By Abdi Hassan Jr. and Tim Springer
The deadline has been extended for proposing designs for a new Midtown Greenway light-emitting sculpture. An advisory team composed of East Phillips residents who live near the site of the future sculpture voted to extend the deadline for responses. The previous deadline was December 3, 2021. Now artists have until February 4, 2022, to submit sculpture concepts.
The sculpture will be in the public space above the Midtown Greenway entrance ramp at 18th Avenue South, where it will provide joy, light, and wayfinding. It will be owned and maintained by the Midtown Greenway Coalition. The 29-year-old nonprofit organization stewarded the creation of the Midtown Greenway and currently serves as the community’s voice in promoting Greenway improvements, maintenance, and use.
The revised Call can be found linked at www.midtowngreenway.org. The most important criteria the Advisory Team will use when selecting three finalists is the desired impacts on viewers. Our neighborhood went through a lot in the year of 2020 which brought us together to make this a beautiful neighborhood, a safe place for our families, and a cared for area to live in. The installation of this sculpture will have a meaning of unity behind it. The desired impact we’re looking for is to amaze neighbors and Midtown Greenway trail users. We want Greenway users to look forward to showing this beautiful art to their friends and families they take on this trail. Submittals from artists prior to the December 3 deadline will be automatically kept in the running. Those artists may also submit revised proposals or submit entirely new sculpture concepts.
Three finalists will be selected by the Advisory Team to have their sculpture concepts presented to the public for voting. Eligible voters will include people who live on the two most impacted blocks, plus East Phillips residents and Midtown Greenway trail users.
