The City of Sacramento, City of West Sacramento and British artist Joshua Sofaer are inviting people to participate in the creation of a unique public art project that involves the naming of two important spots along the Sacramento waterfront.
The project — called “River Crossing: I want to communicate with you” — asks residents to nominate people they would like to have commemorated. A panel of judges will select two names: one will become the new name of a dock in Sacramento and the other of a dock to be built in West Sacramento.
Sofaer then will create a public art installation by building large light boxes that spell out the docks’ new names in colorful maritime signals. The light boxes will be installed on each side of the river and will glow at night. The Sacramento dock runs from the Delta King in Old Sacramento to just past the Tower Bridge, and the West Sacramento dock will be built near the Ziggurat Building in Fall 2019.
To nominate someone, visit www.rivercrossing.name. Applicants will need to provide the name of the nominee and a brief written explanation of why the nominee should be chosen. Judges will select the names in August, and Sofaer will begin work on the light boxes in the fall.
“River Crossing” is funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The project is managed by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and the Art in Public Places Program.
The project also is known by the hashtag #NameTheDocks.