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A community-led group based in Bellevue, WA, USA, known as the Bellevue Japanese American Legacy Project (BJALP), is seeking an artist or artist team to develop site-specific public artwork that recognizes and preserves the legacy of the Japanese American (JA) farming community of Bellevue. This community was forcibly removed from their homes and farms as a result of Executive Order 9066, issued by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. This order authorized specific areas within the United States as “military zones” in which Japanese Americans, regardless of their status of US citizenship were to be removed and imprisoned against their will without due process—for the duration of World War II.

This permanent artwork will be located on a new pedestrian/multi-use bridge spanning NE 8th St. in Bellevue, WA. This project is in association with a larger Eastside Rail Corridor project to convert a former rail line into a multi-use trail. At the NE 8th St. site, the bridge will also provide access to the Wilburton light rail station, currently under construction. Construction of the light rail station required the removal of a building of significance to the JA community. Given the proximity of the trail to this important historical site, the county is integrating Japanese American heritage exhibit components in several locations here: the North Mixing Zone (not addressed by this RFQ) and the Bridge Span (the purpose of the RFQ).

The selected artist will be expected to develop an artwork of appropriate scale and impact to meet the project criteria in an artistically engaging manner. This contract will be administered through project design consultants EDX Exhibits. The scope of this project is to provide a high-quality digital reproduction of original artwork created for this project which will be integrated into the site as a series of full-color, fused aluminum graphic panels visible to bikes and pedestrians crossing the bridge. The selected artist will not be responsible for physically installing any original artwork on the site.

For this artist selection process, a panel will review submitted materials from this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and select three (3) artists who will receive a $500 USD stipend to produce initial concepts for the project. The review panel will then share the three finalists’ work, their comments, and their recommended artist selection to the BJALP Steering Committee for final approval.

The selected final artist will work with BJALP community members, a writer, and EDX Exhibits to design artwork that embodies the project goals and concept statement, fulfills technical requirements, and meets the approval of all regulatory bodies.

Please read the full call for artists at the link provided. This document includes requirements, selection criteria, site plans and renderings, a schedule, budget, and conceptual information about the project.

https://bit.ly/2S1Tdur

Opportunity Website

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