Kiku Crossing - Parking Garage Art

MidPen Housing is seeking 1-2 artists to create images to be printed on four façade panels of a 5-story parking garage as part of an affordable housing development in San Mateo, CA. The development, called Kiku Crossing, will consist of workforce housing and public parking at two adjacent downtown parcels located half a mile from the San Mateo Caltrain Station at 480 East 4th Avenue and 400 East 5th Avenue. The residential building will consist of up to 225 rental units for families in a 7-story structure, including one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments as well as studios.

The artist(s) will work with MidPen Housing and the Civic Arts Committee of San Mateo through a design review process. Artists are solely responsible for creating high-quality digital images and will not be involved in production or installation. The facades are made of permeable material ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet. Image files must be 100-300 dpi high resolution. A color version as well as a greyscale version may be requested. The manufacturer recommends avoiding red pigmented colors.

The project themes center on transportation/mobility and social justice, with suggested inspiration including Caltrain infrastructure, dismantling segregation, dense urban communities, local ecology, Indigenous histories (the Ramaytush Ohlone), immigration histories, and racial and social justice movements. The name "Kiku" references the Japanese word for chrysanthemum, cultivated by the Japanese immigrant community in San Mateo County in the late 19th/early 20th century. "Crossing" reflects convergence and movement associated with the adjacent Caltrain railroad tracks.

Up to four finalists will be selected and each will receive $1,000. Selected artists will be commissioned $10,000 per panel design. One artist may design all four panels, or two artists may design two panels each. Applications must include an artist bio, portfolio of up to ten images, and a statement of interest (up to 2,000 words if written, or a video/audio statement of 2 minutes maximum). Work sample requirements: minimum 3 images, maximum 10 images; maximum 1 audio file; maximum 1 video file; total samples minimum 3, maximum 11. Local artists (City of San Mateo, San Mateo County, Bay Area) will be given preference. The final artwork must be approved by the City's Civic Arts Committee and must be unique; artists must agree not to reproduce the work elsewhere and must sign a waiver stating that images become the property of MidPen and the City of San Mateo. Application deadline: 9:00 AM on Monday, February 8, 2021. Contact: [email protected] or [email protected].