Art in Public Places Manager Kate Ithurralde in front of a work by Brad Slaugh in the Salt Lake County Government Center galleries. Photo by Jenn Niedfeldt.
If you plan on scheduling a tour of the Salt Lake County art collection, be prepared. Kate Ithurralde’s enthusiasm for the largest publicly available collection of Utah art is infectious. She can dive deep into an individual work or range comfortably across the expanse of the collection, knitting together connections and insights. She even knows of one or two rabbit holes. So, you may be a minute.
Ithurralde is the Art in Public Places Manager for Salt Lake County, a position she assumed two years ago when Valerie Price retired. A Utah native (with Basque heritage, if you were wondering about the surname), she studied at the University of Utah before beginning her career in arts administration. Prior to taking up her role for Salt Lake County, she worked in visitor services at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art and development at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Along the way, she managed to finish a Master’s in Sustainable Design through the Minneapolis College of Art and Design’s online program (class of 2024), an experience which has found its way into her broad vision to transform the way public art is experienced in county-owned buildings.
That vision began with the “kitty ladies,” the nickname for a group of women from the Salt Lake County animal shelter Ithurralde’s boss had been meeting with. “Their passion for the shelter and its programs made me realize the potential for mini-exhibitions in our buildings,” Ithurralde says. She decided to pull together 2- and 3-D works from the collection, executed in different styles and collected in different eras, all celebrating the personalities of cats. The eye-catching works by Susan Makov, Kay Kuzminki, Boyd Reese, Julie Lewis, Cynthia Jepson, and Sri Whipple are hung next to placards describing the county’s Working Cat Program and the importance of Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) initiatives.
Sri Whipple’s “Cat City” (2012) is part of the Whiskers & Wisdom exhibit.
The collection Ithurralde is working with stretches back to the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s but officially began in the early ‘80s when the county adopted percent-for-art legislation spearheaded by Beverly Whitney and the Utah Cultural Alliance. Per the legislation, a percent of costs for new construction of county buildings is devoted towards the purchase of artwork for those buildings. Soon after the adoption of this legislation, the county also set up a volunteer-run Art Acquisition Committee which makes recommendations for additional purchases. The committee’s budget can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars in any given year. Forty years later, the collection now numbers more than 800 works, spread over 20 buildings, all of it on view to the public. The majority of the collection is on exhibit in the hallways at Salt Lake County’s north and south buildings at 2100 South State Street.
As part of her rethinking of the collection, Ithurralde has created several mini-exhibitions in the corridors where east and west hallways in the north building intersect. Many focus on the work of individual artists, like LeConte Stewart, Howell Rosenbaum, and Gordon Cope (the county has more than 40 works by Cope); one exhibit provides a brief overview of post-war art as seen through the works of Lee Deffebach. Other groupings, ala cat exhibit, highlight a county program: outside the offices of Salt Lake County Watershed Planning and Restoration, you’ll find water-themed work. Some simply allow the pieces in the collection to talk amongst themselves about broad topics like “Physical Identity” or “Personal Narrative.”
A sculpture by Dennis Smith in front of three works by Lee Deffebach on the second floor of the county’s North building. Image by Shawn Rossiter
Howell Rosenbaum is one of several historic Utah artists featured in the county’s mini-exhibitions. Image by Shawn Rossiter
Grouping artworks into thematic mini-exhibitions has been a game-changer, says Ithurralde. “This approach not only refreshes the visual experience for visitors and staff but also provides new contexts and interpretations for the artworks.” One of the most rewarding aspects of this project has been the response from the county staff. “When I started rearranging some of the artworks, people were thrilled. They said, ‘This has been here for 20 years, it’s nice to have a change.’” By rotating the art, she aims to keep the environment dynamic and engaging.
The art is not only for the employees but also for visitors to county offices and Ithurralde is acutely aware of the emotional and psychological impact of art in public spaces. “People come here for various reasons—some happy, some stressful, like paying taxes. If I can make their visit a little better with art, I’m very happy,” she says. The mini-exhibitions provide a sense of relief and a moment of beauty in the midst of routine and often stressful activities.
