100 Block Mural Project, San Jose

Artists: 100 individual artists
Year: 2019

On the side of a building, this mural, sponsored by LocalColor SJ, consists of 100 individual 3’x3’ mural tiles designed and painted by local artists. The resulting 65 ft long wall comes together as a visual tapestry of images, symbols and meanings that showcases San José’s artistic diversity and stands as an example of the non-profit’s goals of creating collaborative opportunities for local makers.

In “The 100 Block Mural” the representation of the individual and collective come together in an interdependent representation of society. Though each tile represents an individual identity, aspiration, or life, they do not exist as wholly separate works, but rather a holistic representation of the city. Metropolitan centers are portrayed as homogenous, fast paced, loud and unfamiliar spaces. “The 100 Block Mural” pushes back on the perspective to show the breadth of life, worldviews, and experiences of individuals who live, work, and recreate throughout the city. The viewer is presented with 100 stories that contribute to the epic that is San José.

Which one represents your story?

The next public art tells the complex story of the Japanese-American internment in California and is a bronze sculpture tucked into a federal building plaza, behind the VTA Light Rail guard, and across from a parking structure. Plan to spend some time here taking in the representative stories on this work.