Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity
09/07/2022
11/01/2022
$5000
$
Binghamton, New York, United States
Applicants in country of installation
Anne Bailey
The Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity is accepting qualifications from creative individuals including sculptors, landscape architects and engineers to create a commemorative memorial intertwining history, art and landscape.
The selected finalist will be asked to create a permanent commemorative statue and memorial garden on the Downtown Center campus of Binghamton University in the heart of the city of Binghamton. The location in question overlooks the Chenango River.
The statue must be constructed of durable materials capable of withstanding the elements in upstate New York. The completed project will be a space of reflection, education and memorialization of the work that abolitionist Harriet Tubman accomplished in her lifetime.
Our vision for the statue is a figurative rendering; otherwise, artists are free to share their interpretation of Tubman given her biography, the mission of the Tubman Center, the project background and the location on Binghamton University’s campus. Artists could choose to feature Tubman’s tenure as a conductor on the Underground Railroad network but they could also choose to feature Tubman’s environmental orientation (she was known for using medicinal herbs and flowers to treat fevers and other conditions of those in her care) or to emphasize her tenure as a civil war nurse, scout and battalion leader. We leave the interpretation up to each artist who submits a proposal.
The word that captures what we hope to see embodied in this statue is the word INSPIRE. We hope all who view it will be inspired to continue her brave work in the present day. An art jury, selected by the PI’s of the project, will select a pool of three potential artists who will move forward with development of models using appropriate materials.
In January 2023, three finalists will receive a $5000 honorarium. This honorarium is to be utilized for pre-proposal development, research and creation of a model sculpture. Engagement with stakeholders is required as part of the development, including Binghamton University affiliates and the community.
Please find the application form link here. Please see commission document for full project information and submission instructions.