‘People’s Council’ picked

Suzie Harrison

The City Council voted, 4-1, Tuesday to approve the Arts Commission’s

recommendation of Linda Brunker’s “The People’s Council” sculpture

for the Art in Public Places City Hall sculpture competition.

The sculpture represents the highest ever commission awarded to an

artist in the city -- $80,000. It will be in front of City Hall, 505

Forest Ave.

Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider and council members Toni Iseman,

Jane Egly and Steve Dicterow voted yes; Cheryl Kinsman voted no.

The council supported Brunker over the objections of some

community members who said the commission should be awarded only to a

Laguna Beach resident. Brunker exhibits in Laguna but does not live

in the city.

The sculpture consists of over-sized figures and seating made of

granite arranged in a circle around a central obelisk of black

granite that will act as a sundial. Separate bronze figures of a

dove, a dog and a medallion of success are also part of the design,

and a nonslip granite floor with etched words reflecting the

aspirations of the community.

“My inspiration for this sculpture has been City Hall and the

people of Laguna Beach themselves,” Brunker told the council.

“There is a wonderful sense of community here,” she said. “This

meeting here today shows the level of interest local people have in

their town and their wish to participate in its development. I want

to pay tribute to that.”

The council majority said they did not want to second-guess the

Arts Commission.

“I support the Arts Commission. I don’t want to be a judge of art;

that’s why we have an Arts Commission,” Dicterow said.

“It’s a sensitive location -- that’s the importance of having it

fit,” Iseman said.

Egly called “The People’s Council” a marvelous piece.

“We’re a world class arts community and we should have art from

artists from all over the world,” Egly said. “It did meet the

specifications that we set out.”The council and mayor pointed out

that Cultural Arts Manager Sian Poeschl and the Arts Commission

devoted hundreds of hours to the process of determining an

appropriate piece for the site.

The City Council approved the competition guidelines and budget in

February. The chosen sculpture was to be designed to be installed

outside City Hall and would replace the artwork that was removed in

2003 due to safety concerns.

Brunker’s sculpture was chosen on a vote of 6-1 by the Arts

Commission, which also noted “The Star Thrower” by John Barber as its

second choice.

Barber, a well-known local artist, received support from a number

of people who felt that a resident artist should receive higher

priority for a city-sponsored commission than a nonresident.

Under the guidelines for the sculpture, artists did not have to be

Laguna residents, but did need some affiliation with the city, such

as exhibiting in local galleries.

Pearson-Schneider suggested that Barber’s piece should be

considered to be commissioned at another location such as the Village

entrance or the new senior center.