recuse myself since I wasn't here and I didn't read them. I have to vote yes or no. Yes board member gary feinberg. Yes. >> board member um no. Um. Chair. Acting chair christina cuervo. Yes. Motion passes 6 to 0. Okay. >> thank you. Um, so do you want to move on to item number one? Yes. >> so we do have a couple of uh suggested changes to the agenda. Uh, we have artists present and there are a total of five items on the agenda. So we'd like the artists to be able to present first and then move the other items to the end. Perfect. >> can you tell us the order that we're going to go in? Yes. >> so we're requesting to defer item number one indefinitely. That is the item touching on the amendments to our guidelines because we're working with the consultants on a master plan and they're drafting policy. We feel it's better to have them opine and then we would redraft the guidelines. >> do you want to do that motion now or at the end? No. Okay. Is there a motion to defer item number one. So moved. Thank you. >> is there a second to move to defer second. Second. Okay. Do you need to take a roll call or can we do a you can do roll call. Um doctor denise wallace yes board member maria napoli yes board member lisette garcia arrogant board member um gary feinberg yes. Board member juan valdez yes. Acting chair christina cuervo. Yes. Motion passes 6 to 0. Deferred to the next meeting. Is it a date? Certain. Defer indefinitely. Deferred indefinitely. Yes. Thank you. Motion passes for deferred indefinitely. And next we're asking to proceed with, uh, file id 19807, which is the flagler villas affordable senior housing and district four. Okay. >> I'm sorry, what file id. 19807. >> thank you. So a resolution of the art and public places board with attachments pursuant to chapter 62 article 16 entitled art in public places of the code of the of the city of miami florida as amended approving the selection of alex nunez and dana montlake as finalist artists in accordance with section 62-658 of the city code for the integration of public art at the affordable housing project known as flagler villas located at 5205215 west flagler street, miami, florida. Good evening. This item is the flagler villas public art finalist recommendation in district four. The request before the board is to approve alex nunez and dana montlake as the finalist artists for the integration of public art at flagler villas located at 5215 west flagler street. Flagler villas is a district for affordable senior housing development. The professional advisory committee reviewed the shortlisted proposals on AUGUST 31st 2026 and is forwarding its final recommendations to the board. Next slide please. There are two public art opportunities that the project the exterior south elevation art wall and the interior leasing office wall near the resident lobby and circulation areas. Five shortlisted artists develop site specific proposals for park review and will briefly go through them. Um but let me give you a quick update about the project. Next slide please. Flagler villas is a six story affordable senior housing development with 61 bedroom units along with shared amenity and property management spaces. The public art is intended to support a dignified, welcoming and human scaled residential environment with particular attention to durability, legibility, comfort and long term maintenance. This art is call that we should and finalized in spring. Next slide please. Um the art is call emphasized for objectives straightening the identity of flagler villas as a welcoming residential hub improving the daily experience of residents and visitors reflecting local culture, history and sense of place and using durable maintainable materials appropriate for long term public use. We had five artists presenting their proposals at the pack meeting. Alex nunez, naomi fisher, carolina sardi, michelle weinberg and donna montluc the pack ultimately recommended alex nunez for the exterior south elevation art wall and donna montlake for the interior wall installation. Um we'll quickly show you the artists proposals that didn't get selected. Next slide please. Naomi fisher is a miami based artist whose practice spans painting, drawing, sculpture, performance video and site specific installation. In her proposal, she connected work to a lifelong interest in tropical plants and botanical imagery. Her flagler villas proposal nouveau palm fronds translated that botanical vocabulary into an architectural glass mosaic. next slide please. Navarro palm fronds used enlarged palm fronds forms as the organizing image for the south elevation wall. Um this is the second version. It keeps the same palm frond structure while straightening the greens and the blues if you want to switch to the next slide. Yeah this one and then um if you want to yeah. Across the three studies fisher is testing color relationships within the same mosaic framework rather than changing the central concept a contemporary site integrated palm frond pattern derived from south florida botanical forms. That was naomi fisher. The next proposal we received was from carolina sardi um where palms become home. That's how she titled her proposal carolina's works. Uh, carolina works primarily in steel and aluminum and describes her practice as an exploration of natural forms geometry, color rhythm, positive and negative spaces and spatial relationships for flagler villas where paths become home used nest like structures, circles, branching forms and intersecting lines to address shelter protection, migration, community aging in place and belonging. The first exterior option five micro and microcosms used circular sculptural forms as the primary visual language. The second option on the next slide. Um seven circles developed the same vocabulary into a tighter group of laser cut aluminum and potentially corten steel elements. And then the third option brought the where palms become home concept directly into the facade composition. The circular forms and branching lines reference individual journeys encounters continuity migration and the idea of home as both a physical place and an emotional and cultural condition. Next artist michelle michelle weinberg um proposed an exterior tile composition. She describes pattern as visual rhythm connecting it to music architecture and the rhythms rhythms of the body. For flagler villas, her design began with traditional cross-stitch samplers and translated their greed, floral imagery and association with family learning and memory into ceramic and porcelain tile. The initial sampler palette drew from the building's browns and beiges. This variation expands the palette with reds, yellows and soft earth tones. She developed multiple possible arrangements from vocabulary of eight inch tile motifs. The patterns drew on traditional tile histories in europe and latin america. And then our finalist proposal recommendations. After reviewing all five proposals, the pack recommended alex nunez for the exterior south elevation art wall with