7 artists named to shortlist for Barney Allis Plaza reconstruction project
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Seven international artists will move onto the next phase of the selection process after they were named to the shortlist for the Barney Allis Plaza reconstruction project.
As part of the effort to recreate Barney Allis Plaza, Kansas City leaders announced on Tuesday, May 27, that they have published the shortlisted artists for the plaza’s major public art commission.
Additionally, funding for the construction of the $118 million project and garage was approved by the City Council in April. These milestones mark a major step forward for the signature space.
City leaders noted that the artist selection process for the $2.18 million commission - the city’s largest investment in public art next to the Kansas City International Airport’s new terminal - is now underway. The project differs from KCI’s as it will use just one artistic vision for the whole space, as opposed to multiple artists.
According to officials, the Request for Qualifications resulted in an overwhelming 251 submissions, which represent 37 states and 21 countries. Notably, 13 artists from the metro submitted their work to underscore strong local engagement alongside a global reach.
From the pool of applicants, Kansas City has announced that 7 internationally acclaimed artists and studios have been invited to advance to the next phase:
- Ghada Amer
- Sanford Biggers
- Paul Cocksedge
- Daily Tous Les Jours
- Hugh Hayden
- Ugo Rondinone
- Gijs Van Vaerenbergh
City leaders indicated that the selection process introduced a curatorial model to show how major civic commissions can be shaped through collaboration between museums, public art experts and civic leadership. Representatives served on a Shortlist Committee to review each submission, evaluate excellence and more.
Now, each shortlisted artist will get a stipend to develop a detailed concept proposal. A Stakeholder and the project’s curatorial arts consultant will facilitate the final selection process and make a recommendation to the Municipal Arts Commission in the coming weeks.
For more information about each of the shortlisted artists, click HERE.
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