BGuthrie Photos: CA -- Santa Monica -- Chain Reaction statue

CA -- Santa Monica -- Chain Reaction statue:

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[1] CHAINR_140721_01.JPG	[2] CHAINR_140721_04.JPG	[3] CHAINR_140721_09.JPG
[4] CHAINR_140721_11.JPG	[5] CHAINR_140721_13.JPG	[6] CHAINR_140721_19.JPG
[7] CHAINR_140721_23.JPG	[8] CHAINR_140721_31.JPG	[9] CHAINR_140721_45.JPG
[10] CHAINR_140721_51.JPG	[11] CHAINR_140721_58.JPG	[12] CHAINR_140721_66.JPG
[13] CHAINR_140721_68.JPG	[14] CHAINR_140721_76.JPG	[15] CHAINR_140721_81.JPG

Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. CHAINR_140721_01.JPG: Note the "Danger" sign below it
2. CHAINR_140721_19.JPG: Chain Reaction This is a statement of peace. May it never become an epitaph. 1991 -- Paul Conrad
Wikipedia Description: Chain Reaction (sculpture)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chain Reaction is a peace monument and public art sculpture composed of a metal framework of stainless steel and fiberglass surrounded by concrete, depicting a mushroom cloud created by a nuclear explosion. Designed by American editorial cartoonist Paul Conrad (1924–2010) and built by Peter M. Carlson, the 5.5-ton, 8-meter (26-foot) high sculpture was installed in 1991 adjacent to the Santa Monica Civic Center in Santa Monica, California.

An inscription at the base of the sculpture reads, "This is a statement of peace. May it never become an epitaph." The theme of the sculpture reflects the subject of nuclear disarmament. UCLA professor Paul Von Blum places the sculpture in the category of late 20th and early 21st century contemporary American public political artwork in the tradition of commemorative works throughout the United States, calling the work "a powerful warning about the continuing dangers of nuclear war".

Conrad first expressed interest in building the sculpture in either Beverly Hills or Santa Monica in 1988. He built the sculpture with the help of an anonymous donation of $250,000 and donated the sculpture to the city of Santa Monica after it was approved by the city. It was later revealed that the donation came from philanthropist Joan Kroc, widow of Ray Kroc, the founder of the McDonald's corporation. Joan Kroc spent millions campaigning for nuclear disarmament in the 1980s.

Background

The sculpture is based on a cartoon sketch by Paul Conrad.Conrad was the editorial cartoonist at the Denver Post beginning in 1950. It was at the Denver Post where his cartoons first touched upon the subject of peace and nuclear weapons. His cartoon depicting the ending of the atmospheric nuclear testing moratorium in 1961 was categorized by Gamson and Stuart (1992) as falling under the universal “Common Security” media frame popularized by the peace movement in the United States. These types of cartoons emphasized progress towards disarmament and “mutual cooperation, trade, cultural interaction, problem solving, and peacemaking” towards other nations, such as the Soviet Union.

He joined the Los Angeles Times in 1964 where he spent the next four decades until he retired. After criticizing president Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal, Conrad was the only cartoonist to appear on Nixon's Enemies List. In the 1980s, Conrad criticized the military buildup and arms race advocated by president Ronald Reagan, and the involvement of the Reagan administration in the Iran–Contra affair, the illegal covert operation which sold weapons to Iran to secure the release of hostages while funding the contras in Nicaragua with the proceeds from the arms sales.

Conrad later began working as a sculptor, often donating smaller works for fundraisers. Conrad died at the age of 86 in 2010.

Funding

Philanthropist Joan Kroc, widow of Ray Kroc, the founder of the McDonald's corporation, was active in the anti-nuclear movement in the United States. She was also known as a generous patron of the arts. Kroc met Conrad after he gave a lecture, and she later became friends with him and his wife. She anonymously contributed $250,000 to build the sculpture.

