Call Detail
Prospectus #251 T.I.M.E Los Alamos
Entry Deadline: 3/22/19
Application Closed
Work Sample Requirements
Images | Minimum:Min. 0, Maximum:Max. 10
Video | Minimum:Min. 0, Maximum:Max. 3
Total Samples | Minimum:Min. 0, Maximum:Max. 10
Call Type: Public Art
Eligibility: Local
State: New Mexico

Project Intent

The strongest proposals will be works that engage the temporary nature of this series of installations and relate strongly to the cultural and environmental histories of the area.  Site-specific and ephemeral works are encouraged. Artwork should appeal to both local residents and visitors to the area. No artwork requiring concrete pads or other environmentally damaging approaches will be considered. The artist will return the installation site to its original condition during scheduled artwork removal, subject to the approval of the site representative. Media must be low maintenance, safe for both children and adults, ADA compliant, and not leave a permanent mark on the environment when removed.

Site Information

Artworks will be located in exterior locations in and around Los Alamos. Specific sites for the artwork will be determined by the requirements of the selected artwork in conjunction with the T.I.M.E Project Selection Committee. Potential artwork sites may include Ashley Pond, Los Alamos Nature Center, White Rock Visitor Center, local parks, museums, government buildings, and other sites in and around Los Alamos.  We will do our best to accommodate site-specific works. Access to electricity may be available at some of the sites. To prevent irreparable environmental damage, no large holes may be dug or foreign organic materials released into the environment. Artwork must also be sufficiently secured against high winds and intense weather conditions that often arise in New Mexico. The artist understands that their artwork may be subject to damage, vandalism or theft at any time.  New Mexico Arts, Los Alamos County, and participating sites, will not be responsible for such occurrences.

Project Amount

$2,000 per project is available for up to five artists/artist teams. This amount includes all applicable expenses that the artist may incur while creating the artwork, such as materials, labor, insurance, taxes, installation, and retrieval of the artwork. Artists will be paid in two phase payments. The first phase payment of $1,000 will be made after the contract is approved. The second phase payment of $1,000 will be made after the artwork is installed and all required documentation materials are received. There is no medical or workers’ compensation insurance provided by the State of New Mexico or the host sites. Artists will be responsible for providing coverage. All selected artists will be required to enter into a Public Artist Agreement with New Mexico Arts.

Eligibility

This project is open to New Mexico residents aged 18 years and older. Artists in all stages of their careers are encouraged to apply.

Timeline

Friday, February 22, 2019                            Project Announced

Friday, March 22, 2019                                Submission Deadline

Monday, April 1, 2019                                  Artists Notified

Sunday, June 30, 2019                                 Artwork Installation Deadline

Wednesday-Sunday, July 10-14, 2019           Official Opening/ Los Alamos ScienceFest

Saturday, August 31, 2019                           Removal of artwork

This timeline is subject to change. The selection criteria used by the Selection Committee shall include, but is not limited to: Quality of project concept, thoroughness of proposal, quality of past work, and how the artwork relates to the culture and history of Los Alamos, the environment, and the project theme: Aha!

Submission Requirements

Please read the following information carefully as incomplete or late submissions will not be accepted. Supplemental information beyond what is requested will not be reviewed by the Selection Committee. Failure to provide any of the published requirements will result in disqualification from the competition.

Please provide:

  • A detailed description, including dimensions, materials, installation, lifespan, interactivity, content and physical impact. Please tell us what your proposed artwork means to you and what you're trying to communicate.
  • Proposed artwork image(s). One (1) to Four (4) images. Please review and follow the image preparation guide on CaFÉ.
  • CV or resume listing relevant experience, including temporary environmental art installations, if applicable.
  • Six images of previously completed work. Please review and follow the image preparation guide on CAFÉ.
  • An annotated image list containing the title, media, dimensions, year of completion and if applicable, project description, budget, and commissioning agency.
  • A well thought out clean-up plan. You may not leave anything behind and you must return the site to its original state.

 

References for the Theme: Aha!

Los Alamos County has successfully used the brand “Where Discoveries are Made,” to honor the history of innovation in the area, and current cutting edge work of their world-class research facilities. The theme for T.I.M.E 2019 Los Alamos County is: Aha! Artists are asked to engage with this idea that conveys a sense of wonder, discovery, or a “eureka moment.” Artists are asked to respond to the theme through a sense of place within the natural environment, arts, history, and culture of the area.