a budget of up to $80,000 and dana dana montlake for the interior wall installation with a budget of up to $20,000. The next slide summarized their updated proposals, materials, schedules and budgets. Alex nunez is a miami born cuban american artist whose work is shaped by south florida and caribbean environments by themes of memory, resilience, transformation and belonging. Working across painting, sculpture, installation and public art, she builds layered compositions through expressive color, gesture reflective materials water, vegetation shifting light and organic forms. The flag for flagler villas alex wanted the artwork to help create a place where seniors feel at home, connected to their community and proud of where they live. The proposal draws from miami's tropical landscape and caribbean influences, bringing familiar color, light and landscape imagery into resident's everyday experience. Across the sea is one of the glass mosaic designs that she developed for the south elevation. It transforms nunez's original painting into a large mosaic field that wraps around architectural openings and brings her dense gestural imagery to the scale of the building at pedestrian scale, the mosaic is intended to retain the movement and layered visual density of the source painting while adapting to the windows, vents and other facade conditions. The glass tile translation turns painterly marks into durable architectural surface. The next slide shows the comparison of the original across the artwork and its mosaic translation. The design preserves the original composition and color color relationships while converting them into a pixelated glass tile system appropriate for permanent exterior installation. The exterior mosaic is proposed in approximately 280ft2 of vitreous or sintered glass tile with a protective anti-graffiti coating. Um the artist is here and she's shared the material samples with you which could be circulated. The chosen material offers long lasting color low low water absorption, fire resistance, chemical and scratch resistance and sustainability for exterior use in miami's climate. This is our um production timeline as we anticipated. Um if um the production sequence here from artwork to production to tell sourcing tell fabrication wall preparation installation, final protection, um shows that the updated proposal um that we worked on together with alex anticipates approximately 6 to 8 weeks of fabrication followed by 2 to 3 weeks of installation. And I think it's important to note that both artists are aware of the preference of the developer for an expedited expedited fabrication installation timelines and both of them worked with us on that. So um, the estimated project timeline if if we're able to kick it off, um, this month, um, confirm the scope go through site coordination and um start the production in SEPTEMBER. Tile sourcing and assembly assembly will begin in OCTOBER. Fabrication and quality review will continue through NOVEMBER then wall preparation installation protection inspection closeout are targeted for DECEMBER um the developer is scheduled to receive their certificate of occupancy in OCTOBER. So with this we're getting pretty close to it. Um and uh, assuming timely approvals, material availability and site readiness. Uh, we have a budget breakdown. Um and budget allocation here and with that we can move to the next artist. Dana mutlak uh, her proposal centers on miami's living systems its trees, birds, wetlands and waters. She layered hydrological maps and nautical charts from the 1950s to the present to trace changes in shorelines, waterways and development, creating a visual narrative about environmental change, resilience and what MAY be preserved and restored. Her interior lobby triptych for the selected interior opportunity the ecological narrative is carried into the lobby through a seamless transitions. That's how she titled her triptych. The proposal uses premium fuji fuji flex prints second service surface mounted to quarter inch optically clear acrylic with three panels approximately 36in wide by eight feet tall. The interior imagery focuses on south florida's marshes everglades basin, ocean sawgrass, mangrove roots and seagrasses are layered with diatoms, copepods, plankton, birds and other ecological imagery moving between visible landscape and the smaller organisms that support aquatic aquatic food webs. We have estimated project timeline um. Uh it is even closer aligned with the building certificate of occupancy. Um her updated interior schedule is accelerated. As you can see concept adaptation and revisions are estimated at two weeks proofs and fabrication at approximately 2 to 3 weeks followed by creating and shipping with estimated delivery during the week of OCTOBER 12th through 16. Again, given the timely approvals and everything that we anticipate we have her updated um budget breakdown here on the next slide. Um. And with that with that we're moving to the motion. We the artist is present and I was um the artist. Is present and she is available to answer questions. Yes. And also maybe would want to provide additional. [Laughter] Information. Thank you for the opportunity to present the artwork. I'm born and raised. Excuse me. >> I'm sorry. Sorry. >> can you just state your name? My name is alex nunez. Um. Anything else? Address you want to take your address, please? Uh, 7785 southwest 86th street, miami, florida 33143. Thank you. Um, thank you for the opportunity to present, uh, being born and raised and practice in miami. I see firsthand how the impact of the caribbean connection our landscape and I wanted to create a design that would change throughout the day. Uh, the vitreous and the centered glass are the two options that you've been presented. One is made out of recycled windshields and is more opaque. Both are very durable for high traffic areas the vitreous glass comes in a larger range of colors. Uh, if you see uh there's the images on the front of the vitreous glass, which is the example that's there and I'm happy to answer any questions you guys have about the design or the materials. Are there any questions? So which are you using both or. Uh that would be up to your determination. Uh, my personal preference and speaking to the fabricator uh, the vitreous glass is preferred. That is also what's been approved in tropical park. There's another art in public places on 62nd street because of the variety of colors. Um and the more luminous qualities that that would be a personal preference. >> is that the actual size? Yes. >> those are the actual actual tiles. Yes. Have you done this before? No this would be my first time. Um but I would be working with an installer that just completed ps one with nina sorel juana valdez's uh public art work on the bus terminal. Uh, he's probably done about seven of the projects with you guys and he has uh, stated that he is available and can complete this within this timeline. And archaic is commonly used with art and public places. So there