Creative Work Fund Biofiltration Project for Benicia Waterfront

Project artist - Mark Brest van Kempen

We have come up with a temporary project that touches on some of the drainage and clean water issues that might be addressed in permanent design elements (such as rain gardens) in the final design of the waterfront.

Because we can't do any excavation or major alterations of the site for a temporary project, we have opted to created a scaled down working model showing what bio-filtration does. This will show some benefits of both a constructed element such as rain garden and also what the nearby wetlands are doing every day.

The attached illustration shows the basic idea (I'm sure there will be changes and adjustments as we progress). A holding container is periodically filled with water from a variety of sources around Benicia (creeks, run-off, etc). We are planning a number of "fillings" from individual sources (week 1: water from a local creek, week 2: water from run off source, etc). The gathering of the water and the transfer of the water into the piece can be a series of community events.

This water then slowly trickles through a labyrinthine planting of wetland plants and is then collected in a covered container. The water may be recirculated through the wetland several times using a solar pump. We are hoping to get some interest to test the water before and after treatment. 

The project will not only educate the public about the role of plants in water filtration, it will also draw attention to the state of some water sources that flow into the Carquinez Strait.

The scale of the piece will be approximately 20' wide wetland (the configuration may change, i.e. a more oblong design may be more appropriate to the site than the circular design shown). Vertical holding container will be approx. 12' high (out of easy reach).

Project location: Benicia California, downtown waterfront.

The following is a list of possible concerns that we will address in the design:

-No standing open water for mosquitos to breed or drowning hazard.

-Piece will have a barrier surrounding it not shown in image.

-Piece will be designed to be easily mowed around.

-Any damage or death to sod will be replaced by us after the piece comes down.

-Structure will be built of 2x4 and plywood construction that will support people if someone climbed onto it.

-Plantings will be tacked in place with netting to minimize disruption by animals or people.

-Accompanying signage will discuss the role of plants in biofiltration and the possibilities of rain garden and bio swales in helping to solve some of the flooding problems on site.

-Plans will be reviewed by my structural engineer.

Artist to meld art, environment at the Benicia waterfront by Amy Maginnis-Honey, Fairfield Daily Republic

Artist to meld art, environment at the Benicia waterfront

January 24, 2014

 

 

FAIRFIELD — Mark Brest van Kempen looks at home on the First Street Green Culture Park in Benicia.

That’s good, because the Oakland artist will be spending a lot of time there. He is starting a residency with Arts Benicia. The focus is the city’s waterfront that backs up to the First Street Green.

The project, “Benicia Waterfront Social Sculpture,” is a series of three temporary art installations at various sites. Each will look at different environmental aspects of the location and will involve Brest van Kempen and other area artists. It is funded by a $30,000 Creative Work Fund grant.

Brest van Kempen is the artist behind many prominent public art projects, including the Free Speech Monument at the University of California, Berkeley.

In 2000, Brest van Kempen, with the help of Grange Middle School students, created a moveable marsh in a Dumpster that rotated between some of Fairfield’s busiest parking lots. It was part of the “CityArts Fairfield” year-long exploration of environmental art.

Brest van Kempen grew up in Utah. Outside his back door was the wilderness. He would often hike near where he lived in the Wasatch Front area. The land was developed when Brest van Kempen was a young adult.

“I saw these places get transformed into houses,” he said. “That instilled me with the idea that as we build, we should do it in a thoughtful, generous way.”

Much of his artwork uses the landscape as sculptural material. His ideas for the Benicia waterfront follow that theme. One includes a “floating marsh” that would use plants to clean and filter water from storm drains.

Another could be a sculpture, designed to attract birds, on the piers. The birds would roost and feed there, Brest von Kempen said. He’s even given thought to having motion sensor cameras near the sculptures to see which attracts the most bird visitors. The creating artist would win a prize.

Brest van Kempen has worked on projects from Seattle to China. He was recently invited by the German government to submit designs for a national reunification monument.

He’s working on a public art project for San Jose’s wastewater treatment plant.

