Urbandale Seeks Artists For 2018-19 Exhibit

URBANDALE, IA — The Urbandale Public Art Committee is looking for new sculptures to display in the city's Art Park as part of an annual exhibition that will change in March. The committee is accepting applications now from area artists and will choose three or four new works.

All of the sculptures selected must be the artist's original creations, from concept to execution. Pieces must be available for purchase with a listed cost that includes a 25 percent commission on pieces sold during the exhibition year.

Currently the art park, 3600 86th St., has three sculptures on display that are for sale. A fourth piece is on loan from the Urbandale school district. Those sculptures will remain on view until the next installation. Current pieces that are located in the art park are:

• "Forever Broken" by Kevin Casey, a $4,000 stainless steel piece that the artist says is based on the concept of infinity and "looks as though it was once continuous and has been broken, speaking to the idea of eternity and its impossibility."
• "Portal" by Victoria (Reed) Nieman and Keenan Lampe, a $15,000 metal and lighted sculpture designed to be integrated with its surroundings, but distort perception. The artists said it "seems fractured and when illuminated half obscures its own light with the very material it is built from, a means to describe our imperfect understanding and to hint at the sublime that is just beyond our comprehension."
• "Split Seam" by Timothy Jorgensen, an $8,000 metal sculpture that represents the moment a seed erupts and grows upward to continue the life cycle of a plant.
• "Departure," the piece on loan, was created by Urbandale High School student Kendra Case and represents the end of high school and leaving family to start toward a future career by attending college.

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Artists selected to display their work will receive a $1,500 stipend for loaning the piece and participating in the formal opening for the new sculptures, including a presentation about the sculpture and a brief video to post on the city’s website. The artist covers the cost of equipment and labor for delivery, installation and removal of the artwork.

Artists interested in submitting a piece for consideration should complete an application and include a narrative of the artist’s concept and date of creation, a detailed explanation of how the piece will be secured or anchored when installed, photos of the artwork, a biography, and a list of professional references. The material may be sent by email to Park and Recreation Director Jan Herke, jherke@urbandale.org, or mailed to her attention at: Urbandale Art Park Exhibition, 3600 86th St., Urbandale, IA 50322.

The deadline is 1 p.m. Nov. 20. For information, call 515-331-6793. Selected artists will be notified in early January.

Image via City of Urbandale website