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City Council Report
City Council Meeting: 8 June, 2010
Agenda Item: 0
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Barbara Stinchfield, Director, Community & Cultural Services
Subject: Contract for Conservation of The Big Wave by Tony DeLap
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a contract with Exclusive Welding, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $75,000 for
structural repair and restoration of the sculpture The Big Wave by Tony DeLap.
Executive Summary
As a part of the City's Percent for Art Program, Tony DeLap was commissioned in 1989
to create the sculpture The Big Wave spanning Wilshire Boulevard at Franklin Street
and marking the gateway to Santa Monica. An assessment was done by Sculpture
Conservation Studios in 2006, which outlined the conservation issues and what needed
to be done to ensure the structural integrity of the sculpture: Exclusive Welding, Inc.
was selected, in response to a Request for Proposals that was issued in July 2009, to
repair the work, replace the non-functioning fiber optics and damaged Plexiglas cover,
and clean and repaint the sculpture at a cost not to exceed $75,000.
Discussion
Over the past 20 years the sculpture has deteriorated substantially, suffering from rust
and corrosion -and the lighting system is no longer functional. A Request for Proposals
to repair the sculpture was issued in July 2009 and three proposals were received.
Finalist interviews were conducted in December 2009 and in January 2010 the team of
Exclusive Welding, Inc. with Rosa Lowinger + Associates was selected for
recommendation. Exclusive Welding, Inc. has been in business over 40 years offering
full service steel fabrication, painting, engineering and architectural service. In addition,
Exclusive Welding, Inc. has a long history of working on specialized art projects and
collaborating with conservators on public art projects. The team's subconsultant, Rosa
Lowinger + Associates, is a full service preservation firm specializing in conservation of
sculpture and architecture in tropical and marine climates. Prior to forming Rosa
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Lowinger + Associates, Ms. Lowinger was a founding partner of Sculpture Conservation
Studio and was instrumental in conducting the research for the 2006 conservation
assessment for The Big Wave. She is very familiar with the sculpture, the assessment,
and recommended conservation approaches. The team will work closely with the artist
during this conservation project to assure that the sculpture is conserved in accord with
the artists wishes. Exclusive Welding, Inc. and their subcontractors will clean and paint
the surface of the sculpture, remove the non-functioning fiber optics and Plexiglas cover
and replace them with LED lighting and new clear Lexan-as specified by artist. In
addition, Exclusive Welding, Inc. will address any welding, electrical or corrosion issues
that may exist.
Commission Action
In 2007, the Santa Monica Public Art Committee took action making the conservation of
The Big Wave a budget allocation priority when funds become available.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
In 2008, during the budget adoption session, Council allocated $100,000 in one-time
funding for art conservation. Exclusive Welding, Inc. conservation costs are not to
exceed $75,000. Funds for the contract are available in the Art Conservation fund
(M011122.589000) and the Percent for Art General Fund (0010081.589000). The
allocation of funds will be as follows:
$22,000-0010081.589000 (Percent for Art General Fund)
$53,000-M011122.589000 (Art Conservation).
Prepared by: Jessica Cusick, Cultural Affairs Manager
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
Barbara Stinchfield Rod Gould
Director, Community &Cultural Services City Manager
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Reference Contract No.
9224 (CCS).