Iowa State University has first-hand experience with Julie W. Chang’s public works of art, through the 2012 addition of a terrazzo floor installation in Curtiss Hall, titled All the Way Home. In her public works, a variety of media have been used to accomplish the layered symbolism that can be found throughout her studio and public works of art. Curtiss Hall’s terrazzo installation echoes Chang’s San Francisco Salesforce Transit Center installation, which covers over 20,000 square feet of public space in the Grand Hall. As with many of her public installations, the content is derived from the site’s specific environment. In this case, the imagery is specifically drawn from local Bay Area ecology and the multitude of cultures that call the area home.
"When approaching public projects, I look to the narrative or history of the particular people or place in which the work will exist. With the intention of reflecting the character and values of the community, I seek to create a visual experience that is both thoughtful and delightful, engaging and inspiring. I approach all my projects with an eye towards images that have multiple interpretations and meanings, ones that might reveal a paradox or when brought together create a balance, ones that shift the viewer through the past, present and future." - Julie W. Chang
No matter the media, from ceramic tiles installed on building facades, vinyl gallery installations, patterned glass installations and more, Chang approaches these public works of art by considering those who will experience the space. Each project is unique, but the themes found throughout Chang’s studio works and making practices shine through in each project.
"In approaching public works, I employ patterns to bring intimate, private, domestic shapes into public view, disrupting normal habits of seeing. Projects are context specific, influenced by the community and sites for which the work is designed and activated by the light and bodies that move through the installations.” - Julie W. Chang
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