Poster artwork & printing provided by Emilio Garcia of Precision Graphics in San Leandro
“What would the world be like if women were safe?” is the questioned posed by San Leandro’s new public art piece Truth is Beauty. In ten different languages on the base we are asked to think deeply about how we can create environments where women feel safe. Located on Westlake Urban’s San Leandro Tech Campus next to the BART station, tours of Truth is Beauty are offered by the City of San Leandro and SLTC and led by trained community ambassadors (docents) who tell the moving story about the evolution of this exceptional piece of art and its creator Marco Cochrane.
Marco felt that this sculpture expresses the unleashed power women have in a world where they feel safe. Truth is Beauty is one of three pieces in Cochrane’s Bliss Project, all telling the story of bringing women’s energy in balance with men’s through respect, appreciation and protection. Truth is Beauty debuted at Burning Man 2013 on the playa, lighting up the desert sky to share her energy.
Truth Is Beauty Across the Playa – At Burning Man 2013 – Photo/Eleanor Preger
“I knew of Truth is Beauty because a lot of my friends were involved in Burning Man,” says San Leandro Chamber CEO and TIB docent Emily Griego. “So when Gaye Quinn, Westlake Urban Managing Partner and Chamber board member, shared her proposal to bring TIB here, I was thrilled. At the time, we had the fiber optic loop being installed, a new 3-d printing company moved into San Leandro and there was this whole vibe around the idea of San Leandro being showcased as a center for innovation and technology. And there was talk about SLTC bringing more tech companies into San Leandro, especially more women entrepreneurs in tech.” Illuminated by 2,500 LED lights Truth is Beauty and her message seem to be the perfect fit for San Leandro.
“My first tour was on a rainy Saturday,” continues Emily, “but all who signed up did
Photo/Eleanor Preger
show up – with their umbrellas. They had wonderful questions because they all wanted to be around her! She is standing in a safe space. She feels all her ‘beautifulness’ in that space at that moment.” Participants receive ribbon bracelets at the end of the tour with Together We Stand inscribed on them. “We are all in this together, committing to one another to watch out for and keep each other safe.”
Truth is Beauty tours are offered on the next three Saturday mornings in December. Dec. 3, Dec. 10 or Dec. 17 at 11am. This is a free event. The tour lasts about an hour and the groups on tour are intimate – about 20 people.
“I think the success of the tours,” commented another docent, Naomi Porat, Alpha Group, “is attributable to the enthusiasm, gratitude and emotional response of the participants. They were all in love, and I mean seriously in love, with TIB and so grateful that she is a gift from Westlake to the City and its residents. They expressed how they feel so lucky to have her in their own community.There were approximately 20 attendees, mostly from San Leandro. The group was very diverse in terms of age (several kids, parents, older residents), ethnicities and about 50/50 male and female. There was even a couple who traveled from Woodland (near Sacramento) for the tour!”
Join the community in this very important conversation as you learn Truth is Beauty’s story. Choose a date and meet at the SLTC at 1600 Alvarado St. in San Leandro.
Truth is Beauty Public Tours sign-up.
TIB -Toe to Toe
Photo/Addie Silveira
Leave A Comment