Online map reveals San Jose’s art treasures
People often ask me where to find a mural, sculpture or other piece of art they’ve heard about. Now, there’s a place for visitors, residents and even columnists to go to discover San Jose’s artistic treasures.
Software engineer Yan-Yin Choy has created “Heart of the Valley,” an open source, online map that shows the locations of murals and other pieces of public art, along with a short description that often includes the name of the artist and a photo. The project, which can be found at www.codeforsanjose.org/heartofthevalley, is part of Code for San Jose, a collaborative effort by techies who volunteer their skills for civic projects.
Code for San Jose has also created include a Renters Rights Guide and an app that digitizes the paperwork for the San Jose Public Library’s summer meal program, among other projects.
Choy created the Heart of the Valley map after having a discussion that included Empire Seven Studios, the art gallery created by Jennifer Ahn and Juan Carlos de Araujo, which has been responsible for many of the murals in San Jose. She used public data on the art and the murals, as well as community input.
And as San Jose’s public art collection evolves, the map will, too.
HERE COMES COMIC CON >> Silicon Valley Comic Con’s third iteration lands April 6-8 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, and the lineup of announced guests should make nerdy hearts melt all around the Bay Area.
Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee, who initially launched Silicon Valley Comic Con with Steve Wozniak in 2016, is set to return. Lee’s had health problems recently, but he took to social media to let fans know he plans to be in San Jose. And the first women of color to go to space — both fictional and in the real world — will also be there. On April 7, Nichelle Nichols, who broke barriers as Uhura on “Star Trek,” will introduce astronaut and keynote speaker Mae Jemison, who will talk about her experiences as a space voyager and her plans to be part of an initiative for humans to travel to another star within the next century.
“Star Wars” fans won’t be left out, with a saga-spanning panel of supporting players on April 6 that features Mads Mikkelsen, Ian McDiarmid, Ray Park, Temuera Morrison and Daniel Logan. It’ll be moderated by Gary Whitta, co-writer of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
Fans of Netflix’s “Jessica Jones” series have a double treat in store as both title star Krysten Ritter and David Tennant, who plays her nemeis, the Purple Man, will be on hand. And for those who still remember Tennant fondly from his days as the Tenth Doctor on “Doctor Who,” one of his co-stars, Freema Agyeman, also will be at SVCC.
This year’s theme, “What Does It Mean to Be Human?” will be tackled in a couple of keynote speeches. One features author and TED creator Richard Wurman and musician Kevin Eubanks. The other is a conversation with famed physicist and
futurist Michio Kaku on the future of humanity.
The bad news: Jeff Goldblum, who had a memorable role in “Thor: Ragnarok” and will be in the upcoming “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” had to cancel his appearance. You can check for updates and purchases passes online at www.svcomiccon.com.
FEELING POSITIVE ABOUT THE FUTURE » Project Cornerstone, the YMCA initiative that aims to provide the valley’s youth with positive environments and role models, honored several individuals and groups at its annual Asset Champions Breakfast on Thursday morning at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
This year’s award recipients were Prospect High School, Redwood Middle School, Los Alamitos Elementary School, the African American Community Services Agency, the San Jose Public Library’s TeenHQ, Los Altos High senior and TeenzTalk founder Nadia Ghaffari and Each One Reach One program manager Harold Atkins.
The audience of nearly 1,000 people was treated to a performance by the Prospect High color guard and a song by Valley Christian student Cristiana Schiller.
LISTEN UP, HARRY POTTER FANS » Symphony Silicon Valley is getting its Hogwarts robes and its Nimbus 2000 broomsticks ready for the latest CineConcerts shows on April 7-8, which will feature “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” the fourth film in the blockbuster series.
The score was composed by Patrick Doyle — aside from the main themes by John Williams — and the Symphony Silicon Valley and SSV Chorale will perform it while the film plays on a 40-foot screen at the Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available for the three performances at www.symphonysiliconvalley.org.
NO FOOLIN’ » We had a lively discussion in February about the punctuation of Presidents Day (or President’s Day or Presidents’ Day depending on your source). With that in mind, San Jose reader John G. Daly emailed me to find out where the apostrophe goes on this weekend’s Holiday of Hilarity (and, no, I don’t mean Easter or Passover).
My Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Third Edition, says it’s April Fools’ Day, and both the Associated
Press Stylebook and Wikipedia — the source of all accurate knowledge, right? — agree. So far, so good. But Google’s calendar mucked everything up with April Fool’s Day, which would imply there is but one fool. Is there an election for this position? Wait, don’t answer that.
In the singular possessive camp, there also was a 1986 movie called “April Fool’s Day,” which had a straightto-video remake with the same punctuation in 2008. I don’t think anyone saw either one, so as far as I’m concerned they don’t count.
I’m going with April Fools’ Day. Unless I’m just kidding, of course.