Baltimore County seeks community input on COVID-19 art memorial project at Lake Roland – Baltimore Fishbowl

Baltimore County is moving forward with a public art memorial to honor the lives lost to COVID-19 and honor all those affected by the virus. 

The memorial will be located at Lake Roland Park, which sits on more than 500 acres with nature trails, a dog park, walking paths, playgrounds, and pavilions. 

The public art installation will create a meditative space for remembrance and contemplation for those who have died from the coronavirus. The proposed site is near one of the pavilions and trails entrance.

COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 Baltimore County residents, according to county officials.

The Baltimore County Arts Guild and the Maryland State Arts Council held a nationwide search for an artist who could accomplish the county’s vision and mission. After more than 70 proposals, judges selected Los Angeles-based artist James Dinh.

Dinh holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture and is currently the president of studiofolia in California, where he designs spaces through public art and landscape. 

According to a news release, “James Dinh’s work not only exemplified his strong sense of innovation and creativity, his vision aligned with the expressed desires of the Baltimore County community.” 

Baltimore County arts staff and James Dinh are now looking to the community for help with inscriptions to be placed on the “mending wall” of the memorial installation. 

The search is for poetry that captures any aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to honest and personal experiences surrounding family, careers, frontline workers, shopping, self-care, food, routine, isolation, community, worries, hopes, and fears. 

Any form of poetry can be submitted for consideration but entries will be selected based on available space and the vision of the artist. 

The submission deadline is Feb. 3 at 4:30 p.m. Individuals should email their submissions to publicart@baltimorecountymd.gov with “Covid-19 Art” as the subject.

The poem or inscription can either be written in the body of the email or in an attached PDF, but no links or outside files will be accepted. Be sure to include your name, contact information, title of your piece, and word count.