Celebration Under the Water Mural, San Jose
Artist: Harumo Sato
Year: 2018
Commissioned By: POW!WOW! SAN Jos茅 now SJ Walls
Produced by California-based Japanese artist, Harumo Sato, as part of the 2018 San Jos茅 Walls mural program, this colorful abstract, painted on the side of the 35-year old Dac Phuc Vietnamese restaurant, is a testament to the fact that public art doesn鈥檛 have to focus on difficult histories or moments of trauma to be a site of protest and action. Playful, joyful, energetic, colorful, Sato鈥檚 work uses pattern, mythology and biomorphic forms to explore the artist鈥檚 vision for a more healthy and peaceful world, one that embraces the fact that chaos and challenges are meaningful and unescapable.
These goals are mirrored in the larger San Jos茅 Walls program, which brings contemporary artists to San Jos茅 yearly in a live festival of art, music and community engagement. Working with and among the community, artists create work in their unique personal styles and their chosen subject matter. The resulting murals not only enhance and brighten the experience of locals and visitors as they make their way around the city, but serve as sites of resistance to narratives of urban decay. Instead, created as accessible and highly visible art spaces, these murals invite all to consider the thriving and diverse communities that make up San Jos茅.
鈥淐elebration Under the Water鈥� recognizes the story of Vietnamese Americans in the Bay Area in depicting the moves beyond the narrative of the Vietnam War to show that there is more below the surface. Vibrant colors illustrate the pleasure of life that occurs beneath the turbulence of the waves above. While the focus of the historical narrative may be on the conflict and trauma from half a world away there is a broader more complex story of life, joy, chaotic order, and community. The mural challenges the viewer to resist focusing on the strife of the rough seas to see the community that can flourish when diverse peoples come together in an ecosystem of respect forming a symbiotic society.
From SJWalls: "In 2021, out of respect for the indigenous community, we updated our name to San Jos茅 Walls."
As you walk to your next location, contrast the effervescence of this mural with the freeway that divides the city and elevates the automobile above the urban landscape but underpasses can be gateways too. On the other side of Highway 87 is Delmas Park, a small neighborhood, defined in part by presence of a major regional transportation, Diridon Station and the future High Speed rail terminal.
Consider the changes from the bucolic South Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area to a sequence of occupants and ultimate intensification and dominance of urbanization. The vision is to deliver a world-class expanded transportation hub that integrates smoothly into downtown San Jos茅 and the surrounding community鈥� including the planned Google transit village鈥� providing regional and statewide transportation links. The next mural is underneath you along the river walk.
Year: 2018
Commissioned By: POW!WOW! SAN Jos茅 now SJ Walls
Produced by California-based Japanese artist, Harumo Sato, as part of the 2018 San Jos茅 Walls mural program, this colorful abstract, painted on the side of the 35-year old Dac Phuc Vietnamese restaurant, is a testament to the fact that public art doesn鈥檛 have to focus on difficult histories or moments of trauma to be a site of protest and action. Playful, joyful, energetic, colorful, Sato鈥檚 work uses pattern, mythology and biomorphic forms to explore the artist鈥檚 vision for a more healthy and peaceful world, one that embraces the fact that chaos and challenges are meaningful and unescapable.
These goals are mirrored in the larger San Jos茅 Walls program, which brings contemporary artists to San Jos茅 yearly in a live festival of art, music and community engagement. Working with and among the community, artists create work in their unique personal styles and their chosen subject matter. The resulting murals not only enhance and brighten the experience of locals and visitors as they make their way around the city, but serve as sites of resistance to narratives of urban decay. Instead, created as accessible and highly visible art spaces, these murals invite all to consider the thriving and diverse communities that make up San Jos茅.
鈥淐elebration Under the Water鈥� recognizes the story of Vietnamese Americans in the Bay Area in depicting the moves beyond the narrative of the Vietnam War to show that there is more below the surface. Vibrant colors illustrate the pleasure of life that occurs beneath the turbulence of the waves above. While the focus of the historical narrative may be on the conflict and trauma from half a world away there is a broader more complex story of life, joy, chaotic order, and community. The mural challenges the viewer to resist focusing on the strife of the rough seas to see the community that can flourish when diverse peoples come together in an ecosystem of respect forming a symbiotic society.
From SJWalls: "In 2021, out of respect for the indigenous community, we updated our name to San Jos茅 Walls."
As you walk to your next location, contrast the effervescence of this mural with the freeway that divides the city and elevates the automobile above the urban landscape but underpasses can be gateways too. On the other side of Highway 87 is Delmas Park, a small neighborhood, defined in part by presence of a major regional transportation, Diridon Station and the future High Speed rail terminal.
Consider the changes from the bucolic South Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area to a sequence of occupants and ultimate intensification and dominance of urbanization. The vision is to deliver a world-class expanded transportation hub that integrates smoothly into downtown San Jos茅 and the surrounding community鈥� including the planned Google transit village鈥� providing regional and statewide transportation links. The next mural is underneath you along the river walk.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Jose. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Celebration Under the Water Mural on Map
Sight Name: Celebration Under the Water Mural
Sight Location: San Jose, USA (See walking tours in San Jose)
Sight Type: Statue/Public Art
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: San Jose, USA (See walking tours in San Jose)
Sight Type: Statue/Public Art
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in San Jose, California
Create Your Own Walk in San Jose
Creating your own self-guided walk in San Jose is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
San Jose Downtown Walking Tour
San Jose is California's third-largest city and the second-largest city in Northern California. From 1849 to 1851, San Jose served as the state's first capital, which is still a local source of pride. The city has formally incorporated in 1850 and has been a center of innovation from the late 19th century, starting with agriculture and food processing.
During World War II, several... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
During World War II, several... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
San Jose Public Art Walking Tour
This walking tour, 鈥淧ublic Art as Resistance in San Jos茅,鈥� highlights the history of resistance and public art in downtown San Jos茅 and begins on the urban university campus, San Jos茅 State University. Starting from the first two works of art on campus, you鈥檒l find that these 12 works of public art are among many in this area. However, this particular walking tour considers how San... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.0 Km or 3.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.0 Km or 3.7 Miles