The gateway to the Library's Special Collections displays 88 golden carburetors. The construction of the gateway recalls the form of the Golden Gate Bridge, an emblem of the utopian hopes and dreams of California and an organic part of the state's highway culture. The carburetors also recall the ranks of bodhisattva images in a Buddhist shrine, suggesting the sacred and infinitely elusive quality of such dreams. The embrace of alternative religions and the car as a California Cultural icon are elements which make California what it is today.
Location: entrance to Special Collections area on the Fifth Floor