About the artist

Mel Chin, from Houston, Texas, is known for the broad range of approaches in his art, including works that require multi-disciplinary, collaborative teamwork and works that conjoin cross-cultural aesthetics with complex ideas. He developed Revival Field (1989-ongoing), a project that pioneered the field of “green remediation,” the use of plants to remove toxic, heavy metals from the soil. A current project, Fundred Dollar Bill/Operation Paydirt, focuses on national awareness and prevention of childhood lead-poisoning through art-making. Mel is also well known for his iconic sculptures and installations, works that often address the importance of memory and collective identity, and for inserting art into unlikely places, including destroyed homes, toxic landfills, and even popular television, investigating how art can provoke greater social awareness and responsibility.

About the team

The Tie that Binds was Commissioned by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) for CURRENT:LA Water, the City’s inaugural Public Art Biennial.

Mel Chin would like to thank the following:

Project Partners
Clockshop: Julia Meltzer, Mackenzie Hoffman, Savannah Wood, Tom Kracauer, and Jesusdaniel Barba
California State Parks: Sean Woods, Stephanie Campbell and Helen Boek

Landscape Architects
Calvin Abe, ABHE Landscape Architects and Glen Dake, DakeLuna Consultants

Project Team
Amanda Wiles, Special Projects, Mel Chin Studio
Corrina Mehiel, Installation Team Leader, Mel Chin Studio
Consuelo Velasco, Los Angeles Liaison & Take Me to the River Planner
Karen Moss, Curatorial Advisor, CURRENT:LA Water
Joy Anderson, Site Coordinator, CURRENT:LA Water
Bradley Marshall, Printmaker, Mel Chin Studio

Designer
Tom Kracauer

Landscape Contractors
Garden installations at the Bowtie and model Mirror Sites and additional support provided by Pierre Landscape.  Special thanks to the Pierre Landscape crew: David Fischer-Militaru, Jovane Camacho, Jorge Ceja, Desi Ruvalcaba, Jorge Betitez, Gonzalo M. Romero, Alberto Estrada, and Nuan Amaya.

Native Plants
Plants for the Bowtie and Mirror Sites generously donated by Village Nurseries.

Blueprint Makers
Hilda Maria Del Real Izaguirre, Dawn Wang, Antonio Martinez and Raghubir Kintisch

Mirror Makers
Yrneh Gabon, Gracie Dixon, Karen Hinchcliffe, Raghubir Kintisch,Noemie Lichtert-Despland, Margo Mullen, Okailey Okai, Carolina Ibarra-Mendoza and Hilda Maria Del Real Izaguirre. 

Surveyor
Hennon Surveying and Mapping Inc.

Production Crew
Rob, Jon and Victoria Hennon, Raul Balthazar, Yrneh Gabon, Kenzo Martinez, Emily Hopkins, Jon Lapointe, Kyle Welker, Karley Sullivan, Jamie Costa, Juan Rivera, Erika Hirugami, Blake Meyers, Christopher Wawrinofsky, and special thanks to Luna!

Web Developer
Martin Spellerberg

Videographer
Teresa Flores, with drone footage at the Bowtie provided by Travis Geske.

Additional Thanks
Lili Singer and the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants for plant advisement and educational resources.
Dyson&Womack, producers of CURRENT:LA Water

Academic Partners
California Poly Pomona, Department of Landscape Architecture
Otis College of Art and Design | MFA Public Practice

The Tie that Binds: Mirror of the Future is commissioned by Department of Cultural Affairs for Current: LA Water Public Art Biennial 2016.  CURRNT:LA is made possible by the support of the Department of Cultural Affairs, The City of Los Angeles, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.

The Tie that Binds: Mirror of the Future is produced by Mel Chin in partnership with California State Parks, The Bowtie Project, Clockshop, Otis College of Art and Design MFA Public Practice, and Cal Poly Pomona Department of Landscape Architecture.  Gardens installed by Pierre Landscape. All plants for Bowtie and the initial mirror gardens generously provided by Village Nurseries.  Additional project partners and supporters listed here.

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