MEMPHIS, TN - November 18, 2019
The UrbanArt Commission (UAC) in partnership with the Memphis Convention Center (MCC) Board of Commissioners and City of Memphis have selected four Memphis-based artists to lead new public art projects for the MCC renovations.
In August, UAC released Calls to Artists for four key new permanent artworks including a suspended sculpture project for the new main entrance to the convention center on N. Main St, two mural projects along the Front Street corridor between the main facility and the West Meeting Rooms and at the redeveloped entrance to the convention center from the parking garage and an interior project inside the new Front Street entrance to the West Meeting Rooms. Fourteen finalists were invited to submit site-specific proposals and presented to the selection committee in October.
“The artists selected for the Memphis Convention Center showcase the breadth of talent within our city. I’m proud for these artists to have such a prominent platform for individuals visiting our city,” says selection committee member Rachel Knox.
Commissioned artists for the four projects are:
$400,000 Suspended Sculpture for Main Entrance
Ben Butler was selected to develop a 30 foot tall suspended sculpture that follows the shifting and meandering course of the Mississippi River over the past few thousand years. The sculpture will consist of 30 layers of 2 inch thick acrylic, each presenting a snapshot of the river’s form at a different moment in history. These wandering ribbons, superimposed in three-dimensional space, and rendered in a translucent and luminous material, together present a dynamic sculpture that celebrates the vibrant and ephemeral nature of this powerful natural resource.
$90,000 Mural Project along Front Street
Kaleob Elkins and Franklin Wallace were selected to create an immersive experience inside the new West Meeting Rooms at the convention center, visible to car and pedestrian traffic along the Front St. Corridor. Groupings of programmable lighting along the interior wall will dramatically change the experience of this corridor.
$55,000 Mural Project at the Parking Level Concourse
Kong Wee Pang and Jay Crum were selected to create an interior mural for the Parking Level Concourse of the convention center. Their image shows an abstracted future cityscape of Memphis, with nods to the Mississippi River and the rich musical history of Memphis.
$50,000 Interior Project Front Street Entrance at West Meeting Rooms
Jared Small was commissioned to develop a mural depicting the history through to present day Memphis through landmarks and architecture. From early Chickasaw Nation structures to Beale Street, this mural will both honor the diverse history of the city and create a rich and layered image for visitors to the convention center.
These artists were selected from a pool of 215 applications across all four projects. Of the commissioned artists, 50% are artists of color and 17% are women.
The selection committee for all four projects includes Doug McGowen, Chief Operating Officer, City of Memphis and MCC Board of Commissioners; Nicole Seltzer, MCC Director of Sales; Thomas Midgley, MCC Board of Commissioners; Frank Ricks, Principal, LRK Inc.; Gretchen Wollert McLennon, Consultant, DI Studios; Rachel Knox, Program Officer, Hyde Family Foundations; Lani Glancy, Vice President, AutoZone and Chairman, Memphis Tourism Board of Directors; Sally Pace, CEO, Connect Healthcare Collaboration and Vice Chairman, Memphis Tourism Board of Directors; Martavius Jones, Memphis City Councilmember, MCC Board of Commissioners; and Tom Marshall, Principal, O.T. Marshall and MFA Partners (non-voting).
