Rolling Reflection

 Posted by on March 29, 2021
Mar 292021
 

February 2021
1500 Mission Street

This piece sits in what the project calls the forum, it is by Sanaz Maninani.

Sanaz Mazinani is an artist and educator based between San Francisco and Toronto. Mazinani works across the disciplines of photography, social sculpture, and large-scale multimedia installations,

Mazinani holds an undergraduate degree from Ontario College of Art & Design and a master’s degree in fine arts from Stanford University. Her work has appeared in solo exhibitions at institutions including the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and the West Vancouver Museum.

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This is just one of several pieces of art at 1500 Mission Street.

The Project Sponsor is required to provide public art valued at 1% of the construction cost of the building. The Site Permit indicated a construction cost of $200,000,000, so the Project Sponsor must spend at least $2,000,000 on the art program. The Project Sponsor has dedicated a budget of $2,206,968 which equals approximately 1.1% of the total construction cost.

1500 Mission Street

 Posted by on March 23, 2021
Mar 232021
 
1500 Mission Street

February 2021 This is what is left of several buildings that once sat on this site. Built in 1925, 1500 Mission was a one-story reinforced concrete industrial building originally designed in the Classical Revival style for the White Motor Company. The White Motor Company was created out of the White Sewing Machine Company. Founded by Thomas H White in 1876, his son, Rollin Henry White,  invented the auto flash boiler in 1899. With his two brothers, Windsor and Walter, the sons diversified the sewing machine company’s products by introducing trucks and the White Steamer automobile in 1900. Around 1940, the Continue Reading

Floating Points

 Posted by on February 16, 2021
Feb 162021
 
Floating Points

February 2021 1500 Mission Street Shannon Finley, a Berlin- based artist, created this piece that stands by the front door to 1500 Mission, between the  glass facade and a 30 foot green wall.  It stands 15-foot high and is made of stainless steel, powder-coated matte black. Comprised of multiple planes set at various angles, the sculpture is intended to act as a companion piece to the building itself — its light mimicking the light of the building’s facade. “Floating Points”  is Finley’s first US commission. Shannon Finley is a sculptor, painter and animator who creates works that reflect a strong Continue Reading

Prevailing Winds

 Posted by on February 9, 2021
Feb 092021
 
Prevailing Winds

February 2021 1500 Mission Street “Prevailing Winds” by artist Catherine Wagner . Catherine is a San Francisco-based artist, known best for her conceptual photography. Wagner’s work often involves extensive research and, in this instance, she studied Bay Area wind patterns and then laser cut the resulting cartographic data onto eight aluminum panels. Lining the South Van Ness sidewalk of the 1500 Mission Street project, these functional sculptures have arrow-shaped holes and rectangular notches, which both help mitigate the wind and add poetry to the urban landscape. Ms. Wagner is a Professor of Studio Art, as well as the Dean of the Continue Reading

WFT at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

 Posted by on May 21, 2019
May 212019
 
WFT at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

Polk Street Between Hayes and Grove Conceptual artist Joseph Kosuth’s is the artist behind this neon work on the western side of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Kosuth’s work was selected by the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) in 2015, to be the first public art project funded through the Public Art Trust with the contribution made by The Emerald Fund. The Emerald Fund was responsible for two residential buildings that have views of this art piece. The Public Art Trust provides private developers with projects in various zoning districts options regarding the use of their 1%-for-art requirement. Developers may Continue Reading

New Life at 77 Van Ness

 Posted by on March 9, 2019
Mar 092019
 
New Life at 77 Van Ness

  77 Van Ness San Francisco   Paul Gibson, born in Los Angeles in 1957, was educated at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, California, in Architecture, and received his BFA from the  Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Following his passion for arts, he decided to move to New York City and received a full-time painting scholarship at the prestigious National Academy of Design in New York. Paul lived in New York for five years and became a believer in the visual arts and a collector of works on paper. Gibson moved with his family to San Francisco Continue Reading

Authors from Latin American Roots

 Posted by on July 30, 2018
Jul 302018
 
Authors from Latin American Roots

San Francisco Public Library Grove Street Entrance This art work of charchoal and pastel on paper and canvas is by Enrique Chagoya.  It was a gift from the Mexican consulate in San Francisco. Measuring 160 inches square, the mural contains some thirty names of prominent Latino American writers and poets who have made important contributions to literature. They include Claribel Alegria, Isabel Allende, Jorge Amado, Manlio Argueta, Miguel Angel Asturias, Mario Benedetti, Jorge Luis Borges, Lydia Cabrera, Alejo Carpentier, Rosario Castellanos, Ana Castillo, Sandra Cisneros, Julio Cortazar, Ruben Dario, Rosario Ferre, Carlos Fuentes, Romulo Gallegos, Jorge Icaza, Sor Juana Inex Continue Reading

