project overview
jESSE TURNER paRK| south mEmphis
Artist: Maxwell Emcays
Total budget: $98,925 (includes three finalist honoraria of $1,000 each)
Upcoming benchmark/update: Installation
BACKGROUND
About Jesse Turner Park:
The Jesse Turner Park, located at 1310 S. Bellevue Boulevard, is a South Memphis park in District 4. The park is named after civil rights pioneer Jesse H. Turner. Turner was the first Black chairman of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, former President of Tri-State Bank, and a longtime NAACP supporter. The family-oriented neighborhood is historically African-American and home to important historic residents including, Rev. Brewster, the Nicholson family (developers), Maceo Walker, son of Dr. Joseph Edison Walker, and the Art Gilliams family. The Negro Baseball League played in the district on Sunday afternoons.
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Community institutions are the East Trigg Church, Greenwood CME Church and Zion Cemetery, the oldest African-American burial ground in the City. The churches offered gospel composers like Dr. W. Herbert Brewster the opportunity to write and perform new spirituals. The Greenwood School was historically important, as well.
Historically, Jesse Turner Park is baseball-oriented and home to the Tri-State Baseball organization, a local non-profit that specializes in promoting the Academy, recruiting coaches (males and females) and training players from 4-18 years of age in the area of baseball from all communities in the Tri-State area (Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi). It has two diamonds: one at the north end and the larger one in the area of the project site.
Maxwell Emcays design Proposal: 5 Pillars
SCOPE OF WORK
Quoted directly from the artist:
Preserving history and promoting the greatness within the South Memphis Community:
Jesse Turner Park is a community staple representing the shared altruistic values that form the foundation of what makes a community like South Memphis flourish and shine through challenges and setbacks.
The pillars of the community give us direction and hope for the limitless beauty and potential of South Memphis. For the purposes of this proposal, I have identified 5 Pillars of the community.
Pillar 1: Leadership - Strong and wise direction. i.e Jesse Turner Sr., Maceo Walker, Art Gilliams Family, Invaders (organizers), Black Panther party
Pillar 2: Faith - Something to believe in. i.e Claborn Temple, Greenwood CME Church, East Trigg Church
Pillar 3: Culture - A way to celebrate i.e Stax Music, Soul Music, Gospel, WDIA, Cotton Makers Jubilee, Four Way Grill, Coletta Pizza, Honey Gal, BBQ
Pillar 4: Place - A location to come together. i.e LeMoyne-Owen College, Zion Cemetery - schools, businesses and sites
Pillar 5: Sports - Competitive expression and outlet. i.e BaseBalls as a focus, but also highlighting basketball, tennis, and play area, MAM (Memphis Athletic Ministries)
Artist Maxwell Emcays fabricating pieces for the 5 Pillars sculpture
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Marlon Foster, Executive Director, Knowledge Quest
Dr. Earnestine Jenkins, art historian, University of Memphis
Johnny Rudd, coach, LeMoyne-Owen College
Marcha Allen, Deputy Director, City of Memphis Parks Department
James Carter, Soulsville resident
Toonky, artist
Chloe Lane, architect, Archimania
Mike Lemm, City of Memphis Engineering Department (nonvoting)
About Artist:
Maxwell Emcays is a multidisciplinary public artist who has been creating art for various underserved communities in Chicago and all over the US for 15 years. Emcays’ work is rooted in the principle that everyone deserves to engage with art, that every community deserves a voice, and that public art encourages community investment.
Maxwell Emcays has been involved in many charitable projects, including Never Forget Chicago, which aimed to bring awareness and healing to the epidemic of violence in Chicago. Emcays’ art reflects his passion for social justice and his desire to create a more equitable world. Emcays believes that art can be a powerful tool for change, and uses his work to raise awareness about important social issues. Emcays’ art is often inspired by the communities he works with, and he strives to create meaningful and relevant pieces for the people who will experience them.
Maxwell Emcays has exhibited his work in several prestigious galleries and museums, including The Dusable Museum and Gallery Guichard. Maxwell Emcays has also received numerous awards for his contributions to the field of public art, including being selected as a prequalified public artist for the city of Chicago and the Black Excellence Award.
Maxwell Emcays’ work has been featured in many publications and news outlets, including NBC's Making a Difference. Emcays has also been interviewed by Valerie Warner for Windy City LIVE, where he discussed his artistic process and his commitment to social justice.
