On January 31, in partnership with well-known artists Elizabeth Turk and Erik Thienes, the City of San José’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs presented Invisible Skies San José, a large-scale participatory public art performance that united the San Jose community through light, movement, and shared imagination. Kerry Adams Hapner, Director of Cultural Affairs, was the driving force behind the major commission.
Invisible Skies was a flash art experience in which local participants carries artist-designed umbrella props, transforming themselves into luminous elements of a collective artwork. The umbrellas were fabricated by Jack World, the collaborative partner to ET Studios.
Approximately 2,000 attendees gathered at the San José City Hall Plaza to create in the magical, extraordinary event. For one evening, City Hall became an observatory — and San José residents were the stars.
As participants moved in coordinated formations, guided by the artists, the plaza became a living canvas of pattern, color, and light. The performance blended choreography, sculpture, and civic gathering, creating dynamic, large-scale imagery visible from above and across the plaza. Quoting lead artist Elizabeth Turk: “Celebrating our cities; from ballet, taiko, samba, mariachi to astronomy. All of us coming together to create beautiful images and a lot of joy in an hour. An unexpected venue, yet Kerry made this happen in downtown San Jose. She made us realize optimism is possible."