Upon arriving at the front entry, the visitor is greeted by two panels mounted above the doorway on either side of the window. This artwork will be composed of a mosaic of horizontal ceramic tile with vertical insets of fused glass. The abstract field of ceramic and glass represents the sedimentary layers of rock present in the surrounding natural environment with the glass referencing the flow of water through these layers. In addition, “rivers” of metal will run horizontally through the mosaic and be inscribed with book titles provided by the community.

The mosaic panels will be backlit, enhancing the dramatic qualities of the translucent glass and creating a focal point for the entrance to the library. The base of the panels with contain down lights, as visitors approach the library in the evening they are greeted by a pattern of circles projected onto the doorway area. These circles of light fall below the vertical insets of glass and repeat the theme of “raindrops”. The artwork will provide a functional replacement for the existing fixtures while at the same time illuminating the entryway in a symbolic and artistic way.

The artwork is designed to reinforce the analogies provided by the original framework for the curation and collection of art for the South Side Library. The artwork addresses the allusions outlined in the prospectus and their relationship to knowledge, information and learning. The artwork for the library will visually portray the theme “WordFlow” so that the entrance to the library will establish the theme by providing an overlay between knowledge and water and serve as the title piece for the public art collection within.