City of Santa Fe Arts Commission met May 20.
Here are the minutes provided by the commission:
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting of the Arts Commission was called to order by Alex Hanna, Chair, at 5:00pm and was attended virtually.
2. ROLL CALL
COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT
Commissioner Alex Hanna, Chair
Commissioner Adelma Hnasko
Commissioner Tamara Bates
Commissioner Jorge Bernal
Commissioner Alma Castro
Commissioner Exilda Trujillo de Martinez
Commissioner Andrea Hanley
COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT
Commissioner Bernadette Ortiz Pena, Excused
OTHERS PRESENT
Angie Rizzo, Arts in Public Places
Matthew Chase Daniel, Arts in Public Places
Terran Last Gun, Arts in Public Places
Rich Brown, Director, Department of Economic and Community Development
Pauline Kanako Kamiyama, Director, Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department
Erminia Tapia, Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department
Chair Hanna formally welcomed the members of the Arts in Public Places Committee to the meeting.
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Chair Hanna stated that the action item was not to approve a temporary art installation, but to discuss and possibly recommend a temporary art installation. Additionally he would like to move the Public Comment item to immediately after the Action Item with Matters from the Committee after that.
MOTION A motion was made by Commissioner Bernal, seconded by Commissioner Hnasko, to approve the agenda as amended.
VOTE The motion passed on a roll call vote as follows:
Chair Hanna, yes; Commissioner Hnasko, yes; Commissioner Bates, yes; Commissioner Bernal, yes; Commissioner Castro, yes; Commissioner Hanley, yes; Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez, yes.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
JANUARY 25, 2021
Chair Hanna commented that the minutes were not very detailed.
Ms. Tapia explained that due to COVID the Commission no longer has a Stenographer. The procedure is to enter the basic action minutes into PrimeGov.
Chair Hanna stated that is was disheartening to not have more details.
MOTION A motion was made by Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez, seconded by Commissioner Castro, to approve the minutes as presented.
VOTE The motion passed on a roll call vote as follows:
Chair Hanna, yes; Commissioner Hnasko, yes; Commissioner Bates, yes; Commissioner Bernal, yes; Commissioner Castro, yes; Commissioner Hanley, yes; Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez, yes.
Chair Hanna introduced Rich Brown.
Mr. Brown introduced himself.
Chair Hanna thanked Ms. Kamiyama and her staff for the Mayor’s Arts Awards.
5. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SANTA FE TRAIL
Ms. Kamiyama said it came to the Mayor’s attention and to her’s that 2021 is the 200th Anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail. There is a Santa Fe Trail Association who had a website that included information on this anniversary.
Chair Hanna asked if the Mayor gave any indication of what that would look like. Ms. Kamiyama said no, this is a sharing of information.
Commissioner Hnasko encouraged the Commission to keep this in the larger context. If there is a request for funding we need to consider that carefully before committing public funds.
Ms. Kamiyama said this is not on our calendar as a priority right now. If the Commission would like she will reach out to the Santa Fe Trails Association.
Chair Hanna asked that she do so and report back to the Commission as any additional information comes forward.
Chair Hanna reported that he is part of a panel who will interview three candidates for the City Historian position.
6. ACTION ITEMS
A. DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATION FOR THE SOLDIERS MONUMENT BASE ON THE PLAZA
Chair Hanna said this will be a discussion about how to handle the box on the Plaza. This will be temporary. CHART will be tasked with the long term solutions. Tourism and others are worried about the visual of the box on the Plaza. We could, as a group, decide not to do anything and let Public Works and Parks beautify the box in some way or we can discuss something more complex, dynamic and engaging for that box. We will have that discussion first.
Ms. Tapia informed the thirteen public attendees to wait for public comment until after this item. Then raise your hands and we will get to you.
Commissioner Hnasko said it was good to see the Arts Commissioners and the members of the Arts in Public Places. Thank you for your public service. We are all who are in Santa Fe on Tewa land. There are many waves of us. We love this place and want to do well for this place. We are rooted in a space. We are talking about the Plaza. We want to honor that place. Thank you to our Chair. You have been amazing. We have been asked to participate, but have one week to do so. If we choose to move forward she has two requests. One is that there needs to be some signage or statement on the Plaza as to what is happening. An acknowledgment. Second there needs to be some sort of mechanism for people to be able to submit suggestions, thoughts and prayers.
