Wisdom
Larry Kirkland (2005)
Larry Kirkland uses the owl, a traditional symbol of wisdom, to identify the Main Library as a place of information and learning. In ancient Greek mythology, Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, was the daughter of Zeus. She was able to change form, often into an owl. This work was inspired by a sculpture created by Michelangelo for the Medici Chapel in Florence, Italy. The golden key behind the owl incorporates the Greek letters for A and Z, referencing the beginning and the end, while the book itself unlocks the knowledge inside books. In 1999, Kirkland also created an installation of cast bronze animals, toys, and trains in the Kid’s Walk, a 650-foot bridge connecting Jacksonville’s Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Clinic.
~Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville
Main Library, Laura Street Exterior, 303 North Laura Street, Jacksonville, Florida, 32202
Courtesy: Larry Kirkland