The Mellwood Arts and Entertainment Center is inviting local and regional artists to submit proposals for the design and construction of a fountain to be located in the main courtyard of the art complex by early Summer 2008.

Interested artists should submit the following materials to have their work considered for the project.

• A written description of the fountain accompanied by at least three 2 dimensional renderings
• Artist Resume
• CD-rom portfolio (no slides please) with evidence of past outdoor sculpture installations

All Artist’s proposals will be anonymously viewed by a panel of artists. Based on the submitted materials, four finalists will be selected to submit a small 3 dimensional model to scale (1 foot = 1 inch) of the finished fountain.

After viewing the models, the panel of artists will make their final selection for the fountain to be constructed and installed in the MAEC courtyard.

Upon selection of the finalist, a check will be awarded of $1,500 and upon completion of the installed fountain another check of $2,000 will be awarded to the artist for a total of $3,500. The fountain and images of the fountain become the property of MAEC.

SIZE RESTRICTIONS

The base of the fountain must be 4’ in diameter to fit within the existing brickwork.

The width may expand to no larger than 7’ in diameter.

The overall height should not exceed 12’.

Materials

The finished installed fountain will need to stand up to the elements of Louisville weather conditions. Only materials that meet those issues should be used with little or no maintenance. MAEC can supply raw materials such as scrap brick, stone, metal and various found objects that could be worked into the artist’s design.

The design of the fountain should include the water pump and its specifications. (Max. head height, flow rate, etc.) The pump should be totally submersible and contained within the fountain and more than adequate for the fountain’s dimensions.

Theme of artwork

Artists are encouraged to keep in mind the past, present and future of the Mellwood Arts and Entertainment Center in their design. MAEC is a family oriented art center and submitted proposals should be suitable for all ages.

I propose a pig, lying on its back, at an incline, butt down, head spilled as though on a hinge from having its neck slit. The fountain will erupt from the approximate location of the severed carotid artery. The fountain will be a closed system, the water dyed a deep crimson. There will be a pump somewhere in all of this that will do what needs to be done. The work will be built entirely from scrap metal supplied by MAEC, and probably I should learn how to weld, but I won't, so it'll end up being a pile of crap that doesn't even look like a pig. I look forward to receiving my check for $3500.

Check's in the mail.