SoFA Pocket Park Murals
Photographer: Hunter Ridenour (2022)
Artists: Multiple
- 鈥淏raided Full of Sunshine鈥� by
- 鈥淗uipil of Love and Home鈥� by
- 鈥淥ne Thousand Generations鈥� by
- 鈥淔uture Leader鈥� by
- 鈥淐oins at Crossroads, Cucumber Seeds, and Me Too鈥� by
- 鈥淎uspicious Dragon鈥� by
- 鈥淓l Portal Del Regreso鈥� by Evelyn Salguero ()
- 鈥淕ingham鈥� by Ryan Carrington
Year: 2021
Commissioned by: and , in collaboration with and
Location
After ambling past , you鈥檒l find the SoFA Pocket Park tucked away next door to the San Jos茅 Museum of Quilts and Textiles in the South First arts area of downtown.
Artwork
This series of murals by eight invited artists focuses on textile arts from a diverse group of cultural traditions. Sponsored by Local Color SJ and the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles at the site of the SoFA Pocket Park, a revitalized parking lot which now houses Veggielution鈥檚 urban demonstration garden, this group of murals is a site of resistance that depicts San Jos茅鈥檚 diverse communities through the lens of their textile arts.
Beginning with the challenge of depicting textiles in two-dimensional form and translating the sensory qualities of texture and material onto a brick wall surface, the artists each utilized personal style to explore their own cultural traditions. The resulting murals depict the intricate and unique aesthetics of traditional African textiles, embroidered Huipils from Mexico and Guatemala, Japanese sashiko embroidery, Navajo blankets, Hmong batik cloths, Chinese symbols, and gingham plaid from the United States.
The site functions as a beautiful and open outdoor gallery, available and accessible to all members of the public. In this way, and through the efforts of Veggielution and the surrounding cultural institutions, it serves as a site of community dialogue, engagement, and action.
For a description and image of each mural, visit the San Jos茅 Museum of Quilts & Textiles or the by Local Color SJ.
Public Art as Resistance
The SoFA Pocket Murals, located in the , are a celebration of the diversity that makes up San Jose. While also standing as a symbol of resistance in the face of development. As SoFA is rejuvenated, maintaining the connection to the cultural vibrancy that has been a hallmark of the community serves as a living memory that will inspire newcomers to ask questions and seek out its cultural history.
Equally as important, these murals are a welcome home to those who are from here and returning, and those who are just arriving. They are an invitation to add to the breadth of diversity of the city and a guard against forgetting the past.
Continue Your Walk
Right across the street, you鈥檒l find the next two works of public art in the Parque de los Pobladores.
Additional Resources
- SoFA Pocket Park Murals , San Jos茅 Museum of Quilts & Textiles
- of each mural by Local Color SJ
- 鈥溾�� video by Local Color
