Art at Mitchell Park

The Art Commission has developed a plan for the largest public works project to take place in the City of Palo Alto in 50 years. The new Mitchell Park library and community center will have art that encompasses little known artists to world-renowned artists, with both temporary and permanent works in various media.

The first project is the Bruce Beasley sculpture funded through the percent for art program. Bay Area artist Bruce Beasley is in many major museum collections in the United States and abroad, including SF MoMA, Oakland Museum, The Guggenheim Museum (NY) and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The piece he is creating for Palo Alto is an arch-like granite form that will make a beautiful gateway to the new community center and library.

The second group of projects will be funded by the Art Commission: artist designed bollards at the entrance; a large mural in the teen center; and a large piece at the Library entrance - possibly a new media piece. A Request for Proposals is being drafted and these three projects will be part of an open call for artists. The third art element within the Mitchell Park complex will be the rotating galleries. The architects have incorporated hanging systems within the complex, providing the opportunity to display City's two-dimensional works, pieces by local artists, and other other artworks appropriate to the site. More >