CHINATOWN — The city's cultural department is looking for art work to complement the aesthetics of the sleek new Chinatown library.
One artist, or a team or artists, will be selected to "create a high impact, elegant, site-specific artwork that responds to the light-filled, open architecture, as well as the concept of wisdom and the search for knowledge that the function of a library implies," according to a call for submissions from the city's department of cultural affairs and special events.
Slated to open in July, the new showcase facility — described by library officials as a high-tech community hub with meeting space, kids area, YOUmedia teen section and more — is expected to cost roughly $18 million, largely financed through tax increment financing district money.
Guided by the principles of feng shui, architects have created a two-story "pebble-shaped" library wrapped in columns of Ipe wood and glass, allowing patrons to look out and passersby to look in.
The exterior will be adorned with colorful Ginko trees, flowering Crabapple and other native plants, and plans call for the creation of a walkway between the "old and new" Chinatown.
"At night," project leaders say," "the building will become a lantern-like structure and form a symbolic beacon."
To apply for the city's art project, candidates are encouraged to attend an upcoming public forum where project leaders and city officials will be on hand to discuss ideas. A date and location for that forum hasn't been set yet.
They'll have to submit at least six but no more than 10 images of their previous works. Artists can submit one video, too, but they're not required to do so.
The deadline for applications is Nov. 6.
Then, a selection panel — made up of neighborhood civic leaders including librarian Si Chen and Chinatown Chamber of Commerce chairman Ray Chin as well as project architects and city planners — will select semifinalists.
Those semifinalists will be contacted in late November. They'll be paid a small stipend to develop formal proposals, which will be due in mid-January 2015. The total budget for the project is $20,000.
The selection panel will then recommend a finalist for the commissioned work.
Sometime next year, a second public forum will be held for the finalist's work to be unveiled and answer questions from the community.
Questions? See the department's official Call for Entries page.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
