LSU AgCenter Animal & Food Sciences Building Public Art Commission

The Louisiana Percent for Art Program is seeking professional artists to create permanent public artwork for the LSU AgCenter Animal & Food Sciences Building, completed in 2014. The facility houses the School of Animal Sciences and School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, with 29 main laboratories, a professional test kitchen, and a food sensory testing facility. Research areas include microbiology, immunology, disease diagnostics, molecular biology, vaccine development, genetics, reproductive biology, meat analysis, food chemistry, food safety, and functional foods.

Artwork is needed for medallion locations on all sides of the facility and for a courtyard entry space. A selected proposal will likely include at least six original designs for installation across the building's twenty-six medallion locations. The courtyard also presents an opportunity for sculpture tied to the animal and food sciences mission. Art can be figurative or abstract, and should be positive and expressive of the research and advancements generated within the building. The artwork must be durable, sturdy, stable, suitable for climate conditions, resistant to UV damage, and safe for public interaction.

The project budget is $120,000, inclusive of all costs including materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, and documentation. Applicants must be professional artists 18 and over with a minimum of five years of demonstrated professional visual art experience. Artist teams may apply with one designated lead contact. Submissions must include a chronological resume, letter of interest and artist statement, three professional references, and six images of original completed commissions (JPG or PNG, maximum 5MB per image). The deadline is June 6, 2020 at 10:59 PM CT via the CAFE system. Notifications will be issued no later than August 2020. Finalists will be invited to a mandatory site visit and optional in-person presentation, and will receive an honorarium of up to $1,500 to offset proposal development expenses.