The cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento last week formally dedicated the new riverfront public art project aimed at fostering connections through two vibrant tributes.
Artist Joshua Sofaer’s River Crossing: I want to communicate with invited the community to nominate someone to have the public dock in Sacramento or West Sacramento named in their honor.
After receiving 650 nominations and by panel selection, the two docks have been named after Isabel S. Naranjo for the dock in Old Sacramento and Etenesh Zeleke for a dock in West Sacramento.
The culmination of the project is two large-scale light box installations that spell out the new names of the docks in the international language of maritime signals.
According to the artist, these light box installations signal across the river between two cities and represent our collective need to honor the people who are most meaningful to us.
This project, managed by the City’s Office of Arts and Culture, was funded by the City of Sacramento and National Endowment for the Arts.
Click the video below to see the new art.
More about the grandmothers:
Isabel S. Naranjo was nominated by her granddaughter and was driven to deliver supplies, food and clothing to migrant farmworkers and their families. A farmworker herself, she helped establish childcare centers and secure funding for meals, recreation and education. Judges selected Naranjo due to her strong commitment to her family and her community.
Etenesh Zeleke, whose first name translates to “you are my sister,” was an immigrant from Ethiopia. She was nominated by her granddaughter who described her as being a “stream of hope” with many references to creating a community in West Sacramento near the river. Judges were inspired by her unique story of modern immigration, her love for her family and her connection to the river.
