Silicon Valley, a hub of innovation and global thinking, is no stranger to the initial public offering or the IPO. From early tech stalwart Hewlett-Packard to search giant Google to social networking hub Twitter, each company has gone public with great fanfare. “Going public” signals opportunities for future growth, expansion, and greater transparency.

In a nod to our tech community, the San Jose Museum of Art goes public with the debut of a selection of exciting acquisitions from the last three years. The acquisition of work by recognized, pivotal artists active in California, throughout the United States, and abroad, expand SJMA’s collection of socially engaged art, landmark new-media works, and fresh representational strategies in art. Accordingly, the works in this exhibition broaden the scope of the permanent collection to reflect the high-tech interests, dynamic cultural diversity, innovative spirit, and international scope of the communities served by SJMA.

Initial Public Offering presents works that exemplify SJMA’s surprising and playful take on the art of our time. Displayed for the first time at the museum will be the entirety of Stephanie Syjuco’s expansive installation, The International Orange Commemorative Store (A Proposition) (2012). Originally commissioned by the FOR-SITE Foundation for the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, Syjuco’s faux store features a vast array of the usual souvenir gift shop find—pencils, mugs, buttons, keychains, and countless other trinkets—all saturated in the Bridge’s iconic orange color. Also on view will be Alan Rath’s Absolutely (2012), a fifteen-foot-tall robotic sculpture with pheasant feathers. Activated by movement and heat, the sculpture comes alive with a dance that seems improvisational.

The permanent collection is a valuable resource for the community and an important public legacy. We welcome you to buy into Initial Public Offering by leaving us your thoughts and photos. Tell us what you find most interesting, exciting, or downright confusing, via our social media handles: Facebook: SanJoseMuseumofArt, Twitter: @sjmusart, and Instagram: @seewhatyouthink.