Public Art Committee

PORTLAND PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE Friday, June 12, 2026 12:00 PM Remote via Zoom 1. Zoom Meeting Information Due to the existence of an emergency or urgent issue, the Portland Temporary Art Review Panel will conduct this meeting by remote methods/technology at the Zoom link provided below, in accordance with the requirements of 1 M.R.S., section 403-B and the City Council's Remote Participation Policy. Allow your computer to install the free Zoom app to get the best meeting experience. For more information on how to use Zoom, please go to http//www.portlandmaine.gov/remotePUD. Public comment will be taken and written comments may be submitted to publicart@portlandmaine.gov You are invited to a Zoom webinar! When: Jun 12, 2026 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: Temporary Art Review Panel - Arise Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://portlandmaine- gov.zoom.us/j/88056107934?pwd=sXCIucWbzWoMXgNQWjdL04K0v5Lu4q.1 Passcode:551518 Phone one-tap: +13017158592,,88056107934#,,,,*551518# US (Washington DC) +13052241968,,88056107934#,,,,*551518# US Join via audio: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 305 224 1968 US +1 309 205 3325 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 931 3860 US +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 689 278 1000 US +1 719 359 4580 US +1 253 205 0468 US +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 360 209 5623 US +1 386 347 5053 US +1 507 473 4847 US Page 1  +1 564 217 2000 US +1 669 444 9171 US Webinar ID: 880 5610 7934 Passcode: 551518 International numbers available: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/u/kctEFzkcqQ 2. Introduction Moderator - Taylor Colbeth, Planner with Planning & Urban Development at City of Portland Applicant - Arisa White and Pamela Chevez Description - An application for temporary public art 'Arise' - a painted mural to be installed on the brick sections at monument Square by Pamela Chevez which also features a thirteen word poem by Arisa White. Review Panel Participants 1. Sean King - Urban Designer, Planning & Urban Development, City of Portland 2. Matt Grooms - Deputy Director, Planning & Urban Development, City of Portland 3. Alex Marshall - Parks Division Director, Parks, Recreation, & Facilities, City of Portland 4. Cary Tyson - Executive Director, Portland Downtown 5. Sharon Dennehy - Vice Chair, Portland Public Art Committee 6. John Hall - Designated Local Artist 3. Artist Organization Presentation 4. Review Panel Deliberation 5. Review Panel Discussion Next Meeting - Page 2 Page 3 TEMPOart Public Art Commission Arisa White Project Title: Arise! Site: Monument Square The triangular area inlaid with brick, forming a sunburst with thirteen sections (like pie slices),will be the focus of this installation. The idea is to create a poem, painted on the brick in regular and glow-in-the dark paint, starting north, then east, going south, and west. Since Monument Square is a public space that has hosted protests, gatherings, and markets over the centuries, the poem is a call to action, a directive, an aphorism, and/or a spell. Final text for poem: Let your hearts canary No one stands solitary We are each other’s sanctuary Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 TIMELINE, INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE: June 19: Washing of Monument Square June 22-July 13: Muralist Pamela Chevez paints the Square Community Paint opportunities: Saturday mornings (10 am to noon) July 6-13: MECA students help with finishing details July 13: Installation completed The timeline is subject to weather. With the painting happening in the Square, the artists are aware of potential event impacts during the installation. Chévez would be primarily painting in the morning hours (7 am to noon). Washing of Monument Square: TEMPOart will coordinate volunteers to assist with washing the Square for site preparation. The City has indicated that power washing would not be suitable for the site. We will use mops, water, and vinegar to prepare the surface. Installation: Chévez plans to paint section by section. Each brick “slice” will be roped off while she is working, with construction cones and signage “Artist at Work” with additional information about the installation. Drop cloths and kraft paper will be used to ensure that the paint does not interact with the stone work that separates the brick slices. Paint: It is our understanding that the City of Portland that removal of the paint is a priority. Exterior acrylic latex paint will be the best option