Proposal "MemPortal"
Section 1: Proposed Project
Artists Name: Cat Peña
Title of project: MemPortal
Location of piece (please include a photo of where the work will be placed): The sidewalk and brick planters located on the south side of the intersection at Madison and Marshall Avenue
Give a brief description of the proposed artwork: MemPortal seeks to contextualize the remnants of the historic Memphis & Charleston Railroad while enhancing the functionality of the current site. Located on the south side of the intersection of Madison and Marshall Avenue sits a walkway with a poorly maintained seating area flanked by long brick planters. This City of Memphis property is frequented mostly by the homeless population and generally littered with trash and weeds and offers the ONLY permanent public seating in the neighborhood. I plan to address the aesthetics of the site to create a space that is inviting, beautiful, and thoughtful making the site a functional place where people can enjoy the outdoors. This beautification process will be two fold: one by painting the brick planters and two by introducing new soil and plants to the planters.
In addition, a 32” x 24” sign will be strategically placed in one of the planters to give historical information about the Memphis & Charleston Railroad while directing the viewers gaze through a viewfinder to highlight the site of the old rail line.
Below is a sample of what kind of information might be included on this sign:
“If you look carefully, you will can see remnants of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad Depot which connected the Mississippi River and the Atlantic Ocean in a huge leap forward for the development of Memphis and United States in 1857. While this advancement in rail transport was used for freight services, the Memphis & Charleston catered to passenger service due to its ability to provide a direct route to the east coast -boasting a travel time to New York in 79 hours. The Memphis & Charleston passenger services were lucrative and became the first railroad to offer sleeper cars with ticket prices around $12.50 per person. Typical locomotives of the time burned a chord of wood (roughly 720 pieces of pine) evert 50 or 60 miles making for a dangerous and often smokey environment for passengers who were exposed to smoke and cinders from the wood burning engine. The Memphis & Charleston Railroad experienced 5 years of prosperity before becoming an asset to the Confederacy in the “First Railroad War” during the Civil War. By the end of the war in 1865 much of the tracks were demolished due to numerous battles. Although the recovery of the rail line occurred in 1866 it was eventually consolidated into the Southern Railway System in 1894 and designated as the Memphis Division”.
State what aspect of your research findings inspired this project: This site was part of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad which was the first national line in America to connect the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean in 1857. Much of the layout of the Edge District took shape around the placement of this rail line and very little visual evidence remains as a reminder of the significance of this site to the development of the city of Memphis and the American industrial age. My piece seeks to highlight the history of the site while asking viewers to take a step back in time and contemplate how the rail line reshaped the edge district. In addition, I researched the current and viable public spaces in the area and found that this site is one of the few functioning spaces in the neighborhood that can entice people to engage with others in a public setting.
Describe materials to be used: Masonary paint, soil preparation materials (various types of mulch and soil), plants/trees/shrubs, irrigation/water spout, 32x 24 plastic sign with a window cut out.
Give a basic timeline that includes the following; fabrication, installation, duration of work, and de-installation (if applicable). Soil preparation and planting of new vegetation: Nov. 2015- Jan. 2016 Sign placement: Nov. 2015- Jan. 2016 (sign must be placed prior to planting) Paint the brick planters: Nov. 2015- Jan. 2016 or Feb./March 2016 Site dedication event: Sunday, May 1st (a historical date in honor of the original “Wedding of the Waters” ceremony which to celebrated the completion of the MCRR on May 1st 1857 by bring Water from the Atlantic Ocean to release into the Mississippi River and vice versa)
Describe any special installation or site preparation needs: The sidewalk and brick work will need to be pressure washed prior to painting. There are several areas where the brick work is damaged or missing that should be addressed prior to the installation of this piece by Public Works. Installing a water line for irrigation to water the plants in the planters.
If your proposed piece is meant to be permanent, what kind of long term maintenance do you fore see? Re-paint the brick planters in 5-10 years (depends on how the elements and UV rays affect the paint over a long time) Including a water line at the site will maintain the investment of the new vegetation. I will select plants that will thrive at this site and should require little water outside of getting plants adjusted to the site and during long dry periods. Routine mulching and possible pruning of shrubs/trees once they reach maturity.
Section 2 : Budget:
Artist Fees: $3,000.00
Engineering & Consultant Fees: Gardens Oy Vey (landscaping plan) $300.00
Fabrication: $10,350.00
Soil Prep (materials/labor): $2,000
Plants: $2,500
Painting Planters (labor): $2,800
Paint: $650
Sign/installation: $400
Waterline: $2,000
Contingency: $500.00
Total Budget: $14,150.00
**** Since this property is owned by the City of Memphis it is entirely possible that the painting and waterline budget lines could be handled under Public Works ;0)
Section 3 : Artist Information
Led Artists name: Cat Peña
Email: catherine.pena01@gmail.com