Council Group OK’s Two New Members of Public Design Committee

By TELVIN POLODORE

The Council Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections on Thursday unanimously approved Mayor Bill de Blasio’s two candidates  for the Public Design Committee —  prominent street and installation artist Kenseth Armstead and urban design specialist Deborah Marton .

Armstead, a multimedia artist whose work is deeply rooted in Black history and culture,  has exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and many more museums across the country.  His installation, Boulevard of African Monarchs, is now on display on 116th Street & Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard in Harlem, backed by The Marcus Garvey Park Alliance & NYC DOT ART Community Commission

He obtained a BFA from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in 1990 and he now holds a Masters of Science in Integrated Digital Media from the Polytechnic Institute of Nwq York University. He has co-authored multimedia installations collaboratively with the art-band, X-PRZ, that he co-founded with his mentor Tony Cokes in 1991. Also, he was the founding managing editor of Rhizome Internet launched in 1996.

 “I believe that my role is being a connection to the community before they even receive a service,” he said.

Marton has an extensive career in Public Design and in 2019 was appointed Executive Director of the Van Alen Institute, which focuses on the esthetics of public spaces. She also serves as the Executive Director of the New York Restoration Project.

“Public spaces need to be adapted for times where we need to distance and come together,” said Marton, mindful of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PDC is deals with permanent structures, landscape architecture, and art on city-owned property and the main mission is to advocate for innovative, sustainable, and equitable design of public spaces and civic structures.

“The mayor has made such a wise choice with the two candidates.” said Councilwoman Margaret S. Chin, Democrat of Queens.