also that's the fabricator has also confirmed that all of those tiles are in house and can be sourced within 6 to 8 weeks. If I MAY through the chair I have a question. You might have said it and I missed it while I was looking at the proposal. Is the installer has he worked locally or they have they worked here locally? Yes, yes. He recently completed the ps one miami international airport terminal with nina sorrell and with juana valdez a project earlier in the year. >> I guess I should clarify have they done work outside? Yes. Both both exterior yes. Both exterior projects yes. And with this size with the size tile as well um he's he's well versed. Thank you. No no further questions. Thank you. I saw that you have a reference to anti graffiti. Is that a special coating on top or is that already built into the tile. That is a special coating on top. I'm going to butcher the name. It's a silicate. It is called um one moment. It's okay. >> I mean have you had experience with it. Uh I don't but the installer and archaic have said that they're both compatible and they have used it on previous ones because this is a ground floor and high traffic with multiple lanes of cars. That was the first question of how easy is it to clean and not compromise the esthetics or chip with the materials. And ongoing maintenance of this? Is that. Very easy? Uh low low ph soap and sponge no pressure cleaning um all all meant for high traffic and durable. Okay. >> I think that no pressure cleaning is something obviously for the building and the developer and whoever's going to be managing that building to to take note of. So through the chair. What's the longevity of this project? I'm excuse me. Yes. Okay. So was this sketched on the wall? How does the. Uh it's basically put into their, uh, archaic programing. Uh, they took my artwork and make a grid format and they're they're given 12 by 12 sheets and it's basically a numbered out for the installer and placed that way otherwise it would be an absolute nightmare. So they're done in in a shop and then yes 12 by. 12 they fabricate all of those sheets and they're all crated and shipped and um placed in a grid format. >> and then it's seamless. You don't see the lines. Yes. >> uh other examples if you've been to tropical park with christina lee rodriguez um I believe they have 3 or 4 projects fairly recent and the the idea is that it looks completely different from across the street that you see the big format and then when you're closer you see those half inch vitreous glass tiles. Yeah, it looks good. Nice design. I mean nice nice painting you made. Thank you. Um it's inspired by the local vegetation and marine life of miami and um it's a consistent palette. I'm I'm a painter but I've also, uh recently completing a another public art project. But luminosity is a big aspect of my work so I really wanted something to change throughout the day and with these tiles you can see if you hold them up and move them around they will change with the sun. They do not fade. That's a big thing of theirs. Cool. >> thank you. Thank you. >> I am pleased that the dyer work is done here locally. I'm sorry. The entire work of the materials are fabricated down here locally. Oh, art is not local. Archaic is further north. I think they're near dc .Uh, but it will be fabricated with, uh, the the installer who is local. So where is fabricate? Uh, I believe dc near dc. Here in the states. Yes yes yes yes it is that. I thought you meant like florida local. Yeah. >> yeah it is within the united states. >> I didn't express myself right. Thank you. >> sorry. Um and with the shipping included it would be 6 to 8 weeks. >> all right. Thank you. Okay. >> and I always ask about the commissioner. I know our district four rep was just here if that it they are um I think she might have had to leave for a minute but if they agree with this and I know we haven't heard from the other artists yet but um agree with this proposal. The commissioner's team was present at the meeting. They heard the proposal we went yeah. Okay and the developer I believe is watching us online right now. Okay. They're also pleased and especially with the fact. That do they need this to be completed to get their ceo or they can get their tco and this can be. As long as we get closer to their tco and with the interior one we get really close. She anticipates to deliver and install in OCTOBER and then with alex's also expedited timeline we anticipate to install in DECEMBER which is also really good given the circumstances. So I saw on the interior proposal that what was proposed in the original proposal is a far different budget than what we're approving. Is that correct? Well, the reason is when artists were putting together their proposals they were all of them were counting on receiving both commissions for those for both pieces. And when two different artists were chosen they had to split the budget. And so I worked with each of them to make sure that you know, they encapsulate. Within the budget. Okay. That's why I just wanted to make sure because obviously the proposed what was in her proposal is different than what we're awarding. So I just want to make sure that works okay. Any other questions? >> who's a developer related. Okay well with that we have a motion to approve the selection of alex muniz as the finalist artist for the exterior south elevation art wall and dana montlake as the finalist artist for the interior wall installation at flagler villas located at 5215 west flagler street, miami, florida. Thank you. Okay. >> is there a motion? So moved. Okay. >> is there a second? Do you want us to read the the. Just for clarity if you can read the motion into the record. Thank you. You want me to read? You want to read it? Okay. >> motion to approve the selection of alex nunez as the finalist artist for the exterior south elevation wall and daniel montlake as the finalist artist for the interior installation at flagler villas located at 5215 west flagler street, miami, florida. Second. >> thank you. >> okay. >> all in favor? Roll call. Um, board member doctor denise wallace. Yes. >> board member maria napoli. Yes. >> board member gary feinberg. Yes. Board member. Lissette garcia board member. Juan valdez. Yes. Acting chair. Christina cuervo. Yes. >> motion passes 6 to 0. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Congrats. >> thank you. Next item is file id 19806. A resolution of the art in public places board with attachments pursuant to chapter 62 article 16 titled art in public places of the code of the city of miami florida as amended approving the selection of conflicts art projects joanne jimenez as a finalist artist team in accordance with section 62-658 of the city code for the integration of public art at plaza azucar located at approximately 650 and 652 beacon boulevard, miami, florida. Would you like me to put that up now? >> yeah. good evening everyone. So today we have a fantastic project for the new plaza public art opportunity the new pocket park um and little havana. Uh, first slide and today we're here to approve the selection or of conflicts art projects. Joanne jimenez is the finalist artist team for the integration of public art at the future plaza park as a recommendation to the board. A little site and community context. Uh, this pocket park is a new park and it's located at 650 and 652 beacon boulevard. It's a future public gathering space honoring celia cruz, its surrounding communities largely latino bilingual and working class. Uh, we are here to review the final proposal for connection to the site celia cruz legacy and little havana community identity. The next image here is a proposed park design. Uh, it's just a quick sort of, uh, preliminary permit drawings shown for context, the site is currently an empty lot. Uh, current permit plans illustrate the proposed park layout. Proposed elements in the park include walks, seating, landscape fencing, signage and an artwork area. Plans are subject to review, approval and revision. And so we and the next slide yeah selection process. So we launched this uh call to artists for plaza sucre. We received 82 applications. Um and let me just give you a little bit of what was in the call to artists from our call to artists plaza sucre is envisioned as a public gathering space celebrating the life, career and cultural legacy of celia cruz, one of the most influential internationally recognized latin music artists of the 20th century known as the queen of salsa, celia cruz became a symbol of joy, resilience, artistic excellence in cuban cultural pride. The public artwork should recognize celia cruz profound connection to miami while celebrating her influence on music, afro-cuban culture, salsa and other latin american and global culture. The artwork should create a welcoming civic space where residents and visitors can gather, reflect and celebrate a legacy that continues to inspire audiences worldwide. So that's just a little bit of the text from the call to artists that uh, artists saw. So this is a shortlist proposal overview we reviewed five uh, so in the previous slide we got down to five shortlisted artists. Uh, the pact reviewed these artists and they came to a final recommendation for conflicts art projects john jimenez so it's the second one from the left. Uh, but all of the images here are the five proposals from the shortlisted artists that were suggested for us. And I'm going to do a quick run through of the five uh artists and then a deeper dive into the pack recommendation. So the first art is is alex kaufman and his piece called azucar eterna. Uh, a quick text from his proposal azucar is a vibrant interactive sculpture of celia cruz that transforms an iconic miami portrait into a monumental mosaic and sculptural celebration of her music movement, culture and enduring presence. In the next slide on the right you can see a rendering of the work um in the place. An excerpt from the application says I chose the title asuka eterna to honor the enduring energy, joy and presence cruz brought to the world through the music, through her music. And the next slide covers some details. Um it's a sculptural concrete integrated mosaic inlay and painted mural finish. It was approximately nine foot wide, seven foot tall, three foot deep and on the right there you can see some renderings showing the colors used the scale um and some dimensions on the right. The next artist is enma size and with her piece celia cruz with hibiscus uh this excerpt says a life size public sculpture and glass mosaic honoring celia cruz depicted emerging from the center of a magnificent blooming hibiscus hibiscus sabdariffa I don't know if that's pronounced well the calluses from which are used to make tea or agua de jamaica. And these are renderings provided by the artist. Uh and here on the left we have an excerpt that says the oversize hibiscus forms the sculptural base with broad curved petals and shimmering glass mosaics of white lavender, pink coral, fuchsia, golden yellow and amber. Again, those are renderings. So these were provided by the artist and she provided two different versions. Um these are more details of the artists. The artists created a prototype um that I don't know if it was finished or not but this is the images that she provided. Uh this is what she said. Um this is what she created as a prototype for the renderings that she had created. Uh, it's a silly fountain. It's a core styrofoam rebar, but this is just for the prototype. Um, and there's just some more details on the left here. Go to the next artist and we have michael parker at plaza sucre park is the title for this piece. An excerpt from his statement. The design of the artwork for the park is an excellent opportunity to raise community engagement and input into some of the elements to be installed. On the right here you see there are uh sort of cutouts, uh aluminum uh, an excerpt from his proposal I went again the result of including community members always delivers a piece that can connect across cultural boundaries. It embodies the work with presence, poignancy and emotional impact on another level. Uh, this artist wanted to be a use a very community driven, um uh, engaging, uh, way to create his work. So more details on here would be approximately 5 to 7 foot tall. It would be mirror polished stainless steel plates or stacked layered aluminum plates with color changing pigments, metal flake glitter gems and gold gilding. Um, there's just a couple more details from the piece proposed. Our next artist is priscila de carvalho. The azucar gate is the title of this um rendering. The azucar gate is a free standing walk through threshold marking the entrance to a plaza sucre designed to greet every visitor, resident, student or passerby with the same joy celia cruz brought to a stage. On the right we have two different renderings or two different colors of the proposed gate. A quick excerpt is cut into the surface is a layered composition. Celia cruz captured mid-performance arms raised in her signature gesture a conga drum and vintage microphone honoring the rhythm and voice at the center of her legacy sugarcane and hibiscus drawn from the plaza's own confirmed landscape palette and the word azucar itself worked directly into the architecture of the gate rather than treat it as a separate sign. More details from the proposal uh visual vocabulary on the right uh and some more visual vocabulary with the congas with the microphone, the cuban flag, celia the hibiscus flower descriptions of the materials on the left here. Last we have conflicts art projects juan jimenez la vida es un carnaval uh title of the piece the artist statement says this commission perfectly aligns with my recent body of sculptural work, which draws inspiration from the everyday life of the little havana community. Uh, a little bit from the proposal painting in havana forged my many connections between us and having a studio in little havana has brought me even closer to her history and music. So this is provided