The Historic District Commission gave its OK to an artistic video projection on the exterior of the Lincoln Public Library during evenings in February, though alternate member Frank Clark cast the only no vote.
While some residents had raised the question of whether the plan might violate the town’s recently updated Dark Skies zoning bylaw, those rules apply only to permanent lighting fixtures, HDC Chair Andrew Glass said at the Nov. 10 hearing. However, the committee does have a say even for temporary displays since the library is in a designated historic district and the display will affect its outward appearance, even if only temporarily, he added.
The library applied to the HDC to allow Lincoln artist Matthew Belge to mount the projections as one of its rotating art displays — though heretofore they were always in the indoor gallery.
“Lincoln Florilegium” would have two projectors: one displaying portraits of Lincoln residents and images of flowers, and the second showing accompanying quotations. It’s scheduled to be in operation for two hours after sundown in February.
“I think it’s a great idea and I like that you chose a very dark month,” HDC member Andrew Ory said.
“I’m in favor of things that brighten up the winter months and make people smile and see [familiar] things in a different way,” alternate member Gary Anderson said.
But Clark worried about the brightness of the light on the brick building. “It’s gonna take an awful lot of light to reflect off that surface,” he said. He also said it could be distracting to drivers. “I just don’t see this as a viable project given the number of negative comments I’ve heard from Lincoln residents.”
“When you’re staging public art, safety is always the top priority,” Belge said, adding that he would personally supervise the project on the evenings it ran and would shut it down if there were concerns.
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