Letter
Dear Dr. Sereke-Brhan:
In its public meeting of 20 January conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed the proposal for a public art installation titled Swept Yard in the triangular park bounded by 21st and D Streets and Oklahoma Avenue, NE. The Commission approved the concept submission by artists Curry Hackett and Patrick McDonough, and delegated the final review of the project to the staff.
The Commission members expressed support for the compelling design, conceived as a series of stepped forms arranged in an elegant, asymmetrically curving line, which will encourage a variety of social configurations. They observed that the spaces between the benches—which will include narrative artwork in permanent media set into the ground—will also accommodate people of different abilities within the line of seating. They recommended further study of the scale, rise, and run of the seating to increase comfort for a wide range of visitors, perhaps with more seats facing outward, and they suggested adding a small ramp to the low platform designed for performances. Finally, they commended the project team for its coordination with the D.C. Urban Forestry Division in developing this design to avoid the root zones of existing trees, and they endorsed the decision to relocate the existing panda sculpture.
The Commission expressed its enthusiasm for the project as an attractive addition to the Kingman Park community. Please coordinate the next submission with the staff for its delegated review.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Heran Sereke-Brhan, Executive Director
D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities
200 I Street, SE, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20003
cc: Curry Hackett, artist
Patrick McDonough, artist
Lisa White, Friends of Kingman Park
Elliott Garrett, DDOT Public Space Regulation Division