The Fernando Garcia Project: Art In Public Places Meeting Restoration Project : Fernando Garcia's " Making Purple"

Dedicated to Preserving the Art and Legacy of Conceptual Artist Fernando Garcia

This blog is dedicated to preserving the life and art legacy of conceptual artist Fernando Garcia who died in 1988. There were so many artists lost during this terrible time from the AIDS virus. As a result of his untimely death, many of his artworks are held in private collections with very few pieces every coming to market and Fernando seems to have become forgotten. We can't let this happen as Fernando is the most influential Cuban- American conceptual artist of the 70s and 80s. He paved the way for other artists with large displays of conceptual art in public places, not to mention his performance art work with the " NADA" group (conceptual performance artists) which created original impromptu conceptual and performance art in public places like train stations, fronts of restaurants etc.

Since 2006, the project has been collecting photographs of Fernando's artwork held in private collections and documenting his two decade career as an artist and want to document every work of art produced in his lifetime. Please help us and send stories and photographs of Fernando's work for the Project so we can preserve the his memory and his art legacy.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Art In Public Places Meeting Restoration Project : Fernando Garcia's " Making Purple"

Good News. The restoration is in the works Fernando Garcia's " Making Purple" neon public work of art that lit up the entire Hialeah Okechobee Metro Station. The original work of art was completely destroyed by hurricanes, but we have the original plans and intend to do as close to the original restoration of Fernando's work of art as possible. Martin Parker and myself ( Gary Mercer) will be meeting with Brandi Reddick, Communication and Artists Manager for Art in Public places in the first meeting to discuss plans to restore the project. I photographed what is left of this work of art at the station on Saturday along with Martin as we surveyed the station to get a grasp at how large a restoration this project will be. My main concern is that the original project was not hurricane and weather proof and didn't survive over the years. Any project restoration will have to be hurricane proof and also a yearly budget will be needed to maintain the piece in perpetuity. There is no reason to restore the piece an then let it fall into disrepair. There needs to be long term oversight of a work of art of this magnitude in my humble opinion. We will get copies of the plans and consult with numerous experts in just how best to restore the piece to its original spendor. If there is anyone that is familiar with " Making Purple" and how the lighting sequence was executed, please let me know.