Flora and Fauna

Public Art Commission for the City of Emeryville

Flora and Fauna
October 2010 to January 2011
Large format photographs of
sculptural details

Excerpt from the Request for Qualifications document

Flora and fauna is a reference to plant and wildlife. The geographical region of Emeryville is rich in flora and fauna, which includes a range of indigenous plant and animal species that have been a part of the area over time.
Flora can refer to a group of a plant or a group of plants. The root of the word is floral, which means pertaining to flowers. Fauna refers to the animals of a certain region, time period, or environment. Fauna is also of Latin origin. The Roman mythological gods Fauna and Faunus were regarded as spirits of the forest.
Flora and fauna may also be explained in biological and environmental terms. The study of both flora and fauna is undertaken by a number of disciplines including biology, environmental science, conservation, and landscape architecture and design. Though the specific theme signifies the region’s flora and fauna, the Request for Proposals is not restricted solely to representational works or actual interpretations of plant and animal life. Abstracted, imagined and inspired variations on the theme will also be considered and welcomed. Images drawn from scientific exploration, natural history and nature in the city are a few examples of thematic extensions.
As the range of interpretations are potentially quite broad, it is critical that submitting artists consider that a chief goal of this project and the Emeryville Art in Public Places Program is to create public art that inspires delight for all those who see it, while fostering awareness of the arts and the local art community in Emeryville. The installation of the works will be in bus shelters throughout Emeryville. The bus shelters will serve as art sites and offer the potential to introduce work to a new audience.