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Home My WebLink About15 - Marine 1-1 Battalion Memorial SculptureCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. 15 September 11, 2007 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: LIBRARY SERVICES Linda Katsouleas, Library Services Director; Arts and Cultural Services Division; Jana Barbier, Cultural Arts Coordinator (717 -3870) jbarbier@city.newport-beach.ca.us SUBJECT: MARINE 111 BATTALION MEMORIAL SCULPTURE CONCEPT AND DESIGN: APPROVAL OF CONTRACT, LOCATION OF SCULPTURE AND STATIONERY FOR MARINE 111 MEMORIAL COMMITTEE. RECOMMENDATION: (1) Approve Marine 111 Battalion sculptural concept, design, fabrication, and installation. Authorize the City Manager to approve an agreement, with concurrence of the Marine 111 Memorial Committee, and selected artistisculptor Benjamin Victor of Benjamin Victor Studios for a bronze sculpture, base, plaque and four benches; including transportation and installation (2) Approve Castaways Park site, on Dover Drive as recommended location for installation of Marine 111 Memorial bronze sculpture /monument (3) Approve letterhead for Marine 111 Memorial Committee. DISCUSSION: BACKGROUND: (1) In April of 2007, the City of Newport Beach, Marine 111 Memorial Committee issued a Request for Qualifications from public artists proposing a sculptural design to memorialize the Marines of 1" Battalion, 18` Marines. Six artists from local and international locations submitted proposals for a sculpture representative of the project by July 9, 2007. After careful deliberation of each concept, design, qualifications and budget, the committee selected artist Benjamin Victor of Benjamin Victor Studios in Aberdeen, South Dakota to create a bronze sculpture. Mr. Victor's proposal (attached) includes one life -sized to 6'6" tall bronze sculpture (as presented in drawing,) including 9' granite piece, granite base, plaque and 4 benches; shipping of one life -sized to 66" tall sculpture as presented in a scale maquette with full insurance; artist's travel to install the sculpture and to participate in a dedication ceremony; rigging manpower, drilling and permanent installation of finished sculpture. The proposed budget for the project is $100,000. Ben Victor Studios has presented an itemized quote for the bronze sculpture, stating payment terms and description of services (attached.) (2) The proposed site for the project is Castaways Park on Dover Drive in Newport Beach. A site plan for placement of the sculpture at Castaways Park is included. The Marine 1/1 Memorial Committee is proposing to have the sculpture installed by May 26 (Memorial Day) of 2008. (3) The Marine 1/1 Memorial Committee is requesting the approval of stationery (draft of design attached) for purposes of correspondence and to be used for fundraising efforts by the committee for the Marine 1/1 Memorial sculpture project. FUNDRAISING AVAILABILITY: Fundraising for the Marine 1/1 Memorial sculpture project will begin immediately with the approval of the concept and design. The American Legion will be presenting the initial funding for the monument with a check for $5,000 to be presented at City Council on September 11, 2007. Further fundraising projects are planned by the Marine 1/1 Memorial Committee. The entire cost of the bronze sculpture ($100,000.00) will be raised by the Marine 1/1 Memorial Committee. Submitted by: Linda K ouleas, Library Services Director 949) 717 -3810 Cultural Arts Office: (949) 717 -3870 Jana Barbier, Cultural Arts Coordinator Beniamin Victor: Design Statement 1" Marines, ls' Battalion My artwork is conceptually based figurative work which has a focus on the heroism of humankind. I have been fortunate to have received very large commissions at such a young age, but that is not really what drives me. What really excites me about what I do is creating works of art that are centered on people whose lives are models of what society should be. From the War Memorial Sculpture to my Recent Monument to Firefighters I have had the opportunity to study and create works of art based upon the lives of heroes who gave their lives for others. I cannot think of a more worthy undertaking to devote my life to than that of memorializing great people who put the lives of others before their own. When working on the Aberdeen Regional Airport War Memorial Sculpture I personally interviewed over 200 Veterans. Their stories, along with the mountains of written histories I researched, gave me a deep appreciation for our service men and women. They inspire me to create so that their story lives on. They also inspire me to create so that others will read of their lives and appreciate what they gave for this great country. And they inspire me to create so that proper respect and homage is paid to the selfless gift that each gave to our society. I truly believe that creating a Monument to our Soldiers is the greatest undertaking an artist could have, which is why I am so excited at the prospect of creating a Monument to the 1'` Battalion, I' Marines. When this design came to me I was going over my notes and countless interviews with young soldier. Their testimonies to the feelings of family members before, during, and after their tour of duty spawned this moving idea for a monument. I heard the tearful stories of families who had sent their loved one off to war and he "never came back". I saw a young soldier who left and (after a severe injury to the head) returned to his wife without any memories of their past before his service. I have seen the fortunate soldiers weep as they tell me of how lucky they are to come back "without a scrape ". All of these experiences are distilled into this emotive design. The design will encourage interpretation, thought, empathy, and