MONTPELIER, VT—Preliminary design concepts for a permanent public art commission at the John Zampieri State Office Building in downtown Burlington will be unveiled online from 12:30-2:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3, and the public is invited to comment.
Four Vermont artists – finalists competing for the $43,000 commission for the Vermont Departments of Health and Children and Families – will present images, drawings, plans or models as available for the building.
The preliminary design concepts will be available for viewing on the Arts Council website after the online presentation, and a survey accepting comments will be open until Tuesday, Dec. 14.
The four artists are Dan Gottsegen of Woodstock; Phillip Godenschwager of Randolph; Kathryn Wiegers of Rutland; and Noa Younse of Richmond.
The search for artwork for the building began in August as a part of the Vermont Art in State Buildings program, which is administered by the Vermont Arts Council in partnership with the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services.
The program aims to encourage the work of Vermont artists, to enhance and preserve the state’s cultural environment, and to provide artistic enrichment for Vermont citizens and visitors through state-owned buildings and public spaces.
Established and funded by the Art in State Buildings Act of 1988, the program allows up to two capital construction projects to be selected each year. More than two dozen projects in different locations around the state have been installed since the program began. The most recent installation was "
The Origin of the River," a granite trout sculpture by Sean Williams at the Roxbury Fish Culture Station.
The Zampieri building is located on the edge of the downtown business area and the Old North End and houses the Vermont Department of Health administrative offices, statewide program staff, the Burlington Local Health office, and the Board of Medical Practice as well as the Economic Services Office of the Vermont Department for Children and Families.
After the public comment period, an Art Selection Committee, comprised of selected building employees, community members, and visual arts experts, will meet to determine which of the artists will be selected to further develop their concept and create the final design.
Another public art commission is also underway for a new Vermont Department of Mental Health residential recovery facility currently under construction in Essex. A presentation of preliminary design concepts will take place early next year.
About the Vermont Arts Council
The Vermont Arts Council envisions a Vermont where all people have access to the arts and creativity in their lives, education, and communities. Engagement with the arts transforms individuals, connects us more deeply to each other, energizes the economy, and sustains the vibrant cultural landscape that makes Vermont a great place to live. Since 1965, the Council has been the state's primary provider of funding, advocacy, and information for the arts in Vermont. Learn more at vermontartscouncil.org
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