One of Ithurralde’s key goals is to educate the public about the artists and their works. “Many people have no clue about the incredible artists in our collection. I want to tell their stories.” That includes the stories of the works themselves. On the north building’s main floor, Ithurralde has hung three striking portraits of women by Alvin Gittins, the British artist who taught at the University of Utah for several decades. One is of Gittin’s second wife, Gayle Olsen Gittins, a fascinating woman who completed a PhD in the forties and worked with Louis Leakey in East Africa and studied orangutans in Southern Borneo with Birute Galdikas. While the mini-exhibitions can provide brief backgrounds on works and artists, the program’s educational component extends to providing further readings and resources. “The county owns the libraries, so we offer viewers different opportunities to learn more,” Ithurralde explains.
Portraits by Alvin Gittins including “My Last Duchess” of his wife, Gayle Olsen Gittins (left), her sister, Beverly Evans (right), and Tonya Karol (center).
Managing a public art collection comes with its challenges, particularly in terms of budget. Ithurralde wouldn’t have been able to implement her vision without outside help. “I’m very grateful for the Utah Department of Arts and Museums and their project grant. It’s allowed me to translate labels into plain English and Spanish, which is crucial for our audience,” she says.
Technology plays a significant role in Ithurralde’s strategy. “I’ve been focusing on our website, updating it so people can scan QR codes to get more information,” she says. “I can track who is scanning and what they are interested in.” This data-driven approach helps her understand the audience better and tailor future exhibitions accordingly. Of the 18 works collected by the county in last year’s purchasing cycle, Ithurralde has learned that Scott Tuckfield’s “Any Given Moment” is a visitor favorite.
Scott Tuckfield, “Any Given Moment,” acrylic on canvas, 16 x 12 in.
Sustainability is another important aspect of her work. “We use Falcon Board, a 100% recyclable alternative to styrofoam, for our displays. Styrofoam gets so gross, and I wanted something more sustainable,” she adds.
She must also look to the sustainability and maintenance of the collection itself: some of the works date to the 19th century. The acquisition committee has decided to forego purchases in 2024 in order to devote their funds towards the preservation of historical works in the collection.
Looking ahead, Ithurralde has ambitious plans for further engaging the community. “I want to partner with health organizations for a step program around the building, integrating art into wellness initiatives,” she shares. Additionally, she is excited about starting a new program called the Civic Museum, which will collaborate with art organizations to display their exhibitions in county venues.
Kate Ithurralde’s innovative approach to managing Salt Lake County’s public art collection has revitalized the way art is experienced in public spaces. By creating mini-exhibitions, engaging the community, and leveraging technology, she has made art more accessible and meaningful. Her work not only enhances the visual landscape of county buildings but also enriches the lives of those who visit them.
This work by Reuben Kirkham, which dates to the 1880s, is in need of restoration. Image by Shawn Rossiter
Tours of both Salt Lake County’s Visual Art Collection and Percent for Art Collection are free and available Monday through Friday. The capacity for a group tour is 20 indivduals. Each tour lasts approximately one hour and can be geared toward a variety of audiences. Contact Kate Ithurralde at kithurralde@slco.org.
The founder of Artists of Utah and editor of its online magazine, 15 Bytes, Shawn Rossiter has undergraduate degrees in English, French and Italian Literature and studied Comparative Literature in graduate school before pursuing a career in art.
Categories: Art Professional Spotlight | Visual Arts
A family member used to work in the County Buildings, and of course there were elections and so forth, so I have spent some time walking the length of the two buildings, and was impressed by the art I saw. However, it was hard to find out anything about these often quite auspicious works of art. I’m glad, then, that from now on it will be easier to find out the title, artist’s identity, and further information.
Today’s art may not need a lot of explanation, though it rarely hurts to know more. But when it comes to a real collection, it’s easier to enjoy significant works when you know something about them.