Intermission I

Impressed by the abundant daylight that permeates the new federal courthouse in San Diego, artist Kim MacConnel created two large murals for the building’s public queuing area and juror lounge.  These murals bring dynamic shapes and vibrant colors to important public gathering spaces of the courthouse. 

Each mural is composed of 4-foot-square wood-and-aluminum panels, joined to form a larger overall composition.  Spanning 16 by 32 feet of the public queuing area’s south wall, Intermission I is scaled to underscore the architectural volume and lightness of the space.  For Intermission II, which extends 8 by 40 feet along the high south wall of the juror lounge, MacConnel used the idea of a classical frieze to create a sense of horizontal movement that can be experienced both in the room and from outside on Broadway, thanks to the building’s large, north-facing windows.

MacConnel composed the abstract, geometric designs of the murals by distilling primary forms from the textile designs, pottery and other decorative arts of various world cultures, including those of Mexico, China, India, Africa and the Near East, all places where MacConnel has traveled.  The multicultural sources of MacConnel’s imagery mirror the diverse backgrounds of those coming to the courthouse to serve as jurors.