that would be easiest to remove. Since power washing is not an option at the Square, TEMPOart has researched alternative methods of zero impact removal. Dry ice blasting is a preferred method for brick surfaces. Community painting opportunities: TEMPOart and Chévez will work together on Saturday mornings (or another day that suits City schedule) to offer an opportunity for community volunteers to help paint the large areas of color. The artists have coordinated with four MECAD students to help with finishing the mural. They will be paid for their time. Maintenance: It is understood that the mural will be walked on and danced on and protested on. There will be wear and tear. This is expected and accepted. It is TEMPOart’s recommendation that the artwork be assessed in early spring, after winter maintenance of the Square concludes, to understand if repair or removal is a better option depending on condition. This will be coordinated in partnership with the City. Should the mural be vandalized, TEMPOart will clean and coordinate with the artists for repair. Page 7 Signage: TEMPOart and the artists will work together on signage, on a 11 x 17 stainless steel sign, which would feature the poem and additional process details. Location for the sign is flexible, but a site along the perimeter (as seen below) would be preferred. Option to stake into the ground, if possible. Can coordinate with City on appropriate placement. Example TEMPOart signage: Page 8 Page 9 Page 10  Arisa White work samples look after your heart, 2025 Coastal Maine Botanic Garden, Boothbay, ME Informed by the parabolic shape of the Reiser Woodland Garden path, look after your heart consists of the mirror poem "revolution is ritual,” inlaid into the ground on 45 cedar planks, and speaks to the themes of belonging, safety, rootedness, compassion, and love. Symbolically referencing the plants located in the woodland beds, the poem also serves as a ground that you can stand on and affirms one’s “hereness.” It serves, too, as a spell for opening, encouraging, and healing the heart. Guests are invited to walk the poem, sit on the bench, and play “grand revolve,” a song created to tend to the light in your chest. Composed by cellist Robin Lane, vocals by Jazmin DeRice, and lyrics were sourced from the Latin and common names of the botanicals found in the Woodland Garden. I’ve chosen the mirror poem because it embodies self-reflection and offers a different perspective on the same thing. The mirror form is magical when you notice how it works to create alternative meanings—the poem can sometimes answer itself, contradict itself, or be a wish come true. Page 11 Who’s Your Daddy: At the Planetarium, 2021 Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium, Orono, ME The poetic memoir is a lyrical, genre-bending coming-of-age tale featuring a queer, Black, Guyanese American woman who, while seeking to define her own place in the world, negotiates an estranged relationship with her father. Incorporating poetry and prose, Who’s Your Daddy employs the motif of stars and constellations to navigate and populate the distance that characterizes the father-daughter dynamic. For this immersive, animated starlight and sound show, Colby’s assistant professor of music, Jose G. Martinez, created original music, and students Roshauna Follett ’22 and Becky Antoine ’23 provided back-up vocals. Audience members commented that the dramatic reading was “amazing,” “beautiful,” and “mesmerizing.” Page 12 Page 13  Pamela Chévez work samples You Belong Here, 2025 Reiche School, Portland, ME Reiche School, nestled in the heart of Portland, ME, is home to a vibrant and diverse student community. To add a splash of joy to their daily routine, the school decided to create a welcoming mural. This colorful project was brought to life with the enthusiastic participation of students and staff, who contributed their ideas and aspirations. Page 14 SPACE Gallery, Portland, ME, 2022 La Bodega Latina, Portland, ME, 2020 Page 15 Packaging design: Allagash Upward Movement, 2024 The name "Upward Movement" is a nod to the Allagash River in Maine, which flows northeast. More symbolically, the name represents women making upward strides in the brewing industry, an industry heavily dominated by men. The Allagash Pink Boots+ Team created this Czech-style amber lager, inspired by a brewer’s love for her Czech grandparents. Its flavor is a big hug of grain, caramel, and brown sugar notes with a subtly floral finish. In the end, the brief was to create a label that represents the idea of empowerment and community. Page 16 Page 17