from the artist uh, through their proposal. Here we have more details just from the artist proposal that we'll get into. So this deeper dive I was referring to uh and yeah, so this is the next page. So this is the first during our professional advisory committee, uh, the pac recommended conflict art complex art projects. Juan jimenez as the first ranked recommended finalist. Uh, the second ranked proposal was alex kaufman with a return to the apb action would approve the pac recommended finalist artist team for the project with the final development with final design development and agreement negotiations to follow. And here we'll go a little bit through that, uh, proposal that john jimenez conflicts our project submitted john jimenez lives and works between miami, united states and lima, peru. His artistic practice celebrates and amplifies afro descendant latin american cultures and communities while also creating spaces for dialog around the structural roots of inequality and social vulnerability. John has been involved in street art since 1998 and has participated in festivals and exhibitions in nearly 60 cities around the world. Conflux art projects founding partner sarah p mintz and nick platzer have worked together since 2019 and each bring two decades of international art world experience to conflux art projects. Um nick is here with us today so hopefully he'll give you a little more information if you need. And here we go with the main sculpture celia will be rendered larger than life akin with her incredible performance, presence and outsized personality holding a microphone with her arms outstretched, her pose is a warm welcome embrace to the community underscored by the warm um sunrise colors of her dress and cuban culture. The rising sun symbolizes symbolizes the birth of a new independent republic hope and the transformative power of collective progress. Her dress is based upon what celia wore on her queen of salsa lp cover. Her clothing and body are adorned with symbolic flora and fauna. Construction for the piece two matching figures will be cut from 316 steel, steel and then joined by small perpendicular supports. The double sheet structure will increase the overall depth and visual heft of each sculpture, provide further rigidity to the structure. Allow air flow allow for optional interior lighting. Led lights will be installed within the negative space, further highlighting the line work cutouts and creating visibility for the artwork even after the park is closed at night for scale here the piece will be 8.5ft tall. Uh and there's ancillary figures that will go through um the piece that are five foot tall. Celia was known for her vibrant big personality and will be larger than life. The ancillary figures couples will be more intimate and slightly reduced life size. A quick note for reference for the picture uh using the iconic cover of the queen of salsa album, joan plans to further refine his design once selected to make sure the resemblance is unmistakably clear and instantly recognizable. Community engagement component for the piece is joan will attend various cultural events and document everyday moments and interactions in little havana. His capture photos will become the basis for the ancillary sculptures that will go through potential events include sculptures under the stars at ball and chain or games in domino park. This process will directly link the community to the project and create a connection between the past and present. Here are the ancillary figures we're mentioning these moments at least two ancillary sculptures will accompany celia. These sculptures can be customized in any variety of colors that fit well within the environment or connect with community. The ancillary sculptures will capture everyday moments of the afro latinidad culture the warm embrace of salsa dance, the comfort of a cafecito and the joy of a communal game of dominoes. There's also a coloring book joan will create a series of black and white drawings. Drawings will be based upon scenes captured at the events he attends. Design work is included in the budget. Printing costs are not included. That's outside the budget but the coloring book is mentioned during his proposal. The sculpture citing celia will be on stage. This is this is more or less a an idea proposed by the artist when we were. We met with the commissioner on site about. Because the plaza is still in permanent stages so this could change this could be revised. This is something that has been discussed. Um the ancillary sculptures can either be sited on the stage with her cited below in the grassy areas with additional elevated or subgrade concrete pads. Plinth and mounting sculpture will have a 3/8 base that will be bolted to the concrete pads. Ancillary sculptures will either be bolted to main plaza area or additional foundations will need to be poured at the same time as the sidewalk paw pads location is to be determined but will be placed outside of existing landscaping, irrigation, electric and other site components. Lighting salient ancillary sculptures will be illuminated through plan yoke mounted led lamps. Interior lighting will be added between the layers of steel to highlight the cutouts at night and would tap into existing electrical plan. Uh this is a stage because this is what I was mentioning. The artists suggested elevating a sculpture area slightly and adding additional electrical infrastructure using budget external to the art project. This is none none of this is approved. None of this is part of the work. Um but as I said, the park is still ongoing permitting so that's something that can be figured out later on the budget for the work and for all the proposals as well that were that you saw today is $73,000. Um this is a budget breakdown provided by the artist to create the work. And this is a tentative timeline. Uh, I believe the commissioner district, uh, was wanted to make sure that we can get a sort of final list before OCTOBER before santa cruz's birthday. So that's we're trying to make that happen here. And also we are working with the tentative timeline to have this work installed. Of course all permitting the park is also done as well in MARCH of next year. So this is the motion before we go on the motion I believe um would you want me to get that closer. Yes the shortlisted artist team is present. I believe they wanted to provide a brief overview or comments. Uh thank you mario for putting all that together. Um my name is nick nicholas platzer from complex art projects my address to uh 1000 northwest north river drive miami, florida 3316 right on miami river. Uh so yeah, that's this is basically uh, our concept I'm here as a representative or a, uh, the founder of conflicts art projects. Uh, one was unfortunately not able to be here right now he's back in lima dealing with some family issues. Um, but he wanted me to express to all of you how important this is for him. I mean, he's he grew up listening to celia's music. Uh, he has vivid