BURNING MAN MAKES ITS WAY DOWNTOWN
The newest installation from San Jose’s Playa to the Paseo partnership with the Burning Man Foundation is now standing tall in Plaza de Cesar Chavez. “Tara Mechani” is a 15-foot-high metal figurative sculpture by Bay Area artist Dana Albany, posed in the spot where Christmas in the Park places the city’s holiday tree every year.
The piece blends the image of Tara, the female Buddha, with a mechanical robot form that brings to mind both the art deco look of Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” and the popular, gear- oriented steampunk movement. The figure’s chest and “heart” are lit internally by electric lights from a chandelier.
Both Tara Mechani and Ursa Mater, the bear sculpture made of pennies on the nearby Paseo de San Antonio, were displayed at Burning Man last year. They’re the second and third pieces to be installed in the partnership, following the wildly successful Sonic Runway, which was at San Jose City Hall from November to March.
Ursa Mater will be on display through the end of May, and Tara Mechani will stand in the park through June 9.
SHARING SUCCESS STORIES » Close to 300 people were at the Fairmont San Jose on Wednesday for the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series, the 53rd event in the nationwide series since it was launched in Austin in 2004.
Founder Mickey Ibarra, who was Director of Intergovernmental Affairs under President Clinton, presented the group’s Eagle Leadership Award to Maria Echaveste, a senior fellow at UC’s Berkeley’s Center for Latin American Studies, who told her story of how a child of farmworkers made it to Stanford and eventually got a job in the Clinton White House. Hispanic Foundation CEO Ron Gonzales was a driving force behind persuading Ibarra to bring the lunch series — which next goes to Washington, D.C., Houston and Los Angeles — to San Jose. Gonzales said it reminded him of Latino networking events he was part of during his time as a Santa Clara County supervisor and he would love to revive the idea on a regular basis for Silicon Valley Latinos.
“I think it’s time we start to talk to each other more often,” he said. “There are so many successful stories in our community, and we
The Playa to the Paseo partnership brings Burning Man art to Silicon Valley
need to do a better job of sharing those.”
MANYLANGUAGES, ONE
VOICE » Ragazzi Boys Chorus Conductor Joyce Keil says the acclaimed vocal group has performed the music of various world cultures, but it hadn’t yet covered the globe. “One of my singers very sweetly asked if we could do Chinese music because he is Chinese,” Keil said. The suggestion from 12-yearold Mountain View resident Brian Hu led to Ragazzi’s spring program, “From East to West.”
The boys will sing in Chinese for a lively piece called “The Magnificent Horses” by Jing LingTam, which imitates the galloping horses of Mongolia. They’ll also perform a popular Chinese tune, Mo-Li-Hua, and — never ones to shy away from a challenge — will also sing in Japanese and Korean for the first time.
The concert is at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Trianon Theatre in downtown San Jose and 6:30 p.m. Sun- day at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Redwood City. Go to www.ragazzi. org for tickets. PALO ALTO ARTISTRY TIMES THREE » There will be no shortage of activity at the Palo Alto Art Center Friday night, which will have three events going on about the same time. The Art Center’s new “Youth Speaks Out” exhibition, featuring art by more than 200 Palo Alto teens addressing the theme, “Giving Voice,” will have its opening night reception from 5 to 7 p.m.
At 6 p.m., artists-in-residence Shin Young Taek and Kim Young Soo from South Korea, and Adam Field from Montana, will present their explorations and interpretations of Korean ceramics, followed by a reception until 9 p.m. Young people also will have their own afterhours event Friday night, with the Teen Takeover from 7 to 9 p.m. It includes artmaking activities on the theme, “Dream Worlds.”