On a smaller scale, some of his work can be seen in the current Art of a Community exhibit at Arts Benicia.

“The work is just beginning,” he said of the Benicia project. “I’m trying to take things we are familiar with and put them in a new context. A more useful use of art. ”

Reach Amy Maginnis-Honey at 427-6957 or amaginnis@dailyrepublic.net. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amaginnisdr.

 

Oakland-based artist preps for Benicia Public Art Project by Tony Burchyns, Vallejo Times Herald

Oakland-based artist preps for Benicia Public Art Project

by Tony Burchyns
12/10/2013

BENICIA -- For the next 18 months, Benicia's waterfront will be Oakland-based visual artist Mark Brest van Kempen's palette.

Brest van Kempen, 50, known for several public art projects including the Free Speech Monument at the University of California at Berkeley, is embarking on a residency with Arts Benicia focusing on the city's prized shoreline.

"A lot of history resonates right there," Brest van Kempen said. "It's also this kind of merger of a natural system and a human system ... this wetlands and the Carquinez Strait kind of smashing into Benicia. That kind of negotiation between the human and natural worlds is just very interesting to me. It's also a beautiful site."

Entitled "Benicia Waterfront Social Sculpture," the project will consist of a series of three six-month-long temporary art installations at various sites.

Each installation will explore different aspects of the site, such as history, ecology and hydrology. In addition, each of the installations will be accompanied by a set of public events, including discussions, seminars and performances, according to the nonprofit arts organization.

The project is funded by a $30,000 Creative Work Fund grant.

"We're really excited to be working with him," the group's executive director Larnie Fox said. "Our goal is to educate our community and have really interesting public art."

Another goal, Fox said, is to spark a dialogue between artists, community leaders and others about integrating public art into the city's proposed waterfront park project. The project, which will modify the First Street Green, is still in the design phase.

"One thing that temporary art has going for it is you can do more experimental stuff," Brest van Kempen said. "That's one of the main goals for this project, to try some things and see how it flies with the public."

From projects at UC Berkeley to the National Academy of Art in China, Brest van Kempen's work is known for exploring the relationship humans have with the environment.

He's also held teaching jobs at San Francisco Art Institute and Stanford University and spoken around the country about possibilities of art functioning outside of galleries.

"There are certain things art can do that other fields can't do as well," Brest van Kempen said. "I think the main thing is seeing things in new ways, revealing things in new ways, making things visible to people and the idea of creating things out of nothing ... making something new."

The Benicia project is still taking shape. City approval may be required depending on the final design of the installations, Fox said.

Meanwhile, Brest van Kempen said he has several ideas, including creating a "floating marsh" that would use plants to clean and filter water discharged from city storm drains.

"It's kind of like a barge ... but the roots hang down into the water," he said. "A constructed marsh could actually be built that's actually like a maze or labyrinth where the water has to work its way through. That can help absorb the pollution."

Having worked on projects in San Francisco and Seattle, the professional artist's most recent outdoor piece is in rustic Nevada City. Called "Sculpture to Temporarily Slow Decay," it involves a temporary support-structure built around a decaying tree.

He's currently working on another public art project for San Jose's wastewater treatment plant.

Rather than do art that's "decorative," Brest van Kempen said he prefers to use the landscape to "reveal what's really there."

"The approach is to help people connect to the place they live," he said. "How art can do that is part of the puzzle."

Contact staff writer Tony Burchyns at tburchyns@timesheraldonline.com or (707) 553-6831. Follow him on Twitter @tonyburchyns.



Name: Mark Brest van Kempen
Age: 50
City: Oakland
Occupation: Visual artist
Quote: 'I think the main thing is seeing things in new ways, revealing things in new ways, making things visible to people and the idea of creating things out of nothing ... making something new.' 

