Memorial to the People Enslaved at Ashland

The Henry Clay Memorial Foundation, in partnership with LexArts, seeks an artist or artist team to create a public artwork for the Memorial to the People Enslaved at Ashland. This Request for Qualifications invites proposals for a visual marker on the Ashland estate that engages the descendant community by incorporating stories passed down through families and community lore. The Foundation expects to commission three experienced public artists and realize one proposal by June 2025.

Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate, is a 17-acre historic green space in Lexington, Kentucky, and Kentucky's first National Historic Landmark. During Henry Clay's tenure as state legislator, U.S. Senator, Speaker of the House, and U.S. Secretary of State, the mansion, crops, and livestock were tended by enslaved persons. The artwork should be site-specific and scaled with sensitivity to the historic landscape. Media may be any format, with additional interest in augmented reality and new media. The artwork will be outdoors and should have a physical presence on the site. The exact location on the estate is to be determined, with areas of interest based on archeological findings.

The project budget is $250,000 and must include travel, research, design, execution, insurance, taxes, site preparation, and materials. Phase 1 requires submission of a current resume, 5 digital images of past public artwork, and an optional one-page artist statement. Finalists selected in March 2023 will be paid $2,500 to develop a design proposal due June 30, 2023. Selection criteria include resonance with the project description, artistic distinction, public safety, low maintenance/durability, and contextual integration. There is no application fee. For more information, contact Nathan Zamarron, LexArts Community Arts Director, at [email protected].