Art on the Grounds

“To play is to be in the world. It is to be open to surprise, contingency, and improvisation—a critical skill for our combined future.“ - Christina Agapakis The Floating Kīpuka play kit aims to blend knowledge across time and cultures to create playful spaces for more voices in the discussion of just biofutures. It invites people to imagine new types of playful spaces of trust for collaboratively dreaming with biology with a focus on agricultural futures. The custom assembly pieces blend lab tools, organisms at scales, cultural legends, rituals of gratitude, and agricultural labor stories to bring culture and ethics…

Step into the enchanting world of Natsu Matsuri AR at the Plaza of Montalvo Arts Center—an immersive AR art project that pays homage to the vibrant Japanese summer festival season. Drawing inspiration from the rich traditions and joyous celebrations, this installation combines physical objects, evocative soundscapes, and augmented reality to offer visitors a multisensory experience that captures the essence of Natsu Matsuri (夏祭り). As visitors arrive at the plaza, they will be greeted by an Engawa bench—a traditional Japanese porch-like structure that beckons them to immerse themselves in the festivities. Accompanied by the gentle melodies of wind chimes, the interactive…

Cascade is a two-part installation where interdisciplinary artist Carole Kim transforms a dormant site of spectacle into a slower viewing context with a meditative participatory component. Two large-scale, floating drawings consisting of layers of imagery inspired by the neural reach of the spine and a network of nodal cracks in a pattern of interconnectivity. The stone steps are dusted with an ephemeral stencil of cresting waves in white powder upon which viewers are invited to build stone cairns—temporary, humble micro-monuments in homage to all those we are caring for: young, old, family, friend, and for all those providing that care.…