Benicia Waterfront Public Art Project--Mark Brest van Kempen

Benicia Waterfront Public Art Project–Mark Brest van Kempen

Arts Benicia is very pleased to announce that it is being awarded $30,250 from the Creative Work Fund for an 18-month residency with Artist Mark Brest van Kempen at Arts Benicia. The period of this award is from October, 2013 through August, 2015. The grant guidelines state: “A minimum of two-thirds of the project budget must be dedicated to paying the artists or covering their direct expenses for creating the work.”

Mark’s residency will be aimed at influencing the Benicia waterfront project to integrate engaging public art through education, participation, outreach and demonstration. With a $140,000 grant from the Coastal Commission, the Urban Waterfront Enhancement Master Plan is moving forward to create a plan to integrate the marshlands with the historical downtown area.

The collaboration between Brest van Kempen and Arts Benicia will provide a parallel process to the “official” planning process, serving to augment the plan, increase public interest and facilitate new opportunities for the community at large to participate in this process.

Here is a brief overview of the work Mark and AB are committed to do over the next 18 months for the CWF grant:

1. Temporary land / environmental art pieces.

2. On-site sculptures that explore various aspects of the site such as history, ecology, hydrology etc.

3. Art events involving public participation.

4. Participatory projects that invite the public to directly engage in aesthetic research.

5. Design charettes involving local artists, architects and designers.

6. Brainstorming meetings for local artists to create their own designs for the waterfront.

7. Public seminars where visual artists will dialogue with environmentalists, scientists, community leaders and others.

8. A culminating installation at the Arts Benicia gallery (ABAiR 2015). Documentation of the entire project will be exhibited in a culminating installation at Arts Benicia. This entire project is to some degree an experiment in art and public life. The exhibit will show the results of this eighteen-month experiment.

If you would like to participate in this exciting process, please contact Arts Benicia at 707.747.0131.

Windows Of Sound

Last month, Arts Benicia hosted ‘Windows of Sound’, an exciting event designed by artist Tom Stanton and poet Ronna Leon which featured sound art by Artists, Poets, and Musicians. Here are some photos from the event! :

 

 

Edges of Light: Family Day

Though we are used to seeing artists at the Arts Benicia gallery, last Sunday we got to play host to crowd of little artists! At our Family Day, kids and their families were invited to admire our new photography exhibition while creating amazing photographs of their own using a photo process called solarization.

In the end, this event was a hit, bringing families and friends together for a sunny afternoon of artmaking. We would like to give a big thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers that helped to make this event possible, and we hope to see you all at our next family day!

Edges of Light: Now Open!

On October 9, we hosted a reception to celebrate the opening of our new exhibition “Edges of Light”. Those who came had a night to remember, experiencing the medium of photography in a whole new way while partaking in delicious hor d’oeurves and engaging conversation.

“Edges of Light” features works by a diverse range of artists that challenge existing ideas about what photography is, what its supposed to look like, and what techniques and materials are possible in its creation. Come see the exhibition for yourself between now and November 6 at the Arts Benicia gallery! Open hours are 12:00 – 5:00 pm, Thursday through Sunday.

Arts Benicia’s 18th Annual Art Auction!

Every September, art lovers and collectors from all over the Bay Area attend Benicia’s most exciting event: Art Benicia’s Benefit Art Auction! Now in its 18th year, the evening will once again feature auctioneer Ed Gold of Reynolds & Buckley to enhance the experience for donating artists and guests alike.

Come preview the artwork in the Arts Benicia gallerybetween now and September 19! Our gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from 12:00 – 5:00 pm.

For more information about this year’s art auction, check out: www.artsbenicia.org/currentexhibition.htm

ABAIR: Artists’ Talk

Last Saturday afternoon, the ABAIR project came to a close with a lively artists’ talk by John Ruszel and Alex Potts. Before a full house of visitors, the artists discussed what went into the creation of their work, from the concepts that inspired them to the nuts and bolts of their process.

Unfortunately, all good things must eventually come to an end. Though the ABAIR project has ran its course, it will be remembered fondly by everyone that had the opportunity to witness its amazing success. Thanks to everyone that made this project possible, and stay tuned for news about our upcoming auction!

