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 Public Art
 There
are numerous examples of public art throughout the Guadalupe
River Park & Gardens. These include Tony
Ridder's Shoes, and the Parade of Animals in Discovery Meadow, the Veteran's Memorial and a
tribute to the Ohlone/Muwekma
people along the Park Avenue Bridge, Remembering
Agriculture, in recognition of the agricultural
history of the Santa Clara Valley on the south side of
Santa Clara Street (at the river), and the Five
Skater's Artpiece in Arena
Green.
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 Remembering Agriculture
Remembering Agriculture, by artist
Tony May, recalls the rich agricultural history that was
the driving force behind San Jose's economy for more than 150
years. The project recreates the distinctive shapes of
those once-familiar clusters of farm buildings that are
seen less and less frequently in the Santa Clara Valley.
The structures include a water tank tower, a windmill, a
barn and a small shed, which function as arbors for a
carefully chosen selection of ivies and other perennial
climbing plants.
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 The
Weavers' Gifts
The
Weavers' Gifts, a new addition to the City's public art collection
within the Guadalupe River Park, was recently installed at
Confluence Point.
The creation of artist Alan Counihan, The Weavers' Gifts commemorates
and celebrates the Costanoan-Ohlone Peoples, especially the Tamien
Ohlone Indians who inhabited the land along the Guadalupe River where
the sculpture is located.
The Weavers' Gifts is a site-specific artwork composed of four
elements: the names of the 54 Ohlone tribal groups who inhabited
California in the late eighteenth century, inscribed on pre-existing
granite seat walls; a four-foot high carved-granite basket representing
a functional and creative part of the Ohlone culture; a five-foot high
carved granite mortar, broken to represent broken tradition; and a stone
representation of an unfinished coiled basket inlaid into the paving
with inscribed text that speaks to the history and future of the Ohlone
people.
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 Five Skater's
Artpiece
The
Five Skater's Artpiece at Arena Green honors five Olympic
champion ice skaters from the Bay Area: Peggy Fleming, Debbi
Thomas, Brian Boitano, Kristy Yamaguchi, and Rudy Galindo. The
piece includes five mosaic-tiled pillars, a symbolic ice rink
featuring quotations from each of the skaters and time capsules
displaying memorabilia from their careers, medal platforms, and
a plaque listing each skater's national and international
awards.
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 Sister Cities
Seating Areas
Several Sister Cities
Seating Areas are already in place at the south end of
the park, and additional tributes are planned. These
areas commemorate San Jose's special relationship with seven cities throughout the world: Okayama, Japan;
Dublin, Ireland; Veracruz, Mexico; San Jose, Costa Rica; Tainan, Taiwan;
Puné, India; and Ekaterinaberg, Russia.
Each seating area is constructed with materials from the
country being honored and features a bench, the country's
flag, and other items particular to that city and
country.
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 Veteran's
Memorial
The Veterans Memorial, located on Park Avenue at the
Guadalupe River, is an enduring tribute to the men and
women who have served our country in peacetime and in
time of war. The Memorial was designed by the
architectural firm Manhattan Projects in New York City,
chosen through a competitive selection process conducted
by the City of San Jose's Public Arts Committee. The
Memorial was dedicated on November 11, 1997.
The Veterans Memorial consists of 76 flags on 30 ft.
steel poles, representative of military personnel in
formation. They also reflect the tiers of white
headstones in a military cemetery. The white flags
represent the anonymity of each who serves -- white is a
sign of peace. The snapping fabric in the winds,
contrasted with the serene canopy of white banners,
reflects the military strength which preserves our peace.
The etched glass panels tell, through excerpts from
letters home, the experiences of local veterans during
the various wars. The figures in the panels cast shadows
on the pavement in front of, or behind the panels,
depending on the time of day.
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 "Essence
to Essence"
Artist: Donovan Peterson |
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 The
Muwekma Ohlone Tribute
The Muwekma Ohlone people, Native Americans who once
lived along the Guadalupe River, are honored with animal
sculptures important to their tradition, on the Park
Avenue Bridge. These include the Coyote, the Hummingbird,
and the Eagle. The four flags that fly from atop the
bridge represent the past and present governments of the
area: Spain, Mexico, California and the United States.
The Coyotes were created by artist Peter Schiffrin; the
Eagle and Hummingbirds by Tom Andrews.
The Coyote, Hummingbird and Eagle represent the
Muwekma Ohlone creation story. Coyote was the father of
the human race who was responsible for creating people
and teaching them how to live properly. Hummingbird was
wise and clever. Eagle was a leader.
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