Five local artists share perspective on points of connection and place on public paths
Connie Zheng
Berkeley Path Wanderers Association (BPWA) has partnered with the creative consultancy PEAK86 to produce a temporary art event on several of Berkeley’s unique public pathways surrounding Live Oak and Codornices parks, called Intersections. Five local artists were commissioned to create site-specific work that offers perspective on points of connection and place.
Dawline-Jane Oni-Eseleh
Karin Dahl
BPWA President Alina Constantinescu writes, “We were excited about the idea of bringing temporary art to the pathways, linking art and nature and using the paths as a canvas for artwork that encourages public engagement and connection particularly in this time of distance.”
Kim Bennett
Intersections, originally planned for May 2020, was postponed given the pandemic and local shelter-in-place orders. The event not only provides an opportunity for the public to consider and experience artwork safely outdoors, it gives local artists the chance to display their work in a way that can be seen in person, a rare opportunity at this point in time.
The five commissioned artists include Connie Zheng, Dawline-Jane Oni-Eseleh, Karin Dahl, Kim Bennett and Jessica Sabogal. Each brings a different perspective, visual style, and background to the project. All have a relationship to and point of view about Berkeley.
“We are all connected by nature of living in this moment together,” says Hadley Dynak, PEAK86 founder and Intersections curator. The goal of this event is to create an unexpected experience in a public place that provides an opportunity to reflect on life in Berkeley, past, present and future, through a lens of creative expression. The natural setting offers an ideal place to acknowledge and bridge differences, observe what draws attention, and consider the relationship between things in a deeper way.”
Jessica Sabogal
The temporary works will be installed through September. BPWA is hosting several small, distanced guided walks (advance registration required), and a moderated conversation with the artists will be held live online on September 16 (details to be announced). The event was made possible by a City of Berkeley Civic Arts grant, the Harnisch Foundation’s Awesome Without Borders fund, and individual donations.
Download the Intersections map for locations of the art installations. For more information about the event and guided walks, visit https://pathway-art.com/ or email us at: info@peak86.com or info@berkeleypaths.org.
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About the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association (BPWA)
Over 120 public paths and walkways cross Berkeley. Berkeley Path Wanderers Association is dedicated to the creation and preservation of these public spaces for the enjoyment of all. The volunteer-run organization has stewarded the pathway system for over 20 years, building new paths, hosting trail maintenance days, offering free guided tours, and publishing information about the paths for the community.
About PEAK86
PEAK86 is a Berkeley-based creative consultancy run by Hadley Dynak. The firm works at the intersection of art, culture, engagement, and action producing content, experiences, events, and digital campaigns. It’s mission is to connect people to one another and the issues of today by creating ways to reflect on the past, consider the present, and impact the future.
About the Intersections artists