Lemon Everlasting Backyard Battery

Lemon Everlasting Backyard Battery is a project by Ted Purves and Susanne Cockrell, created in collaboration with Joe McHenry, which draws upon the participation of San Jose gardeners to realize a bio-active installation that literally transforms itself while on view in the gallery. Inspired by the confluence of San Jose's early agricultural history and the enduring popularity of the lemon tree as an emblematic California lawn "accesory", the artists will collect yard-grown lemons from the area, preserve them with salt and herbs, and allow them to cure over the course of the exhibition. Rows of the yellow jarred fruits will be displayed, alongside local stories and portraits of citizen's yards and trees, turning the gallery into a charged space of stored energy and culinary potential.

A series of public events during the exhibiition will provide opportunities for individuals to share stories and learn recipes that involve cooking with lemons. A lemon-infused tasting will convene on May 2, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and during the last week of the exhibition, gallery visitors may take home a jar of preserved lemons.