Author Archives: Tina Zhu
Watch for new light installations in Berkeley
“I feel every minute of freedom here or in Spain,” said Golsana Heshmati, a lighting designer born and raised in Tehran, Iran.
Golsana Heshmati recently moved from Spain to Berkeley to join her boyfriend and family in the United States and is already starting to make her mark on the community. In the last few weeks, she has set up three ephemeral light installations in windows in different places in Berkeley.
“I love street art because anyone can start doing it,” … Continue reading »
The last Harry Potter keeps Berkeley up late
It’s 10:40 p.m. in Downtown Berkeley, and the line at the United Artists Theater near Shattuck and Bancroft has already started moving. The last Harry Potter movie has officially hit cinemas nationwide.
Hundreds of excited moviegoers banded around the edge of the Berkeley Public Library in anticipation of the midnight showing on Thursday night. According to theater employee Yurida Ramos, devoted fans started lining up for the film at least around 1:00 p.m.
“Since this is the last one, people are more excited,” said Ramos, … Continue reading »
City project will transform utility boxes with vibrant art
There are 60 different utility boxes in downtown Berkeley and they are all gray. But not for long.
A new civic art project has plans to transform these dull, bleak and utilitarian boxes, which are owned either by the city or by PG&E, into a kalidescope of color and art.
Called the “60 Boxes Project,” the idea is to pair patrons with artists who will paint the boxes or make a design that can be transferred to large polymer stickers and be affixed to the boxes.
“We’ve had a very very positive response to this project,” said Elyce Klein, who is coordinating sponsorships for the group, a collaboration between the Earth Island Institute‘s Streets Alive! program and Berkeley’s Civic Arts Commission. “The quality of artwork on the boxes will be very high.”
A wide range of sponsors have already pledged their support for the initiative, including Berkeley High School, Peet’s Coffee, the Downtown Berkeley Association, numerous private schools, businesses, individuals, public officials, and non-profit organizations — even the city’s Mayor, Tom Bates.
Now the 60 Boxes Projects is putting out a call for artists to participate. They must fill out a form and submit examples from their portfolio. Each sponsor will get to choose their own artist. The theme is “sustainability.” … Continue reading »
