Mesmerizing artwork illuminates Circle of Palms in San Jose

If you’ve ventured by the Circle of Palms outside the San Jose Museum of Art in the past week, you may have noticed something new: Three cone-like structures suspended in the air that glow colorfully at night. The intrepid souls who choose to investigate further can discover something even more interesting.

This is “Gaiascope,” a public art piece by multidisciplinary artist Brooke Einbender of Mindbender Studios commissioned by the city of San Jose for the summer to celebrate the FIFA World Cup. The piece, which will be up through Aug. 18, is a trio of kaleidoscopic sculptures with mirrored chambers inside that display imagery inspired by the natural beauty around San Jose, along with digital art and virtual reality art.

The colorful fractal images produced inside each one are absolutely mesmerizing. When the shapes and colors hit just the right way, it can look like a psychedelic soccer ball is swirling in there. It’s an interactive piece, too, with buttons and a dial on two pedestals that let visitors alter the colors, video and speed.

“This has been a dream-come-true installation,” Einbender said in an Instagram post this week. She said she’s enjoyed watching people interact with the piece since it opened last Friday night and has seen some people make return visits.

“San Jose prides itself on technology and Silicon Valley and also creativity and innovation so this piece is really exciting for San Jose,” she said. ” ‘Gaisacope’ is about nature being grounded in place and using technology as a tool to bring people into that essence.”

YOUR VOTE REALLY MATTERS: There’s a big election on Tuesday, but there’s another important voting deadline to keep in mind: June 7. That’s when the public voting ends for Santa Clara County’s “I Voted” sticker contest.

Students from elementary grades through college submitted 203 designs, showing off a huge range of talent, design skill and appreciation for county landmarks and communities. The public can now vote online for their favorites among 30 finalists in several categories by going to sccvote.org/sticker.

The Registrar of Voters office will announce the winning designs in late June, after they get through certifying that other election. The selected stickers will be given out to voters at vote centers and included in vote-by-mail envelopes for the general election in November.

Santa Clara County Registrar Matt Moreles says the office is grateful for all the submissions and hopes the contest encourages voter participation and not just for this year’s elections. "This contest gives future voters a meaningful way to connect with the democratic process long before they cast their first ballot," Moreles said.

MAKERS UNITE: There’ll be more than 250 makers, designers, artists, bakers and more at History Park this weekend for SJMADE Fest, the big outdoor event put on by San Jose Made. There’ll be an armada of food trucks there, too, along with a Kitten Lounge by Mini Cat Town and live K-Pop dance performances. It runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, admission is free, and you can get more information at www.sanjosemade.com.

RUNNING AROUND: Thousands of runners will descend on Santana Row this weekend for the San Jose Half Marathon, the 8K Race to the Row and the Speed City Mile - because apparently paying money to run 13.1 miles sounded more fun than sleeping in.

This year's race also gets a fresh look, thanks to a kinetic new logo designed by San Jose native Blake Dadson that'll show up on the finishers medals, assuming they aren’t too exhausted to admire them.

The Speed City Mile and a kids fun run hit Santana Row on Saturday morning, with the half-marathon and 8K taking over Sunday. Along the course: the high-energy Mariachi Mile, where DJs and live bands will try to distract runners from what their legs are telling them.

The over compensators among the half-marathoners can also test themselves at the "Speed City Quarter-Mile" near Mile 9½ on The Alameda, sprinting 400 yards before returning to their regularly scheduled pace. For runners less interested in personal records than personal happiness, there's the "Fun Route" detour at San Pedro Square. Dr. Funk Tiki Bar will hand out complimentary Tropical Second Wind Jello Shots, while O'Flaherty's offers a $4.08 beer - which may explain why organizers plan to gently herd everyone back onto the course by 10 a.m.

For race details, registration information and road closures, visit the San Jose Half Marathon website at www.sanjosehalfmarathon.com.

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 1:53 PM.