Design

The sculpture is based on a cartoon sketch by Conrad. Custom fabricator Peter M. Carlson, who also created sculptures for artists Ellsworth Kelly, Jeff Koons, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, and Charles Ray, assembled the 26-foot high sculpture depicting an upwardly expanding nuclear mushroom cloud by linking 38,000 hollow brass J-shaped pipes used for plumbing fixtures. The pipes are welded together and attached by screws and wire to fiberglass covering a steel frame. According to the Chain Reaction City Landmark Assessment Report by ICF International:

the sculpture has a disheveled quality akin to the sketch-like markings and distorted proportions [of] Paul Conrad's political cartoons...this quality is conveyed by the...treatment of the stem, the irregular placement of the links, and a subtle distortion of scale between the tall stem, its pronounced bulges, and a relatively small mushroom cloud. The ability of the large brass links to catch light and define pockets of random shadow in the small spaces between them is similar in effect to the stark treatment of light [and] dark that Conrad often employed in his political cartoons."

Two plaques appear at the base, with one bearing the name of the artist (Paul Conrad), the title of the work and date (Chain Reaction, 1991), a description of the material used to construct the sculpture (Copper chain link and stainless steel) and information about the work (Collection of the City of Santa Monica. A donation from an anonymous donor. A project of the Santa Monica Arts Commission). The inscription on the second plaque reads, "This is a statement of peace. May it never become an epitaph."

Proposal

Conrad expressed interest in building the sculpture in either Beverly Hills or Santa Monica. In 1988, he created a two foot model of the sculpture and proposed his work to the Santa Monica Art Commission. He showed off a model of the proposed sculpture to the Beverly Hills Fine Arts Committee in early 1989. The committee, appointed by the Beverly Hills City Council, deliberated Conrad's proposed sculpture for three months. During that time, Conrad was attacked as an anti-Semite by several residents of Beverly Hills because of his recent editorial cartoons depicting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the intifada. The Beverly Hills committee eventually turned down the proposal for the Chain Reaction sculpture on April 12, 1989, citing the lack of a suitable site in Beverly Hills that could accommodate the structure. "It is a piece of monumental proportions that needs a very large, large area," committee chairwoman Ellen Byrens told the Los Angeles Times.

Santa Monica debated the proposal for four years. More than a thousand ballots were cast in Santa Monica, with the majority voting against the placement of the sculpture. However, the Santa Monica Art Commission voted four separate times to accept the work, with the final vote taking place in 1990. The City Council finally approved the work in 1991. Funds were donated to the Santa Monica Arts Foundation to build it and the sculpture was given to the city as a gift.

Location

The sculpture is located in Santa Monica, California, at the Santa Monica Civic Center, on the east side of Main Street between the Santa Monica Courthouse and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, across the street from the campus headquarters of the RAND Corporation.

Safety inspection

The sculpture was surveyed and considered "well maintained" by the Smithsonian's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in March 1995. In June 2011, an inspector observed children climbing the sculpture. Safety tests were performed showing that the underlying material of fiberglass and attached copper chains were stable. However, questions were raised about the long term use of fiberglass; rust and corrosion were also found on the steel frame skeleton and the anchor bolts holding the sculpture to the base were weakened. On June 27, 2011, a safety fence was installed to protect the public.

Los Angeles Times art critic Christopher Knight defended the sculpture from those who claimed it should be removed because of its weakened state. In defense of the sculpture, Knight cited a 2012 report for the city authored by a structural engineer who concluded that in his expert opinion, "the sculpture is not an imminent hazard nor should it be considered dangerous".

Landmark

In May 2012, the city of Santa Monica filed an application to nominate the sculpture for landmark status. A public hearing was held in July, after which the sculpture was selected as a landmark by the Santa Monica Landmarks Commission. It was the first work of public art to become a landmark in the City of Santa Monica.

Restoration

After Conrad died in 2010, the city of Santa Monica began to reevaluate the structural integrity of the sculpture. In 2011, the city erected a fence around the sculpture due to safety concerns. The City Council set a deadline of February 1, 2014, for supporters of the sculpture to contribute to restoration funds, otherwise the sculpture could face decommissioning. Community activists debated how to pay for needed repairs and a series of fundraisers were held to contribute to the restoration project. In 2012, the Landmarks Commission gave the sculpture official landmark status. On February 25, 2014, the Santa Monica City Council voted 6-1 to use $100,000 in public donations to finish refurbishing the work.
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