Central Library Art

When standing before these pillars, one does not get the impression he or she is studying a work of art so much as a mysterious relic. One left behind by a race far more advanced than ours, with an inside track to mankind’s history and its future.

Goldberg and Roots set out to create a monument in “celebration of the library as a repository of history and culture.” Their goal was was understated as their finished work is so subtly brilliant. Five pillars represent the education of man: from Pillar One – broken in two pieces – that represents humankind’s fragile awakening into discovery, to Pillar Four, whose digitized engravings reflect today’s movement into technology, to the blank face of Pillar Five, leaving the future of the library open to fate. Goldberg and Roots have managed to chronicle the evolution of information in the most profound way imaginable.

“It makes suggestions without being literal. It is celebratory and very unlibrary-like.”

These are the words of Alonzo Davis, co-creator of the free-form 78×30 foot terrazzo that greets library patrons as they enter the main doors. A non-conforming splatter of color and shape, “Double Take” is a brightly illuminated floor, its bold colors made from crushed marble and a ceiling made of maple wood. Its abstract design alludes to bridges, roads, cables, and buildings, which appears the same whether exiting or entering the library.

Davis and co-creator Pinkney Herbert succeed in making a bold and impressive statement to anyone who happens through the library doors.

Pratical as it is, we often take for granted the world’s most abundant resource: sunlight. While it is often used as a means to appreciate and accentuate beauty, it has never before been such an awe-inspiring source of beauty. At least, not in the spectacular manner fashioned by architectural artist Ed Carpenter.

Employing his trademark use of large interior surfaces as “light canvasses,” Carpenter’s four-story suspended structure of dichroic glass casts sunlight throughout the lobby. At times, its radiance seems to rival the brilliance of the sun itself, creating a veritable curtain of light. During the evening hours, it is lit to create a rich atmospheric effect that is as engrossing to the eye as it is during the daytime.

Beware – you may find yourself so transfixed with what is under your feet in the lobby level rotunda that you’ll forget where you’re going. An enormous, handmade wool rug made up of a rainbow of colors, this work draws inspiration from the diversity of our country, the universe – and life itself. Notice how beautifully the colors – regardless of their differences – work together to make a glorious whole.

Based on a dry-color painting originally titled “The One, The Few, The Many,” this extraordinary art is both practical and breathtaking, a work that reminds us what it means to be both singularly unique and part of a greater unity.

Central Library is an effort created by the will of thousands. From generous corporate donors to the collected nickels and dimes of school children, so many people had their hands in what is one of the finest public libraries in the country.

John Salvest finds a distinctive and iconic means to honor those who made the greatest contributions to the new library fund drive. Imprinted upon an impressive bronze sculpture of stacked books, the names of major contributors to the library are forever immortalized by Salvest’s hearty vision of the library.

Perhaps one’s first thought when stepping into the Children’s Area is, “Exactly how did I wander into the pages of a children’s story?”

An understandable reaction, as you are surrounded by stylized trees, colorful rivers and a fantastic glass house at the end of a magical path. Nancy Cheairs has created a world of wonder based on her celebrated painting that grips the imagination of children and adults alike. “I wanted to create a whimsical piece that opens children’s minds to reading and learning,” said the artist. Delightfully exaggerated and fueled by creativity, Cheairs has helped make the Children’s Area of the library the most captivating of its kind.

Who told you what the moo cows do? How did you first meet Curious George? Where did you first sing Itsy Bitsy Spider?

Future generations will nostalgically point to Iris Harkavy’s highly imaginative Storytelling Room. Harkavy intended to capture the fun and spirit of children by adorning the ceiling with floating clouds and painting colorful rainbows on the walls. She succeeds admirably, embracing the very essence of childhood. Sculptures of brightly colored animals and people complete an impressive and inspiring place to read, learn, and discover.

What makes this work particularly unique is the unusual way it is seen. Children do not look at the art; instead, they are inside the art itself, surrounded by scenes and creatures only their imaginations can match.

Any cartographer will tell you that Memphis is located in the heart of the Delta, with the mighty Mississippi River to the West and the Smoky Mountains to the East. But unknown to most adventurers – and only recently discovered – is an enchanted rainforest. And it’s located in the heart of Central Library.

Sherri Warner Hunter’s 45×60 foot colorful mosaic celebrates the wildlife of the rainforest. Accented with sculptures of an anteater, giant tortoise, and tree frog, the courtyard transports you to an exotic land of adventure and intrigue. Marching leave-cutter ants and a variety of birds stand in relief on the walls, completing the journey from Memphis to the jungle.

Art that is both functional and decorative, these concrete sculptures, ornamented with intricate, colorful mosaic tiles, virtually call out for touching, climbing, and resting on.

Summing up the essence and history of Memphis is not possible by employing a single image. We are a diverse people; a patchwork quilt of cultures. Understanding the area’s singularities, Jeane Umbreit has created a hand-tinted mural that clearly represents Shelby County, using real-life people and places as her subjects. Umbreit’s murals bring our colorful heritage alive, emphasizing a shared experience of everyday life – Black and white, man and woman, old and young. Her work invites you to explore, question, wonder – and most importantly, dream about a future where all of these elements live together in harmony.

Housed on the fourth floor in the Memphis and Shelby County Room, this piece was placed here because of its shared connection to local history. When it is complete, customers will look up from their work to see – in beautiful, hand-tinted black and white – the people and places they are so diligently researching.