Commissioner Bernal said he was part of the AIPP Committee and the last meeting was tense because of the lack of participation on our part. That led him to think about this. He is here at the pleasure of the Mayor. He thinks Pauline and her staff can come up with ideas of what we can do and then give us an opportunity to comment. He is not representing the community. He just wants things to go well.
Commissioner Castro said the expertise in the AIPP Committee is a compliment to the Arts Commission. She hopes we will be heard. This situation is super difficult. We have the opportunity and responsibility as representatives of a sliver of the community to address this. If we don’t say something we are not taking that opportunity.
Ms. Rizzo said she agreed. She thinks whatever happens has to reflect the conflict inside that box. We cannot erase what is contained in that box. With this short notice we can think about a process. We all made recommendations when the conflict started. We commented then that there could be violence and danger. Whatever we do could invoke that anger. She would like to shift the discussion to process.
Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez said she has so many thoughts and emotions with this. She knows this is temporary. There was an editorial in the New Mexican that talked about pretty plants. She agrees with signage and a statement there. We have to be very careful with our words. We need to tap into our youth. Maybe our youth Poet Laureate or our adult Poet Laureate could be of assistance. We need to have something beautiful. Maybe we could add photos or memories of old Santa Fe. Keep it simple, cultural, beautiful and artistic.
Chair Hanna said he is getting the sense that we don’t want to punt on this. We do want to take this on with a process we can all agree on. We are talking about a temporary measure for the summer. CHART will take this process over. The facilitators are in the process of being hired. We are going to make recommendations to the City. We can make several if we would like to. With each of them there needs to be a process we recommend as part of the recommendation.
Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez asked if this was a stepping stone to CHART or about Tourism.
Ms. Kamiyama said it a bit of both. It is summer and we are coming out of the pandemic. The CHART procurement process is taking longer than anyone anticipated. We are still two months away. We are bridging the gap.
Chair Hanna said he did not want the Commission to be set up for failure. We have been asking to be involved for a year. We have an amazing group here. If we do feel we can make recommendations it needs to be something procedural.
Commissioner Castro said she agreed. We need to have a collaborative vision with the diverse community of this land. She feels as though we need to focus in on who will be writing the statements and having panels to discuss what happened and is happening on the Plaza. She sees our role as to ensure people understand why people feel so strongly on issues surrounding this. We need a process. Could this Commission come together for instance on an adobe structure on the Plaza. There has to be community engagement.
Chair Hanna said he recommends that we do this as a two part process. First we discuss ideas of what this looks like and then go back and discuss the process that goes with the ideas. So far he has heard two ideas. Signage and the idea of an adobe wall where people could put their thoughts into the wall. We are on a budget so Pauline please chime in. A floral wall and an adobe wall were discussed. Are there other thoughts.
Ms. Rizzo said she likes the story and narrative idea. We should have a timeline. We have the opportunity to do four walls with circular movement around the object. The various roles the Plaza has taken throughout history could be included with images. That would bring us up to the obelisk coming down.
Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez said she thinks we don’t want to bite off more than we can chew. We should concentrate on what happened with the obelisk and tell that story. What it meant and why we have come to this. It should give a positive and peaceful feeling. If we spread it way out we will run into conflict. Keep it simple.
Commissioner Castro said we have four sides and they can be used to tell the story.
Ms. Rizzo said we will run into conflict no matter what we do.
Commissioner Castro commented that there is a time capsule inside the base. Maybe it would be cathartic to have a ceremony around opening of it.
Chair Hanna said if that is feasible we could be part of that.
Mr. Daniel said given what is going on and the difficulty of reactions he thinks the history is more important than beautification. Tourists come to Santa Fe because of our history and culture. Maybe we use the box as it is and cover it with newspaper articles, photos and a timeline and do as little interpretation as we can. Also have a way the public can comment. Maybe update it periodically and then turn it over to CHART for the process.
Commissioner Castro commented that this is happening around the world. She values what you are saying that it is not our job to interpretation. We need to get the information out.
Chair Hanna asked Tamara and Terran for their thoughts.
Commissioner Bates said in her experience as an Arts Commissioner she has been confused a lot. She is not sure what to comment on. She feels like all our comments go into a void.
