Our capital covered in art

Our capital will become a showcase for the emblematic art of Jorge Jiménez Deredia, a Costa Rican sculptor whose work has attracted international renown. The public spaces, boulevards and museums will host the exhibit The Power and Universality of the Sphere, where visitors will be able to enjoy 27 featured monumental works that the artist has created out of marble, bronze and granite.

You can find this display on the pedestrianized section of Avenida Central, in front of the Central Post Office and in the Plaza de la Democracia. In addition, the exhibit will include features in the Pre-Colombian Gold Museum, the Jade Museum and the Museum of the Central Bank.

Cultural Identity

“The idea is that all Costa Ricans should be able to come into contact with my work and be able to understand a little bit of why art is important for the people through the features in the city’s museums and all the information stands”, Jiménez Deredia said.

The artist went on to say that this is an opportunity for everyone passing through the city to have a greater closeness with works of art, a global conscience and urban spirit, and, most importantly, an awareness of Costa Rican history.

Art in all its forms

San José’s municipal government invited the sculptor over a year ago and has taken charge of the organization of the activity along with other governmental bodies and corporate sponsors.

The first phase saw an installation of sculptures and photographs in the Pre-Colombian Gold Museum relating to Jiménez Deredia’s artwork. This exhibit is based in an understanding of one’s own cultural identity and the way in which a sense of being and existence are contained in a symbol like the sphere.

Meanwhile, the Jade Museum is presenting a series of photographs relating to the artist’s work in its east wing that were taken by the world-famous photographer Ignacio Guevara. Marble and bronze sculptures are featured in the installation, which will also offer an opportunity for the public to directly experience the creative process of the making of a sculpture by participating in interactive workshops directed at children and adults, as well as special sessions for the visually impaired.

We recommend that you download the free Deredia SJO app, which you can use to scan the QR code of each piece’s descriptive plaque. This will give you additional information about the exhibit and artist, as well as a map of where each art piece is located. For added inclusivity, this app can be used by persons with visual impairments.

“This is my first major exhibit and may be the last one I do in San José. This showcase took over 20 years of work and being able to show the physical objects that will be exhibited here requires an investment of time similar to what would be needed to create new pieces. Sculpture is a thought made material; this project is important for me, as it reflects my effort to understand myself as a Costa Rican and to automatically understand the symbols that represent me, which are part of the work, and communicate them to the public”, Derrida concluded.

The Power and Universality of the Sphere will be here for you from February 20 to July 14.