appreciation for our service men and women. My preliminary drawings outline the design which includes life size bronze sculpture of a soldier. He is walking forward while looking back As he walks forward he is enveloped by a 9 foot tall polished black granite corridor. He is literally walking into the granite corridor which creates an interesting set of questions and leads the viewer towards introspection. Is he already away from home and in the war, "looking back" on the times he had at home before he went off to war? Or is he taking a final look back as he heads off to war, giving a last "goodbye" glance before he is deployed? Our questions are met by no less a paradigm as we walk around the piece to realize that the limbs being enveloped by the granite piece are not coming through the other side. He "enters in, but does not come back out Instead we see the name of the soldier's unit, or even perhaps the names of the fallen soldier(s) from the I" Battalion, 1 't Marines. This will not only serve as a powerful visual metaphor for the soldier leaving for war never to return, but also an artistic response to the fact that every soldier is profoundly changed by their experiences in battle. It is a visual statement expressing the plight of the soldier who leave for war, and if they return, they return profoundly changed. The design will include a circular polished black granite base which will be low (8" to F tall). The circular design of the base will encourage 360 degree viewing of the piece and its polished, reflective finish will reinforce the "reflective" theme of the piece. The lower height of the base will cause the viewer to identify more readily with the soldier. It will also allow them to get a closer look at the details of the gear, and see clearly the emotions on his face as the soldier looks back. Also included in the design will be 4 polished black granite benches. They will invite viewers to sit and have a quiet time of introspection around the monument, and perhaps remember a loved one as they read the writing and/or names on the back of the granite corridor. My artwork is understood and enjoyed on many different levels. Some people who view my artwork will see its aesthetic and design value. Others enjoy the attentiveness to detail, and appreciate the skill and time it takes to create such works. Others connect my works to the stories, ideas, and metaphors that they represent. Still others understand the iconography, and symbolism. Most of all, I hope people who view my artwork gain sensitivity to the truth that my artwork represents. There is not a more noble truth than honoring those who have given their lives for others. It would be my honor to be chosen to create the Memorial Honoring the Is` Battalion, 1" Marines for Newport Beach in my home State of California. Sincerely, c Benj m V r 605 - 3804528 www.beniaminvictor.com bvictorAienjaminvictor.com �- 4.. Ii iv: 3 � r 5. t. - ��.�(1 '� ' x � ,t,} �h��yia �F' 3 t � P y IN MEMORIAM IN 2003, THE CITIZENS OF NEWPORT BEACH ADOPTED THE IT BATTALION, 1sT MARINES, 1ST MARINE DIVISION. THE CITY DEDICATES THIS MEMORIAL IN HONOR OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF 1/1 WHO PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE IN DEFENDING AND PRESERVING OUR NATION AND OUR FREEDOM. • Guadalcanal • New Britain • Finschhafen • Peleliu • Okinawa • Kobe * Inchon * Chosin Reservoir * Da Nang * Dong Ha * Hue * Can Thien * Quang Tri * Phu Bai * Khe Sanh * Operation Desert Shield * Operation Desert Storm * Operation Enduring Freedom * Operation Iraqi Freedom Benjamin Victor Studios Fine Art -- Sculpture 1200 S. Jay Street, Aberdeen, SO 57401 Phone (605)380 -4528 bvictor@benjaminvictor.com TO Jana Barbjer City of Newport Beach, CA ITEMIZED QUOTE 8 i DATE: JULY 7, 2007 EXPIRATION DATE: DEC 7TH 2008 JOB SHIPPING METHOD SHIPPING TERMS DELIVERY DATE PAYMENT TERMS DUE DATE i Bronze A Life Size to 6'6" Tall Bronze Sculpture as 1!3 Up Front; Sculpture Sculpture Presented Drawing, including 9' Granite piece, $100,000.00 $100,000.00 Mon i" Battalion BV Studios pricing Below As Previously Finished Clay As Previously Included Shipped/ Installed Stated in RFP Mon Stated in RFP i Trip Travel Artist Travel to Install Sculpture and Participate Finished $100,000.00 Expenses in Dedication Ceremony Bronze i QTY I ITEM DESCRIPTION UNIT PRICE TOTAL i Bronze A Life Size to 6'6" Tall Bronze Sculpture as Sculpture Sculpture Presented Drawing, including 9' Granite piece, $100,000.00 $100,000.00 granite base, plaque, and 4 benches i Shipment Shipping Shipping one Life Size to 6'6" Tall Sculpture as Included $100,000.00 Presented in Scale Maquette with full insurance i Trip Travel Artist Travel to Install Sculpture and Participate Included $100,000.00 Expenses in Dedication Ceremony i Install of Rigging, Manpower, drilling and permanent Included $100'000.00 Installation Bronze install of Finished Sculpture SUBTOTAL $100,000.00 SALES TAX N!A TOTAL $100,000.00 Quotation prepared by: t This is a quotation on the goods named, subject to the conditions noted below: (Describe any conditions pertaining to these prices and any additional temp of the agreement. You may want to include contingencies that will affect the quotation.) To accept this quotation, sign here and return: YOU FOR YOUR BU.SINESSI CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH 1/1 MEMORIAL COMMITTEE Hon. Keith D. Curry Chairman Bill Garrett Richard Kurth Gilbert Lasky, Esq. Gen. John Rhodes Steven B. Spriggs George Tepich * * C it * 3300 Newport Boulevard • Post Office Box 1768 • Newport Beach, California 92660 • (949) 6443000 1: p •A.' .& dit. f /5'q 11 -07 2. r-I - 16 U 1� U 16 L AT \ k 0 .j0 lk'iC) N U lk'iL N 0 WE, R ' 4 � 4 " . 1 0 lt"W I MONUMEhlT\ YT .3. ' I'll IK ivy{• a � L 1 wf