View as Webpage FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tanya Lenti | 505-768-3582  tlenti@cabq.gov August 31, 2021

City Opens Public Art Installation at Civic Plaza Honoring Community Experiences from the Pandemic “Lost & Found” to share stories of loss and learning

ALBUQUERQUE - Today Mayor Tim Keller and city leaders from the Department of Arts & Culture opened Lost & Found: Stories from the Pandemic, a temporary public art installation and community engagement opportunity at Civic Plaza. Lost & Found is a space for the community to reflect and share stories or photos of loss and/or learning since March 2020.

The temporary public art installation features more than 500 black and white paper flags designed by nine local artists. The flags represent various situations; thoughts; emotions; types of loss; hope; challenges; victories; and more felt during the pandemic.

"A lot has been lost over the last 18 months. No one felt this more deeply than those who experienced the personal loss of loved ones," said Mayor Keller. "But we, as a community, also found strength and resiliency to step up for one another and push forward. We are on a strong path to recovery today because of our community’s efforts. This space is where we can honor both the hardships and determination that defined our experiences through the pandemic."

A flag designed by Kate Coucke.

"When thinking about a design for this project, I started reflecting on our shared experience and everything that happened over this past year," explains artist Kate Coucke. "I wanted to include relatable commonalities and symbols of our collective challenges as well as representation of my own perspective..." Other artists include Susan Roden; Celine Gordon; Bette Yozell; Diane Palley; Emma Eckert; Manuel Hernandez; Jakia Fuller and Lauren Smith.

Community members can get involved by sharing their own stories of lost and found. From September 1-14, Lost & Found attendants will collect stories and/or photos that will be used in a larger video project documenting the local impact of the pandemic that will be shared with the community. Attendants will accept written stories and printed photos. They will also be available to transcribe spoken stories and/or record short videos. In-person hours will be 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4; Sunday, Sept. 5; Saturday, Sept. 11; and Sunday, Sept. 12.   In-person delivery of stories/photos to attendants at Civic Plaza is highly encouraged as it is part of the overall experience of using this shared space to share and reflect. Alternatively, community members can send their stories/photos via email to lostandfound@cabq.gov.   The goal is to collect at least 550 stories/photos (that is the number of days between March 13, 2020 and September 14, 2021).   ### 

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The City of Albuquerque's Public Art Urban Enhancement Program, one of the oldest in the country, began in 1978, with the passage of the Art in Municipal Places Ordinance. This forward thinking initiative set aside 1% of the City of Albuquerque's construction funds derived from the general obligation bond program and certain revenue bonds for the purchase or commission of works of art.   For additional information on all of the public art installations in Albuquerque, visit www.cabq.gov/publicart or www.abq311.com. For additional information on the Urban Enhancement Trust Fund visit www.cabq.gov/uetf. TTY users call 711.