Travel through Silicon Valley’s airport and discover public artworks that reflect the spirit of this region’s role as a global center of technology and innovation. These installations were conceived as part of a unified program of Art+Technology that showcases the diversity, creativity and energy that define San José and Silicon Valley.
Art+Technology is broadly defined as:
- Art that uses technology
- Art that is inspired by technology
- Art that is developed with technology
- Art that comments on technology
Some of the artworks at the Airport will be permanently on display. Others will be shown for several years then replaced with new works that respond to the theme of Art+Technology.
- Space Observer by Bjorn Schulke
Reminiscent of a space craft, this glossy white 26' tall sculpture standing on eight-foot tripod legs, explores the interactivity between humans and modem technology. Engage with this elaborate, yet delicate object and it will quietly rotate with the help of two propeller-tipped arms, using its kinetic cameras to reveal live images. (Permanently located in Terminal B - Mezzanine.) - eCloud by Nik Hafermaas, Dan Goods and Aaron Koblin
In this dynamic artwork, thousands of switchable glass squares suspended from the ceiling continuously change from opaque to transparent with the transmission of real-time weather data. Explore current weather conditions around the world on the artwork's dynamic display. (Permanently located in Terminal B Concourse.) - Shifting Time by Camille Utterback
Move closer to the screen of this interactive installation and manipulate time, juxtaposing video Images of San Jose past and present. (Temporarily located in Terminal B - Arrivals Hall.) - Connected by Angela Buenning Filo
Bangalore and Silicon Valley are distant yet interconnected. This photographic installation explores how each landscape has been transformed by technology booms and global economic trends. (Temporarily located in Terminal B - Mezzanine.) - Wave Matter by Gregory Kucera
Pixelated panels located in the concourse columns are composed of thousands of holes, interpreting various waves - ripples in a pond, electromagnetic, radio, sound, radar, and gravitational. (Temporarily located in Terminal B South Concourse.) - Hands by Christian Moeller
Approaching the airport from the east, the hands of 53 Silicon Valley residents greet the world from a mural created with plastic pixels affixed to architectural metal mesh, spanning 1,200 feet and standing seven stories high. (Permanently located on the East Facade of the Rental Car Facility.) - XO: A Public Art Installation by Laura Kimpton and Jeff Schomberg
The love letters, a 12-foot-tall aluminum installation, perforated with bird cutouts, stand as a contemporary expression representing a “hug” and a “kiss;” a lighthearted way of sharing affection, fun, and friendship. The birds, a key aspect of artists’ work, are visual symbols for flight and safe air travel. At night, the sculpture is illuminated internally with changing colors, drawing travelers' attention and offering the opportunity for an iconic photo to mark the start or end of their journey in San José. The “X” and “O” were first introduced to San José in the San Josè City Hall plaza, after making a debut at the Burning Man Festival. (Permanently located curbside at Terminal B.)
Please note: Artworks located in the Terminal B Concourse are behind the TSA security checkpoint and are available only to ticketed passengers. Artworks in the pre-security area of Terminal B are available to the general public.
The Airport’s Art+Technology program is the product of a four-year master planning effort involving community members and policy makers to model a public art program that is unique to this region.
The San José Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program (OCA) manages the program in close collaboration with the Airport.
Funding
The City of San José Public Art Program is funded through an ordinance that allows 1% of municipal capital improvement project budgets to be set aside for public art.
For More Information
Please contact:
Public Art Program (City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs)
200 E. Santa Clara Street, 4th Floor, San José CA, 95113.
Phone: (408) 793-4344
Fax: (408) 971-2597