Cleveland, Ohio (June 3, 2014) – Ivan Juarez will take over the Eastman Reading Garden for this summer’s annual temporary artwork program See Also. Beginning the first week of June, Cleveland Public Library and LAND studio will present Drawing Lines, the 2014 edition of See Also. Juarez, who lives in Mexico, brings a global perspective to the garden and a new interpretation of the space that imaginatively frames views of the garden’s natural beauty.
 
Juarez’s work focuses on exploring the relationships between art and function, integrating the disciplines of architecture, design, sculpture, and installation. When he works on different projects, he investigates and experiments with new ways of relating space with people.
 
“One of the reasons that we were so drawn to Ivan is that he creates something different for every location he works in. Each of his projects are beautiful in their simplicity, while all being completely different from each other. We were excited to see what he would come up with for the library,” says Greg Peckham, managing director of LAND studio, which is the nonprofit organization that manages the See Also program.
 
The Eastman Reading Garden, beloved by downtown workers and visitors for reading, relaxing, and socializing, will be transformed into a place to be discovered and traveled through Drawing Lines. “Libraries stay relevant by continuing to promote intellectual growth and cultural enrichment,” says Cleveland Public Library director, Felton Thomas.  “We welcome the opportunity to display public art such as Drawing Lines because it enhances the quality of life for all those who enter the library garden.”
 
A continuous thread will move across new and existing elements in the garden to filter the natural light and create new passages and spaces to gather and reflect. At the same time, the installation’s architecture is being broken apart. Its walls are transparent. Approximately 14,900 feet of rope will be used. Anyone can explore the installation, discovering new spaces, shadows, and frames. Similarly, the Cleveland Public Library strives for greater openness and access for all, keeping its place as a community anchor with engaged learning and diverse programming.
 
Drawing Lines is the fifth installation of the annual program called See Also, which brings temporary works of art to the Eastman Reading Garden.  See Also is a collaborative effort between the Cleveland Public Library and LAND studio. The program is funded through an endowment established by Lockwood Thompson, who was a trustee of the Library and an avid art collector.
The Eastman Reading Garden is open to the public from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Monday through Saturday until the end of October.
 
About the Artist
Ivan Juarez, founder of X. studio, has worked around the world. X.studio is a multidisciplinary space focused on reflection, promotion, research, and action in different fields of contemporary expression. Juarez has developed numerous projects such as architecture, urban projects, site-specific interventions, landscape interventions, set designs, and installations. He has worked in different countries including Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Senegal, Greece, and Spain. His work has been awarded by multiple international institutions. A few of the most remarkable are the Prize Design Vanguard, the AR award for emerging architects given by The Architectural Review in London, and the Young Architects Award given by The Architectural League of New York. For more information about Juarez, please visit http://www.x-studio.tv/studio/ivan-juarez/index.php.
 
Cleveland Public Library
Cleveland Public Library is the place for all Clevelanders to dream, create and grow.  CPL serves four million patrons annually at 27 branches across the city, lending more than 6.5 million from a collection of more than 10 million items. CPL library services are also available at the Public Administration Library in City Hall, “The People’s University on Wheels” Bookmobile, Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, and the On the Road to Reading literacy van. CPL is the home for the Ohio Center for the Book, CLEVNET library cooperation, and KnowItNow24x7 virtual reference service. For more information about the Cleveland Public Library, please visit www.cpl.org.
 
About LAND studio
LAND studio is a nonprofit organization with a mission to create places and connect people through public art, sustainable building and design, collaborative planning, and dynamic programming. The name LAND studio is an acronym that describes the tools we use to achieve our mission and reinforces our commitment to being a collaborative participant in the building of a healthy city. We are dedicated to greening our LANDSCAPE, inspiring the city’s people with public ART, uniting NEIGHBORHOODS, and supporting sustainable building and DEVELOPMENT. For more information about LAND studio, please visit www.LAND-studio.org.