Title
Art in Public Places Board Recommendation for Public Artwork at the Eco Station, a Donated Piece by Ed Grothus, “Sunflower”
Recommended Action
I move that the Council accept the donation of metal artwork, “Sunflower” from Ed Grothus estate and approve the use of Art in Public Places funds for the restoration and installation of “Sunflower” at the Eco Station with a total budget not to exceed $60,000.
County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council approves the proposed artwork and recommendations.
Board, Commission or Committee Recommendation
The Art in Public Places Board recommends that Council approve the proposed donation and expenditure.
Body
Section 8-32 of the Los Alamos County Code of Ordinances speaks to the powers and duties of the Art in Public Places Board (APPB). Part of their powers are to "recommend to the council the acquisition of works of art for county-owned facilities," as well as to "recommend to the council the public sites selected for the display of such art."
In 2018, the estate of the famous recycler and peace activist, Ed Grothus, offered to donate to Los Alamos County a metal structure of a sunflower that he created from recycled materials. It is 14 feet in diameter. A picture of “Sunflower” is shown in Attachment A. Because it was stored outdoors at the Black Hole for several years, it currently requires restoration including new powder coating and updated welds to reinforce the piece.
APPB recommends accepting the donation and placing it on the west-facing exterior wall of the Eco- station as shown in Attachment B. Public input was gathered on accepting the piece of artwork and the proposed location. Feedback was overall positive, as this is an opportunity to honor a Los Alamos community legend, artist, and peace activist. Additionally, the location was presented to the Environmental Sustainability Board and accepted.
The County Council approved expenditures in 2019 for an engineerin...
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