The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation has taken a significant step towards its goal of including public art at Canalside. ECHDC has issued an RFP that invites internationally and critically acclaimed artists who can demonstrate the ability to design and implement large scale, complex, public art commissions to submit qualifications and proposals for an art commission at the Skyway and/or the Connecting Terminal Grain Elevator (CTGE). ECHDC will work with representatives from the New York Power Authority (NYPA), which owns the CTGE, and the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT), owner of the Skyway. The current project budget is $1.5 to $2 million.
Proposals will be evaluated by the ECHDC Art Advisory Group, which is composed of local and nationally recognized art professionals and collectors. Louis Grachos, Executive Director of the Albright Knox Art Gallery, is the chair of the group. Members include Molly Donovan, Associate Curator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC; Sandra Firmin, Curator at the University at Buffalo Art Gallery/Center for the Arts; and Michael Joseph, President of Clover Management Inc. and prolific collector of international contemporary art.
The Art Advisory Group will evaluate artists based on their past performance and experience with commission of projects similar to this RFP.
"Buffalo has a long tradition of embracing and encouraging the work of the world's best artists," said Grachos. "Bringing that remarkable legacy together with the extraordinary changes happening at Canalside will further enable Buffalo to establish its place in the 21st Century."
"The New York State Department of Transportation is pleased to be a part of this exciting project to bring art to Canalside and the Waterfront," said Acting DOT Regional Director Darrell Kaminski. "We look forward to continuing our partnership in the redevelopment of the waterfront."
The Art Advisory Group will recommend up to five qualified artists to the ECHDC Board of Directors on November 15, 2011. ECHDC will then establish a Selection Committee consisting of ECHDC and Empire State Development (ESD) personnel; the Art Advisory Committee; and representatives from NYPA, NYSDOT and the City of Buffalo to review the artists proposals. Following a series of public presentations and final evaluations, the Selection Committee will recommend to the ECHDC Board of Directors one or more final artists to select, contract with, and move forward with final design and installation.
All artists who wish to be considered as candidates for this commission must submit their qualification materials by noon EST on October 6, 2011. All questions regarding the RFP must be directed in writing to Kaitlin McGee, Assistant Project Manager at ECHDC. Contact with any other person at ECHDC, ESD or the State regarding this solicitation is prohibited by law.
A copy of the RFP and attachments can be found at:
http://www.eriecanalharbor.com/rfprfq.asp
Some Inspiration:
NYC's Manhattan Bridge will be electrified later next week during a two-day Dumbo arts festival: twenty interactive artists will map the bridge and its environs with video, a sort of giant op-art animation. More here.
This is awesome. Can't wait to see what artists conjure up for this site.
Somebody call Christo. He would know what to do.