10 April 2021 | parkcitiespeople.com
Community THE ART OF SHOPPING REQUIRES A MINDFUL MANAGER
Anna Kern tackles museum-like job at legendary NorthPark Center
TOP FROM LEFT: 20 Elements by Joel Shapiro and DRAG (BANKER) by Sterling Ruby. MIDDLE: snakes and apples by Sioban Hapaska, a mural covering a vacation store space, and the 48-foot tall Ad Astra by Mark Di Suvero. BOTTOM: Number 193T, 191T and 194T by Leonardo Drew. (PHOTOS: NORISHKA PACHOT)
By Norishka Pachot People Newspapers
W
ith its museum-like layout and sophisticated sculptures, murals, and paintings by known artists, NorthPark Center staffs a position many other malls wouldn’t need: a manager of arts programming. “I do all the work that entails doing the artwork,” said Anna Kern, who’s held that job for nearly three of her four years at NorthPark. With more than 50 major sculptures and seven to eight art exhibitions a year, Kern must make sure valuable artwork gets handled and put up carefully. Assembling a new piece can take 30 minutes to eight hours to even multiple days. “Anything that we put up, we have to be very mindful, and we have to make sure it has an appeal to the general public and that they can get something out of it,” she said.
Though now the sole member of NorthPark’s art department, Kern works closely with the marketing team to see that visitors can enjoy the magnificent art, architecture, and landscaping. Think of NorthPark as a museum where you can also shop. The mall supports local and recent art as well as such established artists as Andy Warhol, Barry Flanagan, and Joel Shapiro, who are all among those with permanent installations at the center. “The aesthetic is so crucial to our reputation,” Kern said. “NorthPark is always spotless.” She cherishes NorthPark’s pop-up programs featuring local and regional artists, often as extensions to murals and usually used at empty stores, instead of leaving a blank spot. “All our institutions should support local art,” Kern said. “At NorthPark, I want to make sure that we support that. We want
people to feel invited and feel welcome. We want to give back to our community.”
We have to make sure it has an appeal to the general public and that they can get something out of it. Anna Kern NorthPark also supports the community through partnerships year-round, including an art gala to raise funds for the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. Kern also takes care of hosting tours and
the Art Rock program for children. Both switched online due to COVID-19. “My favorite part at the end of the day is that we’re a shopping center, so we get people from all walks of life,” she said. “They’re exposed to these collections, local artists, and even if it’s just subconsciously in the background, this will impact them in a small way.”
P E R S O N A L FAV O R I T E S With so much art on display at NorthPark Center, even a manager of arts programming might have difficulty picking a favorite. But, Anna Kern highlighted these: Ad Astra by Mark di Suvero; snakes and apples by Siobhan Hapaska; DRAG (BANKER) by Sterling Ruby; Number 193T, 191T, and 194T by Leonardo Drew.
