New sculpture installed at Santa Cruz library annex
Visitors at the Live Oak Library Annex in Santa Cruz County can now enjoy a towering art sculpture called "The Letters."
The 7-foot-tall welded-steel sculpture has been installed outside the new Live Oak Library Annex, county officials said Monday. It's comprised of more than 1,000 individually cut letters that form the shape of a human figure who is kneeling while picking up words.
Created by David and Sooja "Soo" Choi, the piece refers to the power of words and how they can come alive to convey meaning. It contains words such as "love," "fairness," "respect," and "trust." It reminds us that our choice of words can shape our destinies when we speak them into existence, according to the county.
The Chois immigrated to the United States from South Korea in 1982. For 40 years, the couple has created a robust portfolio of various artwork and collections in both public and private spaces throughout the Bay Area. Their previous work can be viewed on their website at www.sooanddavidchoi.com.
Soo specializes in sculpting with metals, acrylic, and mixed media materials to create conceptual pieces with deeper meanings. David is a printmaker who studied at Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea. They work as a team while each retaining their own unique, artistic style, the county said.
The public will have the chance to meet the artists during the Live Oak Library Annex grand opening later this summer. The Live Oak community rooms have reopened and can be reserved for public use. The Live Oak Library Annex will also start offering limited library services this summer, according to the county.
Scheduling plans for the annex's grand opening are still underway, said Jason Hoppin, Santa Cruz County spokesperson. In the meantime, visitors can check out the newly erected art sculpture and delight in the shadows generated when sunlight shines against it and seeps into the open space between its letters.
