A new outdoor exhibit dubbed “Riverartes IV, The Art of Placemaking” opens Sunday at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art. It is a showcase of proposals for public art by sculptors of national and regional prominence.
“Riverartes IV, The Art of Placemaking” is the fourth biennial exhibition of outdoor sculpture produced by OMFA, designed to acquire a collection of public art for the City of Owensboro.
Providing operational support for this public art initiative has been Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, which has sponsored all of the Riverartes exhibitions at the art museum in the past eight years.
In lieu of the customary preview gala, a virtual tour has been produced and will be screened for public view on the museum’s website omfa.us and social media beginning Sunday.
The public is invited to view the exhibition during regular museum hours, observing all safety guidelines as recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic including wearing masks, social distancing and temperature checks.
More than 90 proposals for monumental works of art were submitted by artists from 20 states. Selection criteria for the exhibition included quality of craftsmanship; maintainability; structural and surface soundness; attention to historical, geographic and cultural content and appropriateness for public placement.
The 45 sculptures selected for the exhibition are offered for lease to local sponsors of the public art project for two-year periods. At the conclusion of the lease period, donors have the options of purchasing the sculpture for the community.
Artists whose works are selected for installation by local sponsors will receive a stipend of $2,500 per year for a two-year lease. Installation sites are selected by the City or sponsor and may be placed in the downtown and riverfront areas or in other public places throughout the City.
Opportunities for selections by local sponsors will continue through the exhibition’s ending date of Oct. 25. Installation of the works selected may begin at any time after contracts are signed and sites prepared. Potential sponsors may view the exhibition of proposals during regular museum hours or after hours by appointment.
Riverartes IV complements the expanding collection of public art at sites throughout the community, including installations at Owensboro Convention Center, RiverPark Center, Mitch McConnell Plaza, Riverfront Crossing, Daviess County Courthouse, and the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art’s Ryan Park.
The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art is located at the corner of 9th and Frederica streets and is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and weekends from 1 to 4 p.m.
Admission is free but donations are encouraged of $3 for adults and $2 for children. For more information, visit omfa.us or call 270-685-3181.
