Artist: Zi Xu
Artist statement: My illustration is inspired by the “Statue of Civilization” statue (by Bertram Goodhue) that is on display in this library, featuring an Athenian woman with two Egyptian sphinxes beside her. I wanted to reimagine the statue as an illustration of Athena reading a book with the sphinxes beside her to pay tribute to both the artistic legacy of the library as well as the importance of the library as an institution that provides knowledge and education to everyone.
Artist bio: Zi Xu is a freelance illustrator based in Los Angeles who primarily works in posters for the entertainment industry. She loves 20th century illustration and is also an avid bookworm.