Public Art Projects: Facilitator/Curator
JENNIFER STEINKAMP
Murmuration
George Deukmejian Courthouse
Long Beach, CA
2013
Jennifer Steinkamp’s Murmuration for the George Deukmejian Courthouse is a digital animation activated within a 32 foot high by 25.5 foot wide LED display situated in the middle of the five story lobby. Steinkamp has for many years created video art through a painstaking development of pure digital imagery. Her early work focused on abstract and geometric forms and over the past ten years she has used representational imagery, especially of a botanical nature, such as flowers and trees. While researching historic representations of justice and imagery used in judicial buildings, Steinkamp happened upon the image of Ma’at, the Egyptian goddess of justice. An ostrich feather in her headband is usually interpreted as a symbol of truth and justice. This discovery inspired Steinkamp to consider feathers as a visual image in the creation of a compelling artwork for the Long Beach Court Building. Vividly colored feathers of various types and sizes float and move as if animated by wind and gravity. Year in Review Citation, Best Public Art 2014, PAN (Public Art Network)/Americans for the Arts
Client: Long Beach Judicial Partners