ABAIR: Up & Running!

Last Thursday night, the gallery opened its doors to the public to celebrate the completion of artists Alex Potts and John Ruszel’s spectacular installations. Visitors had a wonderful time admiring and engaging with the artwork, and enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the works with the respective creators.

Visitors will have another chance to meet the artists before the installations are removed on Saturday, August 21 at 1:00. Alex Potts and John Ruszel will be giving an artist talk concerning the installations and answering general questions.

Yarn Bombed!

It’s official. Arts Benicia has been yarn bombed by BSIK – the Benicia Sisters in Knitting.  We don’t know just who they are, or where they’ll strike next, but these guerrilla knitters have given us a great gift.

If you’re like us and had never heard of yarn bombing before today, here’s the low down.  Yarn bombing (also known as  yarnbombing, graffiti knitting or yarnstorming ) is a type of temporary street installation that utilizes crocheted or knitted materials thought to have originated in Houston, TX. While yarn bombing is often interpreted as an attempt to reclaim a or personalize a space, we feel this  speaks to the tightly woven arts community not just in the arsenal district, but in Benicia as well.

While some places get a door handle cozy or a an exploding tube of color slinking down a pole in the neighborhood, we discovered over 70 individual little knit bombs draped from the railing outside the gallery door when we came in to work today. They sway and tinker in the breeze, beckoning the passersby  into the gallery like a stream of renegade secular prayer flags adorning a temple, and we love them.

We don’t  know how long these  little bombs will be with us.  A day? A week? A month? Until the rain comes? We suspect they’ll vanish in the dead of night, as quietly as they came. But they’re here now, and they are beautiful.

ABAIR Update: Open Hours are Over

With only a few days left before the opening, every moment counts as artists John Ruszel and Alex Potts work to complete their installation pieces. Here are a few photos from the last day of the project’s open hours:

In Ruszel’s work, long strings span the length of the gallery, connecting two large sculptures which hang on opposing walls.

 

Potts continues to work with gourds, fashioning them into interactive pieces by placing speakers and motion detectors inside of them.

The exhibition will open this Thursday, August 12, with a reception at 7:00 pm, and will continue through Friday, August 20th. There will also be an artist talk on Saturday, August 21 at 1:00 pm, where John Ruszel and Alex Potts will discuss this work and their processes with the public.

ABAIR: Installation in Progress

A quick sneak peak at Alex Potts’ installation in progress…

Potts & Ruszel  will be in the gallery working to finalize their installations before the opening next Thursday at 7:00, so come check their work in progress out between 1:00 and 5:00 this Saturday & Sunday!

ABAIR: Arts Benicia Artist In Residency Project

On July 20th, we kicked off the ABAIR project at Arts Benicia, welcoming artists John Ruszel and Alex Potts to create site specific installations in the gallery. The artists have 4 weeks to work out their ideas in the space, a substantial length of time that is rather unusual.

The contemporary art form of site specific installation  gives artists the opportunity to seize the totality of a given space. Just as painters use color, line, and shapes to create art on a canvas, installation artists create art within the space of a gallery. In this way, they create an environment in which the visitor not just views art, but is immersed in it.

Both Ruszel and Potts have created works of this nature in the past.

John Ruszel, Ring, 2010

A recent graduate from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Ruszel uses materials such as muslin, string, and wood to create tension sculptures.  Ruszel states that “with this installation, I plan to expand my explorations of physical forces such as gravity and tension to include the more subtle and subjective relationships between separate structures – the ways that components need not touch to interact, and the ways that parts can form a whole. hopefully, these structures will press people to move beyond the regular viewer/artwork mindset and experience the work more intimately.”

Alex Potts, Resonance, 2008

Potts, who holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Degree from San Francisco State University, is a sound sculptor who works with gourds. He  places speakers in each of the dozens of gourds hanging in his installations and uses them to amplify ambient sound. The gourds are arranged in the space to create sweeping shapes that transform it visually as well as sonically.