Title
Approval of the 2019 Percival Plinth Project Peoples’ Choice Award
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Arts Commission recommends approval of the purchase of The Giant and I by Nathan Robles as recommended by public vote.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the purchase of The Giant and I by Nathan Robles as recommended by the Arts Commission.
Report
Issue:
Whether to recommend to City Council purchase of The Giant and I by Nathan Robles for the 2019 Percival Plinth Peoples’ Choice Award, based on public vote.
Staff Contact:
Angel Nava, Arts Program Specialist, Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation, 360.753.8384
Presenter(s):
Angel Nava, Parks, Arts & Recreation
Timothy Grisham, Chair, Olympia Arts Commission
Background and Analysis:
On March 26, 2019, City Council approved the sculptures recommended by the Arts Commission for the ninth year-long display of loaned sculpture for the Percival Plinth Project. Associated with this exhibition is the public vote known as the Peoples' Choice Award, by which one sculpture is selected for purchase by the City. The period of voting took place from June 21 (with a public kick-off) - July 31, 2019. All loaned sculptures will be returned in spring 2020 and the popularly selected piece will be moved to City Hall for one year before being reinstalled in another Olympia location. This will leave all plinths cleared for another exhibition and competitive process.
Selected Sculpture
For the 2019 Percival Plinth People’s Choice award 1,600 ballots were cast in the month of July. A record breaking community engagement year due in part to the introduction of a new online voting process, more than doubled 2018 voter turnout (631). The Giant & I by Nathan Robles took the lead with 330 votes. Honorable mentions were Bear Listening in a Story Place by Nancy Thorne Chambers with 218 votes, and Work by Nathan Robles with 189 votes.
Voters for The Giant & I spoke to it being “thought provoking”, and being “extremely beautiful and well crafted”, as well as appreciating how the work spoke to “the humanity of all things” with a focus on “empathy” and its “potential to facilitate understanding”.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
53 percent of votes were from Olympia residents. 920 people visited the sculptures in person.
Options:
1) Approve purchase of The Giant & I by Nathan Robles as recommended by public vote.
2) Do not approve purchase of The Giant & I by Nathan Robles as recommended by public vote.
3) Provide staff guidance on a different recommendation.
Financial Impact:
Purchase price for the sculpture is $9,750 ($10,000 budgeted), from the Municipal Art Fund.
Attachments:
Link to Plinths Webpage
The Giant & I by Nathan Robles