memories, uh, eating his grandmother's food in the kitchen with celia playing in the background. So he is like when when this opportunity came about he was very, very excited and sort of was all over me to present and submit something for this. So um, I think all of the structural stuff, uh was pretty well explained by mario there the suggestions of raising the sculptural pad just slightly, uh, creates more of a engaging space within the park, um, allowing it to be used as an active park, engage with the community colleges next door, um, and allow other people to use the space as well as instead of it just being sort of a passive park. Um, the idea of having celia up there on the stage where she loved to be there was a quote that he included about her rather being dead than off the stage. Um and then the two ancillary sculptures can be included. We can do more if if money suddenly appears from somewhere we're happy to include more ancillary sculptures, but the idea would be to place them on in the grassy area so that as people come and experience the space, they feel like they're they're almost part of the artworks as well that people can approach celia, they can take their selfies with her. Um they can engage they can dance around the other ones as well. So it's really trying to become part of the community. I mean this park right now is I don't know if you know it but it's really you drive past it every time I go to home depot I just zip right by it and hopefully by doing this we'll engage people and get them to actually come in and use it and sit there and embrace the park and celia's memory. So yeah, any questions. Are the ancillary structures they're movable or no. They will not be movable otherwise they would they would grow legs and walk away but they um they will be either mounted to the main plaza which is already being planned or we would work with city planning to pour extra concrete concrete foundations while the other concrete is being poured to not increase any costs and stuff like that. So I assume they would have to meet wind load and. Exactly yeah. >> so we haven't gotten the full specs on that but when working with the miami design shop they have an engineer that will give us exactly what kind of specifications we need to make sure that there are hurricane proof and that they're bolted down and they won't blow away and. Okay. >> and they're all laser cut steel, correct? Yeah, that's the way. So this will actually be the third um artwork in juan series. He's done an exhibition down in lima and then he actually just placed some sculptures on the plaza at moca in a very similar style to this where he uses the steel and allows it to oxidize for him. It's a really important part of the process because as a brown artist he really likes to highlight the beauty of that natural process. And so with this we wanted to allow the hands and the face to do that natural oxidative oxidization process and it would be coated so it wouldn't further rust and sort of deteriorate and then the rest would be painted in whatever color we want. The first suggestions were the yellow and purple but we're open to working with community or the commissioner or whoever about deciding colors that would really highlight and celebrate the community. How much space is between the front and the back. Uh, again, we'll work with the engineer on that. We want to have enough space so that um leds can be placed inside the back uh, will be yeah. So the the front piece is going to be the one that's actually cut out the back side is just the silhouette that will be laser cut and there will be a solid piece which will allow the cutouts to be uh, more visible because what we found is that when especially placed against things like landscaping, bushes, trees, whatever a lot of the cuts they get lost and so it just becomes sort of a flat shape. So the solution was creating the second piece behind it. Um so that during the daytime those those cutouts will be highlighted and then at night if we put the led lighting system inside, it'll just illuminate the whole thing and bring it bring it to life. So and this is what the edge would be like similar to this. Exactly. >> yeah. This is pretty much exactly what it'll look like. We're going to fine tune it as well. Like in creating this, um john realized that some of the you know, details could be minimized, um further developing the face. Um just kind of working with it. This was just sort of the first rough round of of seeing it and we probably will do like some extra pre cuts of the face just to make sure because we want to make sure that everyone instantly recognizes her and doesn't think like who is this? Yeah. >> also I think the space should be not big enough for someone to get in between. >> yeah exactly. I mean that's another thing too. We need to make sure kids can't jam their arms in there and snap them or do anything like that. So we we're definitely going to like keep all of that in account and make sure no one's like [Laughter] Crawling in there or anything. So yeah. So the body is this particular style sorry that the face and the hands. >> that's that's his typical style. That was the exhibition that he did in in lima and then I did um. This is. This is a test cut that he did for one of his other sculptures. Um. Can you bring a little bit closer please? Yes. Very nice. Um so yeah, that kind of just highlights a little bit sort of how it changes the color. Um and then you can see sort of the instant recognizability of the face and structure. So. Um I know our district commissioner and his very able staff is here and I'd love to hear from them and how they feel and uh, about this and you've referenced them a few times. So do you want to say anything jen or no? Yeah. Thank you. So that's just the process. Hello this one and this is not this one's not coded or anything like that. That's what I want to see from carlos. Hello? >> can you hear me? I want to introduce myself. My name is jennifer thorne. I'm the director of communications for commissioner rosado. He is so excited about this park. We started a public art initiative called art d4 in FEBRUARY and what we did is we did a community survey online with our constituents, people who passed by the district and we picked up some data of the things that they wanted to see places, uh some private spots, public murals, installations and sculptures and we wanted to make sure that whatever gets chosen falls under the umbrella of art d4 that is really relevant to our hispanic community that it represents not just the commissioner but everyone around us. So thank you so much and if you have any questions let me know. No thank you. I want to make sure that the that the commissioner and the district support this selection. So this piece of land was purchased by the city is that. I believe yes. This is a piece of land being converted into a sort of a pocket park for the city. >> it was just vacant. Yes. Privately owned I think it was owned by miami dade community college maybe and