By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
On Aug. 12, the City’s Public Arts Commission issued a Request for Proposals for a 911 Memorial Sculpture to be displayed at Fire Station #2. Proposals are due at the City of Elmhurst Sept. 20 at 5 p.m.
About the Public Artwork project
The City of Elmhurst, City of Elmhurst’s Fire Department, and the Elmhurst Public Arts Commission are seeking proposals from emerging and established Midwest artists for an outdoor sculpture dedicated to the heroes of September 11, 2001.
The proposed memorial sculpture must include a 13.5-foot piece of steel rail (provided by the Elmhurst Fire Department) from the World Trade Center, which should be the focal point of the sculpture. The entire memorial site (landscaping) will also include a timeline of the events that happened throughout that solemn day.
The memorial sculpture will give the residents of Elmhurst, as well as many other visitors, a place at which to reflect on this significant day in U.S. history. It will be available for viewing year-round and be placed in front of Elmhurst Fire Station #2 and adjacent to York Street, a main north/south thoroughfare.
The purpose of the Memorial Sculpture is to ensure that the community will have an enduring source of remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001.
The Public Arts Commission offers the following description to artists:
With vibrant, tree-lined streets and a convenient central location in the Chicagoland area, Elmhurst is a visual-arts, cultural and historical destination in the western suburbs. It is home to Elmhurst University’s internationally celebrated Chicago Imagist art collection, and the arts complex of the Elmhurst Art Museum, which hosts rotating contemporary exhibitions and a single-family home designed by Mies van der Rohe.
The juried arts festival Art in Wilder Park welcomes thousands each year. These organizations as well as the Elmhurst History Museum are among many resources that support the values of artistic expression, remembrance and family within the community.
About the Fire Department, commission
The Elmhurst Fire Department is an organization that prides itself on being proactive, efficient and effective in its delivery of public safety services. Its core mission is to protect the life and property in the Elmhurst community.
The City of Elmhurst’s Public Arts Commission seeks to improve the business environment and overall aesthetic appeal of our community through the thoughtful promotion, procurement, and placement of public art.
Call for artwork
Midwest artists are encouraged to submit proposals for a permanent outdoor sculpture/memorial to September 11, 2001 that will visually enhance the public spaces of Elmhurst and expand its cultural offerings. The sculpture must be an original work of art that:
• incorporates as the focal point the 13.5-foot, 560-pound, steel rail from the New York World Trade Center, procured by the Fire Department;
• withstands the outdoor elements;
• fits well within the location;
• contributes to the livability of the City of Elmhurst;
• is free of defects in workmanship or other damage;
• is movable, if the city requires;
• is self-contained; and;
• does not require water.
Timeline
The anticipated schedule represents the Elmhurst Public Arts Commission’s best estimate of the schedule that will be followed in selecting artwork.
• Deadline for Receipt of Requests for Proposals is Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. The commission and city will review the proposals, perform site visits and interview candidates from Sept. 20 through Nov. 1.
• Commission selection will be completed and the finalist notified by Nov. 15.
• Installation period will begin in the spring 2021, depending on weather, the ambition of the selected work and flexibility in scheduling. Installation work to be completed no later than Aug. 1, 2021. The work will then be protected and covered until a 20-year Unveiling Dedication and Remembrance Service is held on Sept. 11, 2021.
