01SJ: Santana Row Also Gets a Role

Downtown San Jose isn't the only part of San Jose benefiting from the ZER01 festival, Santana Row is getting in on the action as well. Below is the full breakdown on what to expect in the "other downtown."

Be part of the art at Santana Row

SAN JOSE, Calif. (August 25, 2010) – Dreams for the future projected four stories high, ballerinas with musical tutus and a lone piano waiting to be played are some of the unique, interactive art that will be on display at Santana Row during the 2010 01SJ Biennial (01sj.org), a city-wide exhibition of visual and performing arts, public art and digital media.  As a proud sponsor of the Biennial, Santana Row will host three of the dynamic installations and performances.

Play Me I’m Yours

Tickle the ivories with this installation by internationally acclaimed artist Luke Jerram.  From August 28-September 19, Santana Row will host one of 20 pianos placed throughout Silicon Valley, each one free to be enjoyed by anyone who encounters it.  Whether they practice their scales, play a concerto, or just fiddle with the keys, visitors are encouraged to take photos or video of themselves interacting with the pianos and share with the world at 01SJpianos.com.

On Wednesday, September 8, Play Me I’m Yours will be part of Piano Explorations, a special performance by young pianists who will play piano selections ranging from classical to jazz.  Produced by the Steinway Society of the Bay Area and Sherman Clay Pianos of Santa Clara, members of the audience will be encouraged to duet with the young artists on Luke Jerram’s installation.  Piano Explorations takes place September 8 at 6 p.m. in Park Valencia.

offscript (pictured right)

From September 14-19, the glass façade of Santana Row’s newest building, 300 Santana Row, will become a massive canvas for this interactive video installation by artist Christopher Baker that asks the question: what happens when individuals reject a future scripted for them and move offscript? 

Participants are encouraged to submit responses to the question, “What is your dream for the future?” in 140 characters or less.  Answers can be submitted by email, text message or voicemail (408-634-4436), Twitter (#offscript) or Facebook (offscript).  Answers may also be sketched and submitted at www.offscript.org.  To see the story that unfolds as these responses are projected across the façade of 300 Santana Row, stop by September 14 -19 from approximately 7:30 p.m. – Midnight.

For full details on participating in offscript, visit offscript.org.

Audio Ballerinas

In this site-specific collaboration between Ballet San Jose and artist Benoît Maubrey, dancers from Ballet San Jose will wear solar-powered, plexiglass tutus that have been equipped with microphones and speakers that record and play back the sound patterns of their movements and their environment. Using photovoltaic sensors, sounds emitted from Audio Ballerinas change according to the intensity of light, enabling these world-class dancers to translate their movements directly into sound.  Santana Row will host two performances of Audio Ballerinas on Saturday, September 18. (Times and location to be announced; visit santanarow.com for the schedule.)

For more information on these interactive works of art, visit 01sj.org or santanarow.com.

About ZER01’s 01SJ Biennial

San Jose-based ZER01 has served as a catalyst and platform for the world’s most innovative artists since 2000. The nonprofit focuses on inspiring creativity at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture.  As producer of the 01SJ Biennial, a multidisciplinary, multi-venue event of visual and performing arts, the moving image, public art and interactive digital media, ZER01 has showcased the work of 350 artists from more than 40 countries using such media as GPS-equipped pigeons, interactive platform shoe devices, mobile phone and surveillance technologies.

A celebrated success in the region, the two previous  01SJ Biennial in 2006 and 2008 attracted 65,000 visitors and generated $15 million in economic revenue for San Jose. Between biennials–the 2010 01SJ Biennial takes place Sept. 16-19, 2010–ZER01 nurtures Silicon Valley’s cultural landscape with events such as the SubZERO Festival, produced in partnership withSoFA, which drew 10,000 people to downtown San Jose.

About Santana Row

Santana Row is a one-of-a-kind neighborhood that blends a distinctive mix of living, shopping, dining and entertainment.  Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santana Row features 563,000 square feet of retail, an international array of restaurants, a 213-room European-style boutique hotel and six-screen arts theatre, all surrounded by meticulously landscaped gardens, parks and plazas.  Above the retail pedestal are 514 residential units, featuring a fitness center and resort-style pool.  Santana Row is a property of Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT), headquartered in Rockville, Maryland.