and then uh it was a house. Okay. So there's no parking for this so it's all pedestrian? Yes, it's a pedestrian area. I was just going to [Laughter] Suggest and talk about that issue with the parking is not an easy area for people to stay close to the monument or whatever you want to say. Public art is any way that the city of miami can work on this issue with the parking around that particular piece of land because it's a very small area for for the for for the art itself. So people cannot walk around easily but it's a very small parking lot around in the back is any way that the city of miami we as a public art can work into uh obtain permits or moved around that parking area to the public. I think that that's a zoning issue. But I do want to say that because the nature of the law is meant to be turned into a pocket park, it's also promoting pedestrian experience. Uh, in the area there's a very residential area around with uh, no uh, accessible or very little accessible park areas. So I think the aim for the commissioner and the city as a whole is to provide a pedestrian incentive for people to walk to the [Laughter] Park and actually enjoy, um, the mini the pocket park in this case. Also the areas right in front of miami dade college there's a campus there. So I believe the idea was also to sort of have it as a public gathering space that could maybe in the future have some sort of activations and some sort of musical activations or some some events, anything like that that could serve that that community right there there's saint matthew's lutheran church is right across the street. You have the dade college is right there. So I believe there's an idea to sort of increase walkability and provide the park as a sort of recess there so that you can rest and I mean obviously honor celia cruz but the. >> to make it more inviting right to the public. Create create a public space for for everyone in the neighborhood. All right. Thank you. But I think maria's suggestion is a good one in terms of at least promoting sort of you know, the park getting integrated between the college the cubic centers also there and you know, sort of identifying it as a marker or place for people to to navigate to. So that's a good point. Okay. Anything else any any other comments? I think uh jen would like to make another comment. Yes. Sorry I did want to sort of if we could review the other finalists that was chosen at the pack meeting. Sure. >> it was the the second the second finalist was alex kaufman. Kaufman yeah. Should be 49. Yeah. So this is alex kaufman and this is the piece that was uh the pack ranked as the second ranked finalist. Um he's also in that booklet that I provided there and that shortlisted book if you want to not the bigger one that says the shortlist of proposals there's only two of them so. That first page should have um. I think it's worth reviewing. I know that this was a top for the commissioner and he felt like it aligned a little more with our city for initiative. Okay. >> is there a way to maybe find a way to collaborate uh to. Maybe that's up for discussion? [Laughter] Well. >> I'm not sure. I'm not sure. >> I'm not. Sure I'm not sure. But I mean, you know, we're open to your suggestions what you know, we always want the the commission district to be engaged and happy with, you know, the selection and what's how the project's going to proceed. So. Are there specific qualities, if I MAY ask of this proposal that the commissioners eyes or that uh. Yeah the commissioner is very pro mosaic and it also um falls closer to a lot of the other things that we're doing in different parks. We're doing a lot of mosaic and other things too. And I think generally he just liked the design and the color more and also it's interactive. So um the constituent or the visitor can sit on the piece. Okay. >> yeah that functionality makes makes sense. Yeah. >> does anyone have any feelings one way or the other? Um I just like some clarity. This was this was all of these were fully vetted by the pack correct? >> yes, yes. Okay. >> and this is the one that the came in second from from that body okay. Yeah yeah the first one the first ranked is this is conflicts our projects and juan jimenez the second ranked finalist is the one that they're referring. To right. Thank you. You're welcome. Well any other comments I mean I always like to find a way to have our our district, you know ,represented and how they would like to to see the artists going forward. So, um, I wish there was a way that we could find a way that there could be a collaboration or. If I MAY through the chair maybe um the artists that were selected through the pack, uh can hear this feedback and maybe implement that type of color scheme that the commissioner is looking for on this model. Maybe that's what's calling more of his attention. Yeah. >> sounds like yeah, it sounds like it's the materials that are being used and everything. So um. I'm not sure how everyone feels. I mean I we like to come in here trying to have a unity in terms of how everybody would like to proceed. So I'd like to try to find a way that we can uh, address the commissioners desires as well. So my only question is do we have the authority or jurisdiction to go against what's been recommended by the pack? Yes. >> yes we have the we have the ability that's why we're reviewing all the proposals today. Um I can you refresh our memory? What is the process if we select one or the other today you go back you negotiate with the artists then. So the board MAY select um an artist a finalist today with additional so the board MAY add conditions to the motion um to uh revisit the color the pattern, whatever it is that you feel should be amended and that could be administratively approved by myself and I can bring it back to the board as an update or we can take it back to the to the pack, um, for them to review those um visual amendments and um bring it back to the board as a discussion item. We are just trying to have a final list with for discussion with the commissioner's office selected by OCTOBER um for. OCTOBER 21st I believe so yes. Okay. >> so I just want to be mindful of the the process time right? So we are discussing here the matter of one of another. One of one or the other. I mean I'd like to find uh, you know, a consensus and I'd like the commissioner to be commissioner has been one of the biggest supporters of our art in public project. I like what the primary selected artists showed us. I think this is fabulous as well. Um but I definitely want to support the art for um project as well because they're doing their district wide. They've come up with an entire master plan something to be really commended what the commission district office has done and it really supports our mission up here as well. So um, I don't know if there's a way that we could send this back and um have the pack review the comments from the commissioner um and review both of the initial proposals and maybe there's some way that there could be some