WeHo might yank aging artwork off prominent Fairfax corner

The Arts and Cultural Affairs Subcommittee of West Hollywood is conducting a thorough review of the city’s deaccession policy for urban artworks, particularly examining “En Passant” by Barbara McCarren. This evaluation could lead to the first deaccession in the city’s history.

Located at the intersection of Santa Monica and Fairfax Boulevards, “En Passant” was installed in 2000 as part of the Santa Monica Streetscape Master Plan.

This plan, completed in 1999, was designed to enhance the pedestrian experience along the boulevard through widened sidewalks, double rows of street trees, enhanced medians and public art installations like “En Passant.”

The artwork’s design draws from the game of chess, a nod to the Russian heritage of the neighborhood. The installation features bamboo columns that represent various chess pieces, such as knights and pawns, and granite pavers that indicate the paths of these chessmen. The landscape was meant to mimic the movement of chess and add a dynamic and interactive element to the bus stop garden.

The project earned Santa Monica Boulevard the designation of a “Great Street” by the American Planning Association in 2011.

The city’s deaccession policy, updated in 2021, stipulates that artworks in the Urban Art Collection should be considered permanent unless they fail to maintain their physical integrity, identity, or usefulness. The criteria for deaccession include threats to public safety, excessive maintenance costs, adverse community reaction, lack of aesthetic or historical value, and other factors. The subcommittee, aided by Rebecca Ehemann, Arts Manager, and Marcus Mitchell, Public Art Administrator, is tasked with assessing “En Passant” against these criteria.

They have prepared recommendations for the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission to approve the deaccession criteria identified for “En Passant” and that staff proceed with compiling detailed information as per the Owner Process to Request for Deaccession in the Urban Art Guidelines.

As part of the review process, community feedback and an independent assessment of the artwork’s condition are crucial. Barbara McCarren — who received her BA in Fine Arts, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her MFA from the University of Southern California in 1986 — will be notified of the proceedings in compliance with the Visual Artists Rights Act and the California Art Preservation Act.

McCarren’s notable public art commissions include projects at Pershing Square Park, Cesar E. Chavez Park, and the San Francisco Zoo, among others. She was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Artists Fellowship in 1988, and received a Design Excellence award for the Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway Project from the City of Los Angeles in 2003.

The Subcommittee may decide to seek additional community input or request further information before making a recommendation on the future of “En Passant.” Possible outcomes include the replacement of the artwork with a new piece or revising the maintenance agreements related to the piece. The final decision will rest with the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, which will consider whether to approve, modify or reject the deaccession proposal.