The James New York: Pillar Project

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

THE JAMES NEW YORK: THE PILLAR PROJECT

-The James New York in downtown Manhattan (SoHo) has built a reputation with its commitment to the arts, its numerous collaborations and its collection of work by emerging artists. Over 30 artists and designers have had their work acquired by the hotel and 14 artists each have a corridor devoted to their collected works on permanent exhibition.

-You can see some of the artists and works here: http://www.jameshotels.com/Art.aspx?city=New-York

MURAL/INSTALLATION NEEDED:

The Urban Garden at The James New York is the next location for a new installation. In the center of the garden there is a tall rectangular cement pillar that is a major focal point of the entire outdoor garden space. The garden is a multi-tiered, mixed-use space and currently has sculptural works made of reclaimed materials by artists Mike Calway-Fagen and Sharon Levy.

-Images of the pillar and site: http://thejamespillarproject.blogspot.com/

-Interested artists are welcome to stop by the hotel and view the site in person. The entrance to the hotel is at 27 Grand Street near Sixth Avenue, New York, NY.

-We are looking for work that is visually engaging, contemporary and a clear extension of the selected artist's ongoing work and aesthetic. It does not have to look like murals look. Experimental, conceptual and text-based installations will be given equal consideration to works that are purely visual.

DEADLINE:

-Proposals should be submitted by midnight on September 12, 2012.

ELIGIBILITY:

-The project is open to artists who do not currently have work in the collection at the James New York.

BUDGET:

-The budget of the project is approximately $8,000, which comprises approximately $5,000 for materials and labor and an artist fee of $3,000.

-A three-night stay will also be given to the selected artist at the time of installation to accommodate artists living outside of New York and to make the process smoother while working and installing at the site.

-Other travel needs for the selected artist will be worked out on a case-by-case basis.

REQUIREMENTS:

-Interested artists should be familiar with and have experience installing work on exterior surfaces. The mural and applied materials need to withstand the elements. The pillar gets full summer sun and is exposed to the rain, snow and wind throughout the year. While it is expected that the work will weather and age it should maintain its visual impact.

-Should the work need touch-up over the years, artists should be open and prepared to return to make the necessary improvements. Compensation for repairs and travel will be handled should the need arise.

ABOUT THE SITE:

-The pillar is approximately 8’ x 3’ 1’’ x 40’ and the height varies depending on which surface the measurement is taken.

-The pillar is made of cement and the surface is untreated and imperfect.

-The north face of the pillar is the most important to address with the work. It faces most of the action in the garden and can be seen from the street, elevator and lobby.

-Please see the images at the below link for an idea of the area that the mural/proposal should address. Feel free to push your idea as far as you see fit given the budget.

-Images and details are organized and available here: http://thejamespillarproject.blogspot.com/

SUBMISSIONS:

- Interested artists should send an updated CV and a brief statement that explains their specific proposal, the installation requirements and materials to be used.

- Artists should send 5-8 images of previous work and related installations.

- A simple rendering of your idea will strengthen your proposal but is not required. Images of the pillar can be pulled from the above link for use in a mock-up.

- If possible, please submit your proposal as a single PDF with your Last_FirstName as the file name. Otherwise all documents should come under the cover of a single email.

- PDFs should have the artist’s CV first, followed by a brief project description, followed by renderings and concluding with images of previous work.


TIMELINE AND SEMI-FINALISTS:

-The finalist will be selected on or by September 12, 2012 and a short list of semi-finalists will be included in the press release.

- Installation should take sometime in early October. The hotel will work with the selected artist to figure out this exact timeframe.

-Images of the final installation will be incorporated into various press and social media outreach initiatives.

-The semi-finalists will be invited to the unveiling and given the opportunity to show their work (or images of their work) during the event. Should the finalist become unavailable, a replacement will be selected from the semi-finalists.

EMAIL SUBMISSIONS TO:

- [email protected]

-Subject line: Submission/Firstname Lastname

-Please use the body of the email to ask any further questions.

-No phone calls please.


ABOUT THE JAMES NEW YORK

The James New York debuted in September 2010 anchoring the southwest corner of Grand and Thompson Streets in SoHo. In continuation of the brand’s support for the arts, The James New York features a permanent collection of work by local emerging artists on each of their 14 guestroom floors. Unique event spaces and impeccable attention to detail are found throughout. The hotel boasts the highly acclaimed restaurant David Burke Kitchen in addition to a rooftop bar and lounge, Jimmy; an Urban Garden designed by horticulturist Rebecca Cole; a rooftop pool; exclusive uniform designs by Andrew Buckler; a Penthouse Loft designed by Piet Boon; and a captivating Sky Lobby accessible by a signature glass elevator. Follow The James New York on Twitter, @JameshotelNY, Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/#!/JamesHotels, and Pinterest http://pinterest.com/thejameshotel/pins/.