kind of collaboration or meeting of the minds and come back. That's an option. It would just extend the timeline of the project. Our next pack meeting is happening tomorrow and the agenda for that has already been published. Uh, following that pack meeting the next one will be OCTOBER I believe third week of OCTOBER. So it extends the timeline. And can you discuss this tomorrow since it was discussed at a prior meeting? At the pack. You can add it as a discussion. I don't think that I'm sorry for the there won't be able to take action on that but it will be able to be discussed. Okay so it would be at the next pack meeting. I'm not sure. When's the next a meeting? One second. I think OCTOBER 5th I think. No but the second monday is. Mhm it's not going to meet the timeline. And what happens if we MISS That OCTOBER? We do have uh the chief of staff for district four present. Okay. >> chief of staff to, uh, commissioner rosado here to answer any questions you might have. So if if this extends beyond the OCTOBER deadline, is that a problem? >> that is not an option. It's not an option. I have a question. Is there any particular reason that the commissioner already expressed what he likes more from [Laughter] One of another? What is looking for that makes him feel more comfortable? He was looking for a vibrant sculpture piece. Um he was not satisfied with the pack's decision at all. Um so we were optimistic about bringing this to your board. He does absolutely have a preference and I would just kindly ask that the board consider that uh request. Can we no please no. >> yes. >> right. >> absolutely I have. I'll explain again. So we'll start off with um what he did like from alex kaufman is again vibrant. It has different colors. It also has a place to sit. It's more attractive to the commissioner uh, referring to the conflicts art projects he was not a fan of the additional pieces in the front of the sculpture, the ones that are not celia cruz and as I mentioned before, the commissioner is a big mosaic fan. So material wise is a big reason why he prefers alex kaufman's work. Right. >> so so when I start to look at kaufman's work it gets a little convoluted in regards to the the the the back portion where it becomes this this concrete and steel and like 3d rendering. Yeah. >> and I can I can uh expand further on that if you'd like I believe the artist had uh, originally come up with an idea to work um, in collaboration with someone else and create a mural on the back of the piece. Um and you can see there it could be on page. I mean it's it's talking about a sculptural shell with three quarter inch of cement base sculpting material and and it gives these strange examples of these like gnomes or these I it doesn't seem like something that he's worked with before like material wise like the mosaic great the front 2d great. But then for some reason it has this whole other element with steel and um, zbrush and rhino modeling software. I you know, and personally like alex kaufman is probably a phenomenal artist. I mean that that rendering of celia cruz like when I look at that the head it reminds me of james brown like it looks more to me like. Like james brown than celia cruz but I didn't know either personally. So I wonder if there's a way that this gentleman um joan can he can he work in mosaic and change the color scheme to align more with the commissioners? Uh, I he's open for it. I mean knowing him working with him for probably over a decade now, he is never scared of a challenge. Um so he would certainly look into it. I don't know I don't think he's ever done any mosaic work in the past, but um you know, working with a fabricator you rely heavily on their expertise and so and with working with miami design shop, I'm sure they have experience in doing that as well that I'm sure we can lean on them a little bit to try and come back with something. I don't know if it you know, it'll basically be a whole new rendering design more more than likely. Um and personally like one of my favorite parts was the ancillary figures because that ties in some of the commissioner's residence into the into the piece and celebrates them and you know, anonymous people who won't be renowned and celebrated like celia cruz but but still rejoice in her music and and are moved by it. I mean I thought that was quite nice. I mean maybe anyways but it's you know, it's it's you know, I like your concerns christina and we really appreciate yours as well. I mean but just looking at it it's really convoluted the azucar eterna the the the fabrication like the it's it's unclear to me like what that form actually will begin. You know, it's talking about like steel sculptures and armature and concrete and plus mosaic and it's like what you know, I, I don't. Know but right. >> but I believe that one of the things that commissioner staff has highlighted is that they like the seating area that it it created a shape where you could be seated. Um, my concern with the ancillary sculptures that you referenced was more that that you know, it's a small pocket park, it's a triangular park that having too much in there don't get me wrong, I love what you what you've done and everything and I think it's great. Um, but I you know, I just my my I've been consistent I've been on this board for over ten years. I always ask about our district commissioner um and and and what he feels and our commissioners here actually. >> I think he's here to make a. Comment. >> so it would be good to hear from him in person as well. And just to. >> add to. That quickly there is based on the plans that we were supplied there are park benches being installed throughout the park along the walkways and it was the idea the idea was to sort of be able to look forward. So there is like I I'm assuming ample seating in the park as well. So and our idea was to kind of turn it into a focal stage where people could come you could do movie screenings a little like music performances you could have um whatever events uh, standing in front of celia as your backdrop. So yeah, it creates a little more interactive space. So that's great. >> so welcome commissioner [Laughter] Rosado, thank you for being here. Thank you. >> thank you for having me. We appreciate it. We've just been discussing the uh, celia cruz uh and the pocket park in azucar so. We're very excited about it. We were actually just meeting now to organize the event that we're going to do on her birthday, which is october 21st. So it's next month it will be her would have been her 101st birthday. And you know, I've obviously been following the process very closely and we're hoping to be able to, you know, work closely with alex kaufman on this project. Okay? >> okay. >> commissioner, I have a question. Um I'm being very involved in this as you know, for many years. Is there any particular reason that you always want to have mosaic because we just approve for the um the building is coming up. Flagler villas on flagler and 52nd we approve a mosaic mosaic. It's it's becau