
- PHOTO COURTESY ROCHESTER MUSEUM AND SCIENCE CENTER
- A call for artwork has been issued to replace the racist carousel artwork.
Now the city, museum, and committee are moving forward with a plan to mount a replacement panel on the carousel, and have issued a call for submissions, open to local artists. But the project comes with some specific directives: The painting must contain a black panther which, provided information states, was selected “as an historically important and respected symbol of elegance and strength for the Black community and others.” Design requirements drawn from the museum’s website follow:
— Must include a black panther, which should not exceed 1/3 of the painting, should be centered in the foreground, and face right as the carousel moves counterclockwise
— Executed in oil paint, consistent with the other carousel panels in an early 20th century realism style and using pastel, pale colors (examples on website) with no heavy impasto which will not survive over time (in moist environment, while moving)
— Horizontal format that fits within the cartouche (shaped frame) of an overall size of 24 inches tall by 40 inches long
— No signature on the art
Related Animals on the carousel? Yes. Racist art, no

Animals on the carousel? Yes. Racist art, no
Landmarks can be altered. And removing a painted panel that mocks African Americans is a darned good reason to do it.
Urban Journal
Sketches of proposals are due Sunday, May 13, and should be submitted to:
Kathryn Murano Santos
Rochester Museum & Science Center
657 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607
Finalists will be selected by Wednesday, May 18, and people are invited to vote on the finalists for the winning panel design at an open meeting on Thursday, May 19, at Central Church of Christ (101 S Plymouth Avenue). Museum representatives say that the winning artist will be compensated a $2,000 commission.
More information is available at rmsc.org.
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