Title
Approval of an Ordinance Authorizing an Agreement to Accept Donation of "Telephone of the Wind" as a Gift of Art from Artist Corey Dembeck
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Olympia Arts Commission recommends the City Council accept the donation of Telephone of the Wind, to be installed at Priest Point Park.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve an Ordinance authorizing an agreement to accept donation of "Telephone of the Wind" as a Gift of Art from Artist Corey Dembeck on second reading.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve an Ordinance authorizing an agreement to accept donation of "Telephone of the Wind" as a Gift of Art from Artist Corey Dembeck on second reading.
Staff Contact:
Stephanie Johnson, Program Manager, Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation, 360.709.2678
Presenter(s):
Consent calendar item only.
Background and Analysis:
Background and Analysis has changed from first to second reading. Section 4. Effective Date, was added.
Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation Department (OPARD) received a donation offer from artist Corey Dembeck for the gift of art of Telephone of the Wind.
Inspired by a project in Japan, whereby those in grief could use a rotary telephone sited on an ocean bluff to communicate with people they lost (specifically following the 2011 tsunami), Olympia resident Corey Dembeck's proposal creates a similar experience in a forest.
In response to the sudden tragic death of a friend's four-year-old daughter, Mr. Dembeck created a telephone station affixed to a large cedar tree in the southeast section of the park, dedicated to Joelle Sylvester.
While the Parks Department recognizes that the Telephone of the Wind has struck a positive chord in the community, nonetheless, the installation was not approved in advance. Specifically, the plywood board holding the telephone is screwed to the cedar tree, which is not considered best practice. Parks staff and the Arts Commission have provided feedback to Mr. Dembeck...
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