Art in public spaces: Jacob Hashimoto at Oak Park Public Library

Artist Jacob Hashimoto stopped by the Oak Park Public Library in September. While in the area for the opening of his show at a Chicago gallery, he came to Oak Park to make repairs to parts of his intricate artwork in our library's permanent art collection, an 8-by-12-foot sculptural wall piece called skip skitter start trip vault bounce – and other attempts at flight.

Hashimoto spoke with us about his artwork, as well as his thoughts on the value of art in public spaces like libraries.

Public art: Opening doors

Encountering art in public spaces can be a doorway, he says, from one's everyday life into art museums and galleries.

In addition to appearing in art galleries, Hashimoto's work has been commissioned for airports, colleges, office buildings (including the Willis Tower), and even a cruise ship.

"I think that the nice thing about public art is that you have this ability to reach these audiences that normally don't go to museums or feel alienated by it," he says.

'An environment that's about discovery'

As for his work at the library, he says: "I have a particular fondness for this piece being in this location because I think that it's seen by people that wouldn't normally be able to encounter one of these pieces in their day-to-day life."

"It's this thing that you visit at different stages of your life, and in an environment that's about discovery," he adds. "And I think that's a really unique space to be in."

"There aren't a lot of vectors that make art easier for the general public," he says. "Growing up with it in your your local library is really beneficial. Accepting that it's part of the fabric of your everyday life is important. And not having it feel intimidating when you go the Art Institute of Chicago. You know, you look at all these paintings, and you already had a relationship with that, when you're a kid checking out books."

Read the entire article »