Petry Art Proposal Jumps First Hurdle

A resolution kicking off the process of creating a piece of public art to celebrate Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry easily jumped its first hurdle today when it was unanimously approved by the city’s Art in Public Places Committee.

There was little discussion among committee members, who will presumably find their voice when it comes time to parse the project’s particulars. The resolution currently before the city – scheduled to be reviewed by several more committee before final approval by the City Council in December – simply directs the Santa Fe Arts Commission to investigate developing, placing and funding an Art in Public Places project for Petry.

Arts Commission senior planner Garcia y Griego did note this would be the first time Santa Fe has put up public art in honor of a living person. One of the questions down the line will be whether city government or another entity is the most appropriate party for the project, she said.

The city’s Art in Public Places program is funded largely by money from Santa Fe’s capital improvement projects bonds.

Petry was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama this summer. He lost his right hand when he grabbed a live grenade and tried to throw it back at Taliban insurgents during a firefight in Afghanistan in May 2008.