Some working definitions of Aha! Include:

  • The act of uttering exclamations, a word or phrase used in exclamation.
  • Used to express surprise, discovery, or understanding.
  • Aha! Is an interjection. An interjection is a word or phrase that is grammatically independent from the words around it, and mainly expresses feeling rather than meaning.

About Los Alamos

About 1.6 million years ago, the first series of volcanic eruptions initiated the creation of today’s most scenic landmarks in Los Alamos. Most notably, the Pajarito Plateau’s mesas and canyons where Los Alamos communities eventually settled; and the Jemez Mountains that surround a 3,000-foot deep caldera, part of the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve.

Starting in approximately 1150 AD, Ancestral Pueblo people began to build permanent settlements on the Pajarito Plateau. Ancestors of current Native American tribes commonly referred to as Anasazi, built communities and inhabited the Los Alamos area between 1150 AD and the 16th century.

In the decades leading up to the turn of the 20th century, the Pajarito Plateau experienced the cultures and influences of a new generation of settlers – from Spanish land grant holders to homesteaders, merchants, farmers, and ranchers.

In 1917, one of the most successful ranches, the Alamos Ranch, was purchased by Ashley Pond, a Detroit entrepreneur and former “Rough Rider.” Pond converted the working ranch to the Los Alamos Ranch School where “privileged eastern boys might become robust learned men.” The natural depression that occasionally filled with water on the property came to be known as Ashley Pond. Twenty-six years later, the remote location and existing infrastructure of buildings and roads around the school would make it the ideal choice when the United States Government needed to secure a location to base Project Y of the top-secret Manhattan Project.

In 1943, the school closed and in its’ place gathered some of the world’s greatest scientific minds tasked with unlocking the secrets hidden in the atom. Led by J. Robert Oppenheimer, a physicist at the University of California, this group of men and women conducted fundamental research which led to the world’s first atomic bomb.

Most of the hundreds of temporary war-time buildings of the Manhattan Project era are gone, but remaining in the historic heart of Los Alamos are former ranch school buildings that also served the Manhattan Project. Fuller Lodge, designed by famed architect John Gaw Meem, is a massive vertical-log structure built in 1928, to serve as the Ranch School dining hall. After World War II, wings were added when it was converted to a hotel.

World War II ended in 1945, due in part to the work done at Los Alamos. In 1947, the Atomic Energy Commission assumed ownership and began building a modern town to support the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. In 1957, the security gates came down and property was sold to private individuals. Since then the town has continued to grow.

Today, as LANL continues to produce world-class science and technology, keen entrepreneurs are finding new applications for Lab-born innovations in the international marketplace. The Art, history, science, culture, recreational and outdoor activities of the area provides a wealth of opportunities for residents and visitors of Los Alamos County; including three national parks, a 150+ mile trail network, museums and cultural centers such as the Bradbury Science Museum and Los Alamos Nature Center, outdoor recreation such as Pajarito Mountain ski area, mountain biking, hiking, camping, birding, and cultural events including free outdoor concerts, lectures and the renowned Los Alamos ScienceFest. Los Alamos County offers experiences that cultivate curiosity and create aha moments every day.

Useful Links

http://www.visitlosalamos.org/

https://www.losalamosnm.us/cms/one.aspx?portalid=6435810&pageid=6509934

https://www.losalamoshistory.org/

Past T.I.M.E. projects

Questions/Follow Up

Please contact Meredith Chapman-Doborski or Anna Blyth if you are interested in applying to T.I.M.E 2019 and have general questions regarding T.I.M.E, email: Meredith.Doborski@state.nm.us or Anna.Blyth@state.nm.us

A State of New Mexico W-9 is required with submission. Below you will find a link to the State W9 form. Please fill out the form and email to Meredith.Doborski@state.nm.us. An actual signature is required on the W9 form. If you would like to sign up for direct deposit, a copy of a voided check is required.

http://nmarts.org/assets/files/grants/fy19_cycle/SoNM_SUBSTITUTE_W_9_Form___Secured__1.pdf

Selected artists for the temporary installations will be required to enter into a Public Artist Agreement with New Mexico Arts. Sample copies of the agreements are available upon request. It is unlawful for artists to solicit opinions or viewings from individual members of the Selection Committee prior to the committee review and will result in disqualification from the competition. We reserve the right to refuse submissions, to refuse any finalist, to waive formal procedures, or to withhold the award of a purchase or commission should it be determined that submissions are not acceptable. Application to this project constitutes agreement to abide by all applicable program guidelines.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria