City officials formally launched a search Tuesday for artists to create original, Hawaiian-themed works for display along Honolulu’s future rail transit line.
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, the semiautonomous government agency overseeing the project, has set aside $5 million for 23 to 25 pieces — sculptures and other weather-resistant artwork — to decorate the elevated rail line’s 21 stations and its maintenance facility, which officials said will have an operations center open to the public.
The budget for each piece will range from $125,000 to $450,000 based on what the piece entails, officials said. The city will compensate the selected artists with a negotiated stipend based on the size and complexity of the work, as well as the time used to create the pieces, HART CEO Dan Grabauskas said.
"For me, building rail better includes making sure we have great art in our stations," Mayor Kirk Caldwell said during a news conference to publicize the search.
Caldwell and others overseeing the rail project said they hope the art commissioned will reflect Hawaii’s history and traditions — as well as those of each station’s location along the 20-mile route.
The application process is open to artists across the globe.
"There are a lot of keiki o ka aina from Hawaii who are all over the world, and we want to invite them, as well as the rest of the world, to come and reflect in the naau, the spirit of Hawaii," HART board Vice Chairman Ivan Lui-Kwan added at the news conference.
Those interested in applying are encouraged to visit www.honolulu.gov/pur and click on "Professional Services" at the left side of the page. They can also submit an application via www. callforentry.org. Those with questions can send those via email to transitmailbox@honolulu.gov.
Artists on island can also attend a June 1 workshop on the application process at HART’s office at 1099 Alakea St., Suite 150. The session will run 9 to 11 a.m.
The application process will involve getting to know artists — their portfolios, backgrounds and knowledge of Hawaii, said Lisa Yoshihara, HART’s transit arts program administrator. The application process won’t involve specific artwork proposals, Yoshihara added.
The deadline to apply is 7:59 p.m. Hawaii time Thursday, June 20. Yoshihara said HART anticipates it will gradually select the artists during a one-year rolling period.
