Claremont’s public art committee voted 3-1 November 17 to delay its decision on who will carry out a long-sought improvement project for El Barrio Park. Howard Spector was the lone no. Members Francine Baker and Anthony Acock were absent. The committee is expected to take up the issue again at its Monday, December 8 meeting.

The committee weighed two proposals, one by Jose Antonio Aguirre and another by Cathy Garcia, Alba Cisneros, and Athena Hahn. Both are proposing to install interactive art features and a new mural by next summer at the 1.8-acre Claremont Boulevard park.

Following the artists’ presentations, the committee reviewed questions about funding and calls from the public for more review time.

History and proposals

Claremont Public Information Officer Bevin Handel delivered an overview of the project. The committee has worked since 2019 to implement a mural at the park. The COVID-19 pandemic caused delays, but things began to take shape in 2022 after construction of a new pedestrian walkway, lighting, landscaping, and other amenities.

That fall an ad hoc committee drafted requests for qualifications for artists to be considered for the mural job honoring the Arbol Verde and El Barrio neighborhoods, due in March 2023. The committee recommended three artists: Aguirre, the Garcia/Cisneros/Hahn trio, and Angel Villanueva, who recently withdrew.

(L-R) Alba Cisneros, public art committee chair Douglas Pearsall, and committee member Howard Spector at the November 17 Claremont Public Art Committee meeting. Courier photo/Andrew Alonzo

An initial budget of $50,000 was boosted to $70,000 after a $20,000 commitment from Claremont McKenna College.

The budget estimate for Aguirre’s proposal, which features a ceramic update of the “El Barrio Park” sign and the installation of a four-sided mural near the park’s restroom and 10 interactive art pieces to depict the history of the park, is $92,000, according to a staff report. Garcia, Cisneros, and Hahn’s, for a mural and three ceramic pillars came in at $115,000.

Questions were raised as to how the committee would cover the overruns. Handel said the city’s public art reserve fund is just over $180,000. “For the funding, realistically no more than $100,000 could be allocated depending on the Committee’s recommendation,” she wrote in an email Monday. “This would cover existing projects and funding commitments.”

Residents expressed gratitude and concern, with some happy the park is set to receive artistic commemoration, and others worrying the neighborhood’s history of segregation and racism may be overlooked.

“I live in the neighborhood,” said Al Villaneuva. “We have to create a mural that … [balances] past, present, and what will be. So, we have to include the last 50 years which wasn’t in either presentation.”

Other public comments echoed Villanueva’s.

“I do want to clarify a significant part of this project from the very, very beginning was, and why it has taken a long time, is that public input from the neighborhood is a significant component to this project,” Handel said. “There will be a lot of outreach on the final images on both proposals before it will be finalized. That’s extremely important to this project, to make sure the imagery in these projects resonate with the neighborhood and the residents of Arbol Verde and the barrios.”

After an artist is chosen, the winning proposal will receive public input, then an artist agreement will be drafted and presented to the Claremont City Council, Handel said.

More info is at claremontca.gov, search “special art meeting” and navigate to the November 13 “Public Art Committee Special Meeting” tab.

The public art committee’s next meeting is 6 p.m. December 8 at the Hughes Center, 1700 Danbury Rd., Claremont.