Manhattan Beach council extends lease for 'Surface Incension' sculpture for two years with a one‑year option

The Manhattan Beach City Council voted on Aug. 19 to extend the loan/lease for the Surface Incension sculpture in North Manhattan Beach for two years and to authorize a one‑year option to return to council.

Parks and Recreation Director Mark Layman and cultural arts staff explained the Cultural Arts Commission had recommended declining the donation and removing the artwork because of concerns about its quartz stone material, the need for ongoing programming and artist involvement to run the integrated light shows, and potentially difficult and costly repairs. Layman summarized prior actions: council approved a one‑year loan in April 2023 with a $9,000 allocation for installation and a maintenance contingency “not to exceed $7,000,” and the artwork was installed on Sept. 5, 2024. The staff outreach to 484 properties within 500 feet produced one emailed response in support.

Local business owners and the North End BID urged the council to keep the sculpture. Peter Kim, who helped champion the project, said the surfboard sculpture “represents North Manhattan Beach” and described broad neighborhood support. Jill Lamkin of the Chamber said North End businesses generally favored leaving the piece in place.

The artist, Domicy Parm (appearing elsewhere in the record as Damas Parm or “Dom”), described building the piece while recovering from a brain tumor and said he has covered insurance, cellular Wi‑Fi used for the light shows, and maintenance costs personally. “I used my retirement to basically put this together,” he told the council, adding that he would prefer the sculpture remain through next year’s increased visitation tied to Olympic‑era events.

Council discussion centered on two issues: the work’s cultural value to the neighborhood and the city’s practical responsibility for ongoing maintenance. Staff said the artist requested a $500 per month stipend to support maintenance and operations; the city has a maintenance contingency of $7,000 that has not been drawn. Council members said they wanted to honor the artist’s contribution while protecting the public art fund and ensuring a clear agreement about insurance and repair responsibilities.

A motion passed unanimously to extend the lease for two years with $12,000 in city funds (releasing the $7,000 contingency and adding $5,000) and to authorize the city manager to execute an agreement that includes the city’s operations and maintenance responsibilities and a one‑year option to return to council. The motion included a written caveat requiring the artist to remove the work at his expense within 30 days if significant damage makes continued display untenable.

Staff said the extension will be formalized in a revised lease that clarifies whether the monthly amount covers insurance and operations and confirmed the Cultural Arts Commission will continue work on a public art master plan that will examine maintenance policies for future pieces.