A statue memorializing U.S. Rep. Patsy T. Mink will be erected in the State Capitol District while symbolic artwork honoring U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye will be integrated into the library that will bear his name at the University of Hawaii.

A planning committee approved the locations at a meeting Friday and fleshed out possible forms the artwork will take, taking into account the wishes of the relatives of the two leaders who helped shape Hawaii.

"The family is adamant that it not be a likeness of him," said Jennifer Sabas-Goto, longtime aide to Inouye and a member of the committee. Instead, she said they’d like something symbolic of what he stood for — freedom, fairness and integrity — that reflects his quiet style, "nothing flashy."

Earlier this year the Hawaii Legislature appropriated $250,000 to commission a sculpture honoring Inouye, who died in December at age 88, and another $250,000 for one to honor Mink, who died in 2002 at age 74. The Hawai’i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, which is managing the projects, put out a call for artists this summer and received 94 applications, according to Executive Director Eva Laird Smith.

The projects will be paid for through the Works of Art special fund, money from the 1 percent set aside from the cost of capital improvement projects undertaken by the state.

Mink’s family hopes the statue serves as a gathering place for thoughtful reflection on her life, and would like to see it on the grounds of the Hawaii State Library, where she spent many hours reading to her daughter, Wendy. It is in the heart of the area where she served at various levels of government, including Honolulu Hale and Iolani Palace, which was the site of the Territorial Legislature.

Her relatives want the statue to reflect "her fiery personality, her passion … and many accomplishments in all levels of government," said Allicyn Tasaka, another member of the committee.

The call for artists was open to all, with a preference for Hawaii residents. The applicants will be winnowed down on criteria including artistic merit, appropriateness of their medium and previous professional experience. Design competitions are likely to be held later.

The committee envisions that the Mink memorial will be fashioned from bronze and stone, while the Inouye artwork likely will be made of stone, but materials will depend on the architectural design of the Daniel K. Inouye library, which will house his papers at UH’s Manoa campus.

While the legislation authorizing the memorials has a timeline, the committee may ask the Legislature for some flexibility given that the Inouye memorial is linked to the library, which is still in the early stages of planning. The placement and timing of the statue for Mink could depend on the outcome of the Capitol District Master Plan that is underway.

A summary of the symbolic meaning proposed for the Inouye memorial includes the words "Friendship before politics. Country before political party. Honor above all else."

The committee shepherding the memorial selection includes Tasaka and Gladys Quinto Marrone, representing Mink; Momi Cazimero and Sabas-Goto, representing Inouye; and staff from the Hawai’i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the Department of Accounting and General Services.

Inouye, a World War II hero who lost his arm on the battlefield, endured racism but remained loyal to his country. He dominated the political landscape in Hawaii and rose to become the senior member of the U.S. Senate, third in the line of presidential succession.

Elected in 1964, Mink was the first Asian-American woman to serve in Congress. A vigorous champion for civil rights, education, women’s rights and the environment, she also served in President Jimmy Carter’s administration and as a member of the Honolulu City Council.

Having a statue built as a memorial is a rare honor. In the downtown area, Queen Liliuokalani and FatherDamien flank the entrances to the state Capitol, while King Kamehameha’s striking physique draws a constant stream of tourists to King Street.

A few blocks away, Robert Wilcox, a revolutionary and U.S. congressional delegate, stands at the entrance of Fort Street Mall.