Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Art Exhibition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Syracuse Public Art Commission approves Urban Video Project exhibition "The Portal's Keeper"
Summary
The Syracuse Public Art Commission approved SPAC 25-17, an Urban Video Project architectural-projection exhibition titled The Portal’s Keeper, slated to run Thursdays–Saturdays from dusk to 11 p.m. Sept. 26–Dec. 20, 2025; two commissioners abstained because of direct involvement.
The Syracuse Public Art Commission on an evening meeting voted to approve SPAC 25-17, an Urban Video Project projection exhibition titled The Portal’s Keeper. Chair Tina Zaquiva made the motion to approve; a commissioner seconded it and the motion carried with two commissioners abstaining.
The project, presented by an Urban Video Project representative, proposes an architectural projection on the façade of the Everson Museum of Art downtown (presenter said “Iverson” in the meeting record). The presenters said the exhibition dates would be Sept. 26–Dec. 20, 2025, and the installation would run Thursday through Saturday nights from dusk until 11 p.m. The piece shown for commissioners runs roughly 11 minutes and the presenters said the final show will include subtitles and some additional ambient audio.
The presenters described the work as a residency commission produced at Light Work and said artists Manuel Molina Martagon and LaJune McMillian created the piece while working with community participants. The work uses a game engine (Unreal Engine) to realize participants’ movement-based contributions and to represent “the energy we access and emit when we are able to move through the world freely,” the presenter said.
Commission discussion focused on accessibility and conflicts of interest. The presenter confirmed captions will be added; commissioners noted plaza acoustics can make voiceover unintelligible and asked for captioning and audio checks before opening. Chair Zaquiva said she would abstain from the vote because she is collaborating on a related project; Commissioner Benny Guzman also announced an abstention for the same reason, and Commissioner Sofia Gutierrez said she would abstain because she took part in the project’s community activities. With those abstentions recorded, the motion to approve carried.
Directions recorded at the meeting include asking the artists to add subtitles and finalize audio levels before the public opening and for staff to note the exhibition dates for public posting.
The commission approved the application as presented; commissioners did not alter the exhibition dates, schedule or fundamental technical approach during the meeting.
