project overview
MIDTOWN MEMPHIS CROSSWALKS | Midtown
Artist: Khara Woods
Budget: $14,000 (includes $4000 design honorarium and $10,000 for fabrication)
Upcoming benchmark/update: Design Proposal
BACKGROUND
About Midtown
Memphis is known for Music and Midtown is home to many iconic music venues. It is also the home of historic neighborhoods such as Overton Square, Cooper-Young, Broad Avenue Arts District, and Crosstown Concourse. Visitors are drawn to The Memphis Zoo, Overton Park, and the Overton Park Shell. Midtown is a collection of local restaurants, shops for anything from vinyl records to made in Memphis fashion, theatres for movies, and plays, musicals, and art gallery and exhibition spaces – all of which inspire some of the city’s signature events and festivals.
SCOPE OF WORK
Preferred Sculpture Location: Intersection of Madison and Avalon Street
UAC and the City of Memphis is commissioning artist Khara Woods to design two distinct crosswalks that highlights Midtown’s unique culture and residents. The preferred location for the two crosswalks is at the intersection of Madison and Avalon Street, particularly on the East side of Madison and the North side of Avalon.
The selection committee has expressed interest in crosswalks that:
Will include civic pride messages such as “Heartbeat of Memphis”, “Midtown Memphis”, or “Midtown is Memphis”
Pays homage to this part of Midtown known for its food, music, and entertainment
Create a sound wave image to dominate the crosswalk and/or;
Create symbols that could represent music notes, music instruments, dinner plates, food, entertainment, and restaurants.
Includes the following colors- deep lilac, inchworm, Kauai, and Sienna
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Emily Bishop- President, Midtown Memphis
William Ezzell- City of Memphis Bikeway and Pedestrian Program Manager
Demarius Green- Manager, Madison Midtown Apartments
Rick James- Owner, Cash Saver
Karen Lebovitz - Vice President, Midtown Memphis
Cory Likens- Manager, Minglewood Hall
Izzy Robinson- Resident
Jeanne Seagle- Artist
Joy Touliatos- City of Memphis Deputy Director of Public Works
Shannon Williams- Resident
*Public Vote: Collected public votes will serve as one additional selection committee vote for the final selected artist following the submission of proposals from project finalists.
About Artist:
Khara Woods
Khara Woods is a multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer based in Memphis, TN. Her studio practice includes abstract geometric paintings, wood assemblage, and public art projects, including murals and community engagement initiatives.
Her work has recently been exhibited at Sheet Cake Gallery and Crosstown Arts in Memphis, Red 225 Gallery in Nashville, the Hilliard Art Museum at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the Beverly + Sam Ross Gallery at Christian Brothers University in Memphis.
Since 2015, Woods has created murals and public art for numerous organizations, including the Memphis Public Library’s Cornelia Crenshaw branch (2017) and the City of Memphis’ Office of Comprehensive Planning (2023). In 2019, she was commissioned by Mural Arts Philadelphia to design a large-scale data visualization mural for Uptown Memphis as part of their Arts & Environment Initiative.
In 2025, she will debut her first solo exhibition in Augusta, GA, opening April 4th at Westobou, and is currently developing a large-scale outdoor installation for the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, set to open in mid-April.
