Philip K. Dick Utility Box Art (Santa Ana)

Thanks to artist Brennan Roach, who shares images of his public art in Santa Ana, sponsored by the Utlility Box Art project. Here's the city's helpful description of his project.

Location: South East corner of N. Main St. and E. Civic Center Dr. intersection

Brennan Roach’s utility box design commemorates Philip K. Dick, the most influential writer to call Santa Ana home. Philip K. Dick’s science-fiction stories formed the basis for many major films, including Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Minority Report, and the TV series The Man in the High Castle. He wrote his final four novels in Santa Ana. Brennan’s design celebrates the author’s contributions to Santa Ana culture, as well as the inspiration the city provided for his imaginative works.

Here's contributor Brennan Roach's own artist's statement:

Phillip K. Dick has always been someone I looked up to as a creative person. Although I do not pursue writing as a creative medium, his style and overall theme of his work have resonated with me throughout the years. His dystopian themes and sci-fi dreams have pervaded pop culture in ways that mostly get overlooked. Knowingly or not, chances are you’ve seen, or at least heard of, movies that have been adapted from his prophetic exaggerations.  

When I found out he spent the final ten years of his life in Santa Ana, a city I grew up in, I couldn't help but feel a deeper connection with his work. When the opportunity came to design an electrical box, I knew exactly what direction I was going to take it. People had to know about this guy and his history in Santa Ana. This was simply my humble attempt to highlight his career. What better way to do that than by turning a simple electrical box into an electric monolith dedicated to him and his presence in the city, fully wrapped in pages from the books he wrote in Santa Ana? Special thanks to my lovely wife who helped me fully realize and execute this project. 

Brennan Roach is a musician/artist from Santa Ana, Ca. You can view more of his work on his Instagram.