Public Art at New East San Jose Carnegie Library Hails Nature, Local Wildlife
This month San Jose celebrates the opening of the new East San Jose Carnegie Branch Library, with public art created by Joyce Cutler Shaw.
The new library features two public art elements.
Lightlines, a sculpture fabricated from aluminum coils, is suspended from the building’s ceiling trusses in and around the main entrance and transversing the east/west hallway. Working with the community and exploring the shapes, forms, cultural and natural elements of the neighborhood, Cutler Shaw identified imagery that speaks to the location. From this she created a visual vocabulary she calls the East San Jose Carnegie Calligraphy. These images, created in laser cut iridescent acrylic, are suspended from the aluminum coils of Lightlines, animating the artwork with reflective light.
Wall of Birds in Flight is an installation on the Library’s west wall in the children’s area. The artwork plays on the imagery of local birds in flight - some in silhouette, others in great detail and back-lit. The work brings natural elements of the outdoor environment - the neighborhood’s abundant bird life - indoors.
The Grand Opening Celebration is Saturday, August 29; the dedication ceremony and ribbon-cutting starts at 11:00 AM. The artist will be present to discuss the work following the program. The new East San Jose Carnegie Library is at 1102 E. Santa Clara Street (at S. 23 Street), San Jose, 95116. The phone number is (408) 808-3075.
