| The Palo Alto History Project |
| The Civic Art Gallery Lytton Plaza and Bowden Park |
| The Civic Art Gallery: "Digital DNA" and "Rrrun" Artistic appreciation may be in the eye of the beholder, but when the art in question is sponsored by a city, there are many beholders who do that appreciating. In the case of Palo Alto in the past decade, debate most often raged over two choices --- classical or funky. The later has most often been pushed by the Palo Alto Public Arts Commission, the seven member assemblage that tends to see every public space as a potential modern art gallery. The Commission has great power in town, in part because the Council long ago opted out of final decision-making in many matters artistic---claiming ignorance. But the Commission’s taste for the eccentric has raised the ire of those who favor more traditional plazas and park sculpture. In 2004, controversy revolved around two rather spectacularly odd pieces of artistic work approved by the Palo Alto Arts Commission---“Digital DNA,” a seven foot tall egg made of circuit boards destined for Lytton Plaza and “Rrrun,” a sculpture of a car with human legs, which ended up in Bowden Park. Both works have certainly turned a few heads, but they can also inspire op-ed diatribes from those who favor the pen and even thuggish vandalism from those who do not. Digital DNA was originally bought by the city for $9,950 by its creators, Adriana Varella and Nilton Maltz. The computer circuit boards quilted together in the shape of an egg was designed to recognize Palo Alto's central role in birthing Silicon Valley. But just as the work was about to be installed in Lytton Plaza, another proposal came forward for the beautification of that rather drab-looking park of cement. Seemingly omnipresent developer Roxy Rapp and former mayor Leland Levy had a rather different vision---one that looked a lot more like the flowing fountains of Italy and had no plans for oversized green eggs. At a June 17th showdown, the commission voted unanimously to study the fountain idea, but also reiterated their desire to see Digital DNA installed. Then city employee and Arts and Culture Director Leon Kaplan made an announcement that drew gasps of horror from the assembled audience. The egg was no more. It had been destroyed the previous week in a San Bruno warehouse fire. Because the fire took place after its installation had been delayed by city staff, some actually suspected city employees of engineering the fire to get rid of the piece, thereby allow the fountains plan to go forward. Irate Commission member Gerald Brett told the audience that the fire had shaken his understanding about the supposed role of the Commission. Kaplan, who clearly took offense at the remark responded, “Settle down, Gerald. Just Chill.” He later called Brett “paranoid.” Two months later, Kaplan was back in the news again. Just a week away from retirement after 27 years with the city, Kaplan was again ticking off Gerald Brett. This time the controversy swirled around the installation of local artist and former Public Arts Commission Member Marta Thoma’s $10,000 “Rrrun” statue. Kaplan claimed that the artist was too cozy with commissioners and that there was a potential conflict-of-interest at hand. "In my view, the relationship between Marta and the current public art commissioners that brought the project forward was too close," Kaplan said. Brett responded that "You shouldn't be ungrateful for this major artist willing to sell pieces for that amount of money.” Eventually, both pieces of art found their places in the Palo Alto sun. Digital DNA was reconstructed and now stands at the center of Lytton Plaza, although the fountain plan is still kicking around City Hall. “Rrrun” was eventually approved by the Council and now the leggy roadster baffles drivers passing by its perch along side Alma Street. And while they may not be everyone’s idea of soaring civic art, they have certainly led to some interesting discussions. -Matt Bowling |
| Digital DNA at Lytton Plaza |
| Admiring The Egg |
| A close-up of the DNA |
| The Egg with Pizza My Heart as backdrop |
| On the Rrrun! |
| The map below shows the Downtown West area |
| Rrrun at Bowden Park |
| A car with a behind? |
| Gerald Brett with fellow Commission member Judith Wasserman |
| Gerald Brett |
| Leon Kaplan with former Mayor Dena Mossar |
| Palo Alto: Then & Now |
| circa 1965 |
| 2007 |
| Sources: Palo Alto Times, Palo Alto Weekly, Palo Alto Historical Association, Wikipedia |