Chihuahuan Desert Habitat Public Art Commission

The City of El Paso's Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) Public Art Program and the El Paso Zoo invite professional artists and teams living in the United States to submit qualifications for a percent-for-art commission for the Chihuahuan Desert Habitat at the El Paso Zoo. The project addresses themes of connection and wonder, seeking an artist to work with the design team and Zoo to identify appropriate sites and applications for public art, and to design, fabricate, and install artwork at the site.

The Chihuahuan Desert Habitat project will highlight the flora and fauna of the region surrounding El Paso and interpret the effects of an arroyo. Public art will support the Zoo's mission to celebrate the value of animals and natural resources and create opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature. The artwork should provide an additional layer of appreciation and understanding to animal exhibits and their ecosystems, and support the overall experience of movement through the zoo by providing elements that mark entries, transitions, and gathering places. The entire habitat is themed as an immersive desert experience featuring an arroyo exhibit, desert trails, and landscaping native to the region, with buildings and structures resembling desert vernacular architecture.

The selected artist will contract with the City of El Paso and work closely with the design team to conduct research, generate artwork proposals, prepare presentations with preliminary depictions and narrative descriptions, participate in stakeholder meetings, engage subcontractors if necessary, create construction documents, and fabricate, transport, and install the artwork. The total award is $300,000, inclusive of design, fabrication, installation, shipping, insurance, travel, and all other project-related costs. Artists must have previous public art experience and have successfully completed works of similar scope, scale, budget, and complexity. The selected artist will work with a local Allied Artist selected from the City of El Paso Allied Artist Program to assist with the project.