Great news for regional sculpture artists: the Edina Public Art annual rotating sculpture call has been sent to over 250 artists, art schools, universities and organizations. We want to see your artwork.
Thanks to the support of local businessman, Warren Beck, the exhibit will expand to a fourth area this year. Beck, owner of The Westin Hotel in Edina, has agreed to offer the outside circular space between the hotel and their parking ramp, which is perfectly suited for a sculpture. In fact, Beck said, the area was designed with featuring a sculpture in mind.
As stated in the call, Edina’s support for the arts will be celebrated through a major exhibit of original outdoor sculptures displayed from June 2014 through May 2015. Edina Public Art, a group within the Edina Arts and Culture Commission, invites sculptures from Minnesota and throughout the U.S. to submit proposals.
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Sculptures will be selected in late March based on artistic merit, creativity, public safety, suitability for existing sites and durability in an outdoor setting. Reflective, kinetic and/or fiber optic components that invite public interaction and repeated viewing are encouraged.
Artists are reminded that given the sculptures will be outside throughout the year, the sculptures must be of a sturdy and durable nature. Each artist may submit up to three sculptures. We encourage sculptors to ‘go big’. A minimum size requirement is three feet high not including the base. Notification of sculptures chosen for the exhibit will be April 1st.
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The sculptures remain the property of the sculptors while loaned to the exhibit. An honorarium of $500 is paid for each sculpture chosen. From June thorough September 30, 2014, the public will vote for the People’s Choice, with the first place award of $1,000, a second place award of $750 and a third place award of $500. It is planned that voting will be available through the QR Codes located on the sculpture plaques as well as on the city website under Public Art.
The People’s Choice Award winners are invited and encouraged to exhibit their sculptures for an additional year for which they also receive honorariums of $500. All sculptures will be actively marketed for purchase by individuals and local businesses.
In addition to the new Westin location, the three other sculpture exhibit locations are The Promenade, Grandview Square and 50th and France. Edina Public Art members are excited about the expansion of locations for this exhibit which is one of the largest in the region and attracts some of the areas most noted sculpture artists.
By the end of this year, we will also have two further expansions allowing even more sculptures to be exhibited. According to Ann Kattreh, Director of Parks and Recreation, the Phase Four Promenade expansion, anticipated to be complete before the end of 2014, will include a babbling brook, pond and three or four new nodes or pods for interactive public art.
The Fairview Southdale Hospital Emergency Department expansion and the surrounding campus will also serve as a new location for public art planned both inside and outside the multimillion dollar hospital addition. According to Robb Gruman, Vice President of Facilities and Operation for Fairview Southdale Hospital, “ We are delighted to add the component of public art to our campus for the enjoyment of our patients, guests and employees. We believe it will have a “healing” effect on everyone. We also know that city residents will enjoy seeing public art expanded on our campus.”
The continued expansion of the exhibit and locations for public art in Edina is a demonstration of the committment that the City Council and staff, Arts and Culture Commissioners, Edina Public Art and members of the community have to establish Edina as a city known for its public art.
For more information or to obtain a copy of the sculpture call, go to Edina Public Art on the city website www.EdinaMN.gov or contact Michael Frey, Director of the Edina Art Center, 4701 W. 64th St., Edina, mfrey@EdinaMN.gov or 952-903-5729 or myself, Barbara La Valleur, Chair, Edina Pubic Art, at barbara.lavalleur@gmail.com or 612-578-2422.
