DAVIS, CA.- Lacin/Christophel Mural & Design complete “Same Sun”, one of the largest public art projects in the region, on November 5th. This nearly 14,000 sq. ft., hand-painted, abstract mural and kinetic shadow installation was commissioned by the Northern California City of Davis for its East Area Water Tank.

The piece invites viewers to rethink public art, abstract art and scale. The brushstrokes of Sofia Lacin’s original abstract painting, that inspired the Tank’s art, show the fluidity and emotion of the moment. But on the Tank, the strokes are scaled-up 70 times larger and took months to complete on the 35-foot tall, installation in-the-round.

The phrase “Sol Omnibus Lucet” encircles the tank which translated from Latin means, “The Sun Shines Upon Us All.” The message encourages viewers to investigate our connectedness and shared dependence on nature. The palette of earthy colors resonates with the tank’s location and the piece echoes the importance of the land, fine art and value that an inventive spirit brings to the community.

The artwork has a unique kinetic element whereby three letters of “Sol Omnibus Lucet” are omitted from the painting. The spaces for these letters are completed by sun shadows cast from sculptures on top of the tank. The installation interacts with the sun and seasons by moving shadows across the tank each day, creating a distinct connection between time and place for this site-specific artwork.

At certain times of day the letters created by the shadow of the sculptures fit perfectly into the painted phrase, completing the text. At other times the shadows are warped and stretched along the tank’s curved surface as organic shapes, reminiscent of dappled sunlight. In this way the sun takes the design through periods of undone, done, abstraction, representation and a moment of clarity and discovery.

“We are excited to see the transformation of the tank into an artistic and functional landmark for our city. It truly embodies the creative spirit of our residents, university and commercial sector.” said Davis City Project Manager( City of Davis Public Works Interim Principal Civil Engineer and East Area Water Tank Project Mangaer), Michael Mitchell.

One third of the effort, of the five month project, is hand-held brushwork that has been done solely by the two artists, Sofia Lacin and Hennessy Christophel. They have applied 130 gallons of paint, 97 gallons of which was generously donated by Sherwin Williams. The four million gallon water tank, visible from I-80, is located at 44085 County Road 32A in Davis, California, west on the Mace Boulevard exit off Interstate 80.

Lacin/Christophel Mural & Design
Lacin/Christophel Mural & Design (www.lcmuralanddesign.com) is artist duo Sofia Lacin and Hennessy Christophel. Since 2007 they have created murals, public art, graphics and designs that are beautiful, timeless, durable and integrated with the work’s environment. Recent clients include the City of Davis, San Francisco County, law firm Radosolvich|Krogh, CADA and Trader Joe’s.