Item 17 - AIPP-AARC_Artist Recommendation.pdf — original pdf

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Art in Public Places Asian American Resource Center Artist Selection Recommendation Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Arts Commission | September 21, 2026 AIPP Standard Process & Project Goals ▪ Eligibility • at least 18 years of age • Experience creating permanent artwork in materials suitable for the outdoors • Artists who have three or more permanent commissions represented in the AIPP public art collection; artists who are currently under an active contract for a permanent AIPP project; and artists who have completed a permanent AIPP project within the past year are not eligible to apply. ▪ Submission Requirements • CV/Resume • 10-images of completed relevant artworks with descriptions • Short response questions • 3 professional references ▪ Selection Criteria • Artistic merit, creative capacity, technical expertise of past work • Enthusiasm and ability in creating site-specific public artwork and working • Demonstrated experience in the field of public art with local communities ▪ Selection Process • 3 visual arts professionals voting panelists • Additional community and City staff advise by providing knowledge about the • 1 round; score offline for short list, live discussion and vote site, the community, the neighborhood, and the sponsor project 1. A work of art of redeeming quality that advances public understanding of visual art and enhances the aesthetic quality of public places 2. Conceptualizes a strong overall artwork design approach that integrates with the site and surrounding natural environment Is easily maintained and vandal resistant in an exterior environment Is permanent with an expected life span of at least 20 years 3. 4. 2 Asian American Rescource Center (AARC) Budget $90,000 Funding Type Capital Improvement Project Sponsor Dept Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) Address 8401 Cameron Rd, Austin, TX 78754 Council District 1 3 AARC Call Summary / Site History: • One artist or artist-led team • Outdoors, 2D or 3D • Centers around development of a multipurpose pavilion integrated with existing great lawn • Envisioned as a flexible, year-round venue designed to host a variety of small to medium-sized programs and events Artwork Goals: • AIPP standard programmatic goals + • Speaks to and represents the Asian American experience in Austin, Texas, including • Diaspora, migration • Belonging, setting roots • Identity making, Asian American History, and/or local community building 4 AARC Eligibility: • Austin-based - visual artists in the seven counties bounding the Austin metro area (Travis, Hays, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell, Burnet, and Blanco) • Mid-career artist or artist-led team - Public artists are recognized in their fields and have a track record of exhibits, engaging communities, and completed projects in the public art realm. Minimum of five relevant completed projects with budgets up to $100,000. Selection Criteria: • Artistic merit, creative capacity, technical expertise of past work (30%) • Enthusiasm and ability in creating site-specific public artwork and working with local communities (40%) • Demonstrated experience in the field of public art (30%) Estimated Timeline: • Call Open Summer 2026 • Artist Contracted Late Fall 2026 • Artwork complete and installed by end of 2028 5 Selection Panelists • Manik Nakra - Artist, AIPP artist manikrajnakra.com • Beili Liu – Artist, AIPP artist beililiu.com • Yasmeen Arkadan – Artist yasmeenarkadan.com VOTING NON-VOTING Advisory • Christine Pasculado - Organizer of Pinoy Potluck, Staff at George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center, ACME, • Ben Aqua - Artist, Musician benaqua.org/info • • Lindsay Hutchens - AIPP Coordinator, ACME Jaime Castillo - AIPP Manager, ACME Leila Grace Pandy, Supervisor of Culture & Arts Education at Asian American Resource Center, ACME • • Matrex Kilgore, Division Manager, ACME • Christina Bies, Sponsor Project Manager, Capital Delivery Services • David Sweere, Sponsor Project Design, Trahan Architects 6 Recommended Artist Elizabeth Akamatsu Elizabeth Akamatsu’s work is visually compelling and demonstrates extensive experience and a strong understanding of public art. Her colorful and playful compositions are inviting, creating space for viewers to engage with the artwork. There is a sense of lightness in her work; the use of cutouts allow light, shadow, and movement to pass through the sculpture, creating a dynamic, layered experience. I also appreciate the personal perspective she brings to her work, particularly how her Asian identity and heritage inform the themes she explores. This gives her work a distinctive point of view and highlights her potential to engage AARC's community and incorporate its perspectives and experiences into the final artwork. Examples from her previous work also show how she is able to incorporate a functional aspect to the sculptures, such as the “Dogwood Benches.” Creating a work that people can use and interact with could help draw visitors and encourage engagement with the site. Her portfolio also includes wall-mounted work, demonstrating her versatility and ability to create a successful piece for either proposed site. - Yasmeen Arkadan 7 Recommended Artist Elizabeth Akamatsu This artist has the experience and technical expertise for projects in similar scope to this one. The shadow play her sculptures create is my main attraction. I appreciate the color sense and contrast it would create with the current lotus flower scultpure. Her pegasus sculpture reminds me of the major roles animal mythologies play in Asian culture. - Manik Nakra 8 Recommended Alternate Artist Candy Yu Yen Kuo Candy Kuo’s work stands out for its ability to combine bold, vibrant imagery with intricate detail through thoughtful storytelling. Her murals have a strong visual presence that would make excellent use of the large blank wall beneath the balcony. I believe the level of detail in her work would invite viewers to slow down, sit, and observe the mural for extended periods. Beyond the visual impact of her work, I appreciate the depth and thoughtfulness behind her murals. Her work explores identity, place, and community while incorporating elements that reflect the character of each site. Her experience with community-centered public art would be especially valuable for this project, allowing her to create a mural that feels both visually compelling and meaningful to the people who experience it. - Yasmeen Arkadan Technical expertise, artistic design and aesthetic quality, public art experience. - Beili Liu 9 Recommended Artist: Elizabeth Akamatsu Recommended Alternate Artist: Candy Yu Yen Kuo 1 0