Chair Hanna explained that the process has gone off the rails a few times this past year. Thank you for your comment.
Mr. Last Gun said he agrees with Angie. This is a very sensitive issue and a short time to come up with an idea. He feels it is would worse with a box around it. That hides the sense of hurt. He agrees we should do some signage. He felt left out and in the dark as a member of AIPP. An article came out that said it was an art washing. He wonders what CHART’s role will be. He agrees we need a process around this temporary installation. He would like there to be information around what is going on. He feels somewhat like Tamara in terms of input. He likes the idea of adobe and also food.
Mr. Daniel said he does like Andrea’s idea of adobe. Having windows in the structure to see what is left of the obelisk is a good idea.
Ms. Rizzo said she agrees. There are examples of that around the world in war zones.
Mr. Daniel said the windows could be glass, plexiglass or be open.
Commissioner Castro said it is a good idea to honor and not cover up. We don’t want to whitewash things.
Commissioner Hnasko said if the adobe idea takes form it is an opportunity to collect dirt from many places in the area. It could be a moving forward metaphor of coming together.
Ms. Rizzo asked if she was proposing that the public bring earth.
Commissioner Castro said the leadership of who is building the structure. Earth from different places brought into the process through a team approach.
Chair Hanna said he sees lots of programing we could do around it. Commissioner Hnasko said we have two weeks.
Chair Hanna said the process piece could be done and community engagement throughout the summer.
Commissioner Hnasko said we could involve the community who could drop off the dirt.
Chair Hanna said he is sensing two recommendations. The adobe idea and the press clippings idea. Do we do both. Also there is a third one with the beautification. Do we want that idea.
Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez asked if they could combine more than one.
Commissioner Hnasko said if we recommend flowers we should let the Parks Department do that.
Mr. Daniel said if we put that as one recommendation it might be chosen and it would look like we endorse it. Not all Commissioners like that idea.
Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez said it seems the community likes the idea of native plants.
Chair Hanna said the Arts Commission will formally vote on what we are going to do. All of the comments made by the members of Art in Public places are very valuable.
Chair Hanna asked Ms. Kamiyama to comment on the three ideas with her thoughts and as to cost and implementation.
Ms. Kamiyama said we will be working with the City processes on these recommendations. It would be valuable to have your guidance as to who would be the best folks to write the signage and language and as to programming. Part of the scope of CHART is artist activation throughout the City along with community convenings and a cultural history series that will include the City Historian. CHART will be working with the City Sister Office as well. We will work with the cost of any of that.
Commissioner Castro said the statement on CHART clarifies why the obelisk was there and why it has gone away. That language has to be there no matter what gets chosen.
Chair Hanna asked for recommendations as to who would be involved in developing the language for that.
Commissioner Hanley recommended the leadership of native Tribes, Hispanic leadership, the new City Historian, the brain trust of the Santa Fe museums and the Mayor.
Chair Hanna said the Historian will not be on until July 1st.
Ms. Rizzo said it could be a collection of quotes from various parts of the community.
Chair Hanna said with the names shown. He likes that idea.
Commissioner Castro said none of our proposals are to remove the obelisk. She wants to hear from the public.
Chair Hanna said is cannot be removed without the CHART process.
Ms. Tapia commented that the public comments put in the Chat cannot be addressed as the public cannot see them. We can hear from the public if they want to speak.
Commissioner Hnasko stated that she wanted to clarify that we have a budget of $5,000 for something temporary leading into CHART. She encourages the Commission to simplify. Maybe four windows into the existing plywood and indicate where we are heading. Add the language from the CHART documents. We need very simple recommendations.
Chair Hanna thanked the Commissioner for her comment. We need to be more general and encompassing. He loves the more complex project. We could recommend that to if it is doable.
Ms. Tapia announced that they now have twenty seven members of the public on the call.
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
Chair Hanna opened the public comment period and informed the speakers that they will each be given one minute to speak. Ms. Tapia will call on you to speak one at a time.
- Luis Baca. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mr. Baca said he is a ninth generation New Mexican and very proud of his heritage. Consultation with this group is yet another example of the recklessness of the Mayor. He is sorry that you have to do this so quickly. It is unfair. This seems to circumvent the CHART process. He knows it is temporary. It does not take into account what is mandated to us and what some of us feel is unfair. He has heard a lot of discussion of conflict and what happened when this monument was torn down so recklessly. He has not heard much about the men who risked their lives and died at Valverde protecting New Mexico and the Union. He would like you to consider that heavily.
- Dr. Christina M. Castro. Santa Fe, NM
Dr. Castro said she is a Pueblo person from Taos Pueblo. She finds this entire dialogue totally offensive, dehumanizing and frankly disgusting that you would even be considering an adobe wall to brownwash to mask what exists under that box. She is appalled. She has expressed numerous times to the City that continuing to hide the truth or whitewashing it is disgusting and dehumanizing to Indigenous people. Andie stated that we can’t hide from the truth and this whole discussion has been about hiding from the truth. Who is going to be commissioned to create this art. Are you going to pay them for the work on Indigenous people. Are you going to pay them to erase the work we did to remove that racist monument. One year ago the Mayor said this was coming down. When is it coming down. Nothing has happened in a year and you all are still sitting around having discussions about how to beautify genocide. There is no honor in genocide. Quit insulting us.
- Autumn Gomez. Santa Fe, NM, District 1.
Ms. Gomez said she is a lifelong resident of Santa Fe. She apologizes to all of you for having to be here. This is not an arts issue. It is a City issue. I appreciate all the members of the Arts Commission and the AIPP wanting to uplift the true history - everyones history. The City needs to deal with this.
- Keri Kramer. Santa Fe. NM, District 3
Ms. Kramer said unless this conversation is completely censuring the voice of Indigenous people in this territory then she has no interest in hearing what anyone else has to say about it.
- Erica Garcia. Santa Fe, NM.
Ms. Garcia said she is a seventh generation person of this land. She finds that she is listening to a non Indigenous centered idealism of how to create a cover, a mask of the Plaza. I think even taking dirt is a slap in the face along with adobe and taking earth and land. We are talking about genocide and are talking about creating an adobe idealism around the obelisk. The two are not one in the same of healing or creating a healing. I think it is really in bad taste to do something like that. The idea that it is Santa Fe or New Mexican and would look cool. She is not sure what the point of using adobe to beautify genocide. However this is addressed I think we need to take it back to removing it and put something in place that tells the story in a different way than genocide. I don’t know what the outcome of this meeting will be, but what she hears she does not agree with.
- Keri Wood. Santa Fe, NM.
As some people are aware, Indigenous people, specifically women, have been attacked for the last year because the obelisk is still remaining up and I feel this will just put more of a target on us. She wants to reiterate what Autumn said that this is an impossible task and not your fault. To her a strong unified message back to the Mayor and the City would be to say no, we are not going to beautify trauma. We are not trying to make trauma pretty. This isn’t just the past, this is current day and we fear for our safety. I don’t think you want to be a part of this and I suggest you send a message back to the City that it is not going to work or help anything.
- Amy Joe Christian. Sant Fe, NM, off of West Alameda.
Ms. Christian said she wanted to reiterate the importance of centering this on the Indigenous voices we have heard. It is not an arts issue. She feels that we need to stand by the Indigenous people of this region and urge the Arts Commission to not agree to be a part of this attempt to beautify. We all know the obelisk needs to be taken away completely so we can move forward with the healing process.
- Katie Medley. Santa Fe, NM, near Santa Fe High.
Ms. Medley said she has lived in the City since 2007 and is a white settler here. She wants to reiterate the need to listen to the voices of Indigenous people speaking on this issue. Ignoring Indigenous voices and opinions is what got us in this position in the first place. She does not support any effort to beautify the obelisk which is an open wound in the center of the City. That will open up wounds. If you need to put up a sign maybe say something like Justice In Progress. It is okay to pause and heal. It could be a really powerful and symbolic message on your part to put justice before beautification. The City does not need any more walls, adobe or otherwise.
- Selina Ochoa. Okay Owingeh.
Ms. Ochoa said she attended the Santa Fe Indian School and IAIA. She is wondering why aren’t Indigenous people at the center of this conversation. Why aren’t Indigenous people invited to the table. She is thinking about how our Indigenous ancestors would have flipped this table over. I think we need to remove the obelisk and talk about and showcase Indigenous resiliency.
- Don Ferlong. Santa Fe, NM.
Mr. Ferlong said he has been here for twenty four years. He is a white settler here. He believes we need to listen to the Indigenous voices and that needs to be the center. No more walls. The obelisk needs to go. This has been at the heart of people who were slaughtered on this land. We need to be moving forward.
- Melissa Rose. Santa Fe, NM.
Ms. Rose said she wanted to reiterate centering the Indigenous voices here. Honor the people who built everything that the City profits from. It is a disrespectful, extractive and exploitive relationship. You are listening to voices who are not from Santa Fe.
Chair Hanna said we are seeing hands up to speak from people who have already spoken. He asked Ms. Salazar for a ruling on that.
Ms. Salazar said it is up to the Chair.
Chair Hanna said he was going to close down public comment unless someone who has not spoken yet wants to speak.
- April Holder. Santa Fe, NM
Ms. Holder said as someone who has spent many years as a guest here she is very angered that Indigenous people are constantly harassed and silenced. It is heartbreaking to see this discussed so casually. Santa Fe has made a profit from the blood of Indigenous people and their trauma. The voices should be centered and their will be done.
- Kim Griffins. Santa Fe, NM.
Ms. Griffins said she is a guest on Native land. She wants to repeat the call to center Indigenous voices. She is grateful for all of the Indigenous voices on this call. They are very brave. Let’s not beautify genocide.
- Autumn Billy. Santa Fe, NM.
Ms. Billy said she was born and raised here. She is Taos and Aroma Pueblo. In the late 1990s Mayor Debbie Jaramillo once said “Yes, they came in and painted the town brown and moved the brown people out”. She wants you to think about this and figure out a way to have Indigenous leaders as part of this.
- Elisha. Santa Fe, NM.
Elisha said the amount of bias heard here is so strong. This is not the group to do this work. We are not here to beautify this space. Slow down the discussion. Indigenous voices need to be the center.
- Laura Olivas. Santa Fe, NM, District 1.
Ms. Olivas said she is a Mexican American and has been here for seventeen years. She hears a lot of brownwashing and using adobe walls. We need to consider the damage done and we have to go forward. She agrees that this Commission needs to say no.
- Sadie Jade Okea. Santa Fe, NM
Ms. Okea said she was a twelve year old and going to the Santa Fe Indian School. Adobe does not cover up the hurt done to her people. It does not mean justice.
The public comment period was closed.
Chair Hanna said this is a diverse and thoughtful group. This is not easy. Thank you, all of you. We greatly appreciate all of you. We are not trying to appropriate the CHART process. We are simply here to make or not make a recommendation as to what to do with the box.
8. MATTERS FROM THE COMMITTEE
Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez said she had something of interest for the Commissioners and asked for an Executive Session.
Ms. Salazar explained that an Executive Session was not noticed and therefore cannot be held.
Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez talked about a possible conflict of interest for her.
Chair Hanna stated that he did not think that effects this agenda. We are not effecting CHART.
Chair Hanna asked if the Commission would like to end the meeting and follow up with a recommendation.
Commissioner Hnasko said we have heard profound, significant and important feedback. She recommends that we schedule another meeting so we can synthesize all we have heard tonight.
MOTION A motion was made by Chair Hanna, seconded by Commissioner Hnasko, to table this item and schedule another special meeting.
Commissioner Castro thanked everyone who spoke.
Mr. Last Gun thanked everyone and stated that we need more public comment and comments about honoring the soldiers. The monument has multiple layers to it. He is thankful for the feedback. This involved a lot of people here.
VOTE The motion passed on a roll call vote as follows:
Chair Hanna, yes; Commissioner Hnasko, yes; Commissioner Bates, yes; Commissioner Bernal, yes; Commissioner Castro, yes; Commissioner Hanley, yes; Commissioner Trujillo de Martinez, yes.
9. NEXT MEETING
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
10. ADJOURN
Chair Hanna stated that he willfollow up with Pauline and schedule another special meeting which will probably just be for the Afis Commissioners. Thank you to the AIPP members and your participation. You are amazing.
There being no further business before the Commission the meeting adjourned at 6:56 pm.
Martin, Stenographer
https://santafe.primegov.com/public/portal
