Title
Accepting and approving the recommendations of the Chambers Artwork Taskforce.
Body
WHEREAS, Ramsey County and the City of Saint Paul share ownership of the Saint Paul City Hall - Ramsey County Courthouse located at 15 W Kellogg Blvd in downtown Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, The building is adorned with numerous works of art dating back to the 1930s, including four large industrial-themed murals in the Council Chambers that are a product of their time and are outdated in their representation of the communities of Saint Paul or Ramsey County; and
WHEREAS, The Saint Paul City Council has registered its objection of the art dating back to the 1980s regarding the representation of the illustrated positional and social power of whiteness over Black, Indigenous and people of color; and
WHEREAS, The Saint Paul City Council has also objected to the lack of representation of women from any race, ethnicity or culture in the murals, erasing their irrefutable contributions to the growth of Saint Paul and Ramsey County; and
WHEREAS, In December 2018, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and the Saint Paul City Council approved a project to create contemporary community-based artworks for exhibition in the Council Chambers of Saint Paul City Hall - Ramsey County Courthouse; and
WHEREAS, The Ramsey County Historical Society then established a community-led Council Chambers Artwork Taskforce who selected local artists to create original artwork to be displayed over the original murals; and
WHEREAS, The Taskforce selected artist collaborative CLUES Latinx Mural Project, and artists Emily Donovan, Adam Swanson and Leah Yellowbird in November 2019; and
WHEREAS, Ramsey County Board of Commissioners voted to accept the recommendations of the Chambers Artwork Taskforce at its August 11th, 2020 meeting; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council accepts and approves the recommendations of the Chambers Artwork Taskforce; and
BE ...
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