The city of New Orleans, Evacuteer.org and the Arts Council of New Orleans recently unveiled a 14-foot stainless steel sculpture at the entrance of Armstrong Park. The installation represents one of 17 public art displays that will be used to designate neighborhood pick-up points across the city as part of the City-Assisted Evacuation plan. The sculptures will identify locations points where citizens without transportation can report to in the event of a mandatory evacuation to take part in the city-assisted evacuation plan.
“New Orleanians will now have a clearly identifiable landmark in their neighborhood that serves as public safety and public art,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu in a press release. “Citizens who count on the city for transportation in the event of a mandatory evacuation will know exactly where to go. I want to thank Evacuteer.org and the Arts Council of New Orleans for bringing this unique project together.”
The total cost of the project is $200,000. The funding for the project comes from the city’s Percent for Art program administered by the Arts Council, individuals who donated to Evacuteer.org’s Magic Bucket fundraiser and a grant from the Centers for Disease Control Foundation. All donors to the Evacuspots campaign will be listed on the sculpture at the Armstrong Park location.
The statues were designed by Douglas Kornfeld, a sculptor from Cambridge, Mass., who won a nationwide competition held by the Arts Council. All installations are expected to be in place by the end of July. Hurricane season officially began June 1.
“Emergency preparedness and public art are things people typically don’t associate. But we do things differently in New Orleans,” said Robert X. Fogarty, board president and co-founder of Evacuteer.org.
The city-assisted evacuation pick-up points are designed to be easily identifiable and stand out throughout the city.
“This is a great example of how art can work to advance civic priorities,” said Kim Cook, President/CEO of the Arts Council, in a press release.
For more information about CAE and location maps, go to http://ready.nola.gov. To learn more about Evacuteer.org, visit http://www.evacuteer.org.