The SFPL Card Catalogue

 Posted by on July 17, 2018
Jul 172018
 
The SFPL Card Catalogue

San Francisco Public Library 3rd, 4th, and 5th Floors With the move to the new Main Library, items in the card catalog (used to access the collection for more than 100 years) have been replaced by an online computer system. Artists Ann Hamilton and Ann Chamberlain embedded these obsolete cards in plaster covering the principal diagonal wall on three levels of the building. Each card is annotated with a quote from its corresponding book or from another book associated with the title by subject matter. Nearly 200 individuals annotated the cards in a dozen different languages. The cards not only represent a Continue Reading

Constellation at the SFPL

 Posted by on July 10, 2018
Jul 102018
 
Constellation at the SFPL

San Francisco Public Library Atrium area   160 names of writers are illuminated on a wall that rises five stories behind the grand staircase in the atrium of the San Francisco Public Library. The artist’s work is inspired by a Beaux Arts tradition with origins in the Bibliotheque Saint-Genevieve in Paris (a model for the old Main Library). On that building, authors’ names were inscribed on the facade according to the location of their works inside. Nayland Blake revisits this idea of an index of authors with glass shades placed before fiber optic light beams. Each shade is inscribed with Continue Reading

Yarn Bombing Civic Center

 Posted by on April 28, 2018
Apr 282018
 
Yarn Bombing Civic Center

San Francisco Civic Center Plaza These whimsical animals and  are designed and installed by Jill and Lorna Watts of Knits For Life as part of the “Knitting the Commons” project. For those not familiar Yarn bombing is a type of street art that employs colourful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre rather than paint or chalk. It is also called yarn storming, guerrilla knitting, kniffiti, urban knitting, or graffiti knitting. According to their website: Knitting the Commons is a temporary art project that aims to ‘knit’ together San Francisco’s central public spaces – Civic Center Plaza, UN Plaza, and Continue Reading

Alice Aycock at the SFPL

 Posted by on March 18, 2018
Mar 182018
 
Alice Aycock at the SFPL

San Francisco Main Library 100 Larkin Street 5th Floor Alice Aycock has designed a spiral stairway between the fifth and sixth floors of the suspended, glass-enclosed reading room that projects into the library’s great atrium space. The staircase wraps around a cone tipped at an angle, and as the two-story cone appears to unravel, it sheds fragments of false or imaginary stairs. A second element, the Cyclone fragment, is suspended in the adjacent atrium and functions as a ghost projection of the spiral stair. If the stairs suggest knowledge unfolding, the Cyclone symbolizes knowledge in its most dynamic and transitional Continue Reading

Gloria Victis

 Posted by on January 24, 2018
Jan 242018
 
Gloria Victis

Civic Center 505 Van Ness Edmund G. Brown State Office Building Closed Weekends The statue was a project between the Hungarian Freedom Fighters Federation of San Francisco and the Honorable Ernie Konnyu, a former Representative of the California State Assembly. The statue portrays Hungaria, the Spirit of Hungary, and symbolizes the idea of everlasting hope in spite of defeat. The statue expresses the aspirations of all people in their hunger for freedom.  It is a memorial to all nations defeated by brutal force, whose love of liberty and spirit must stay alive to strive to free themselves again. The statue Continue Reading

Central Emergency and Detention Hospital

 Posted by on August 23, 2016
Aug 232016
 
Central Emergency and Detention Hospital

50 Dr. Tom Waddell Place previously 50 Lech Walesa previously 50 Ivy In the alley, somewhat behind the Public Health Building that dominates the corner of Polk and Grove in San Francisco’s Civic Center is a small building that was once the Central Emergency and Detention Hospital. According to the 1918 Municipal Record Volume 11 the building included a court room, and also housed the Social Services Department of the Public Health Department. The architect is not known, although it was most likely a city architect. The contractor was Anderson and Ringrose, they were paid $78,140 for their work.  Other Continue Reading

The Lost Art of Leo Lentelli

 Posted by on May 9, 2016
May 092016
 
The Lost Art of Leo Lentelli

San Francisco Main Library Now the Asian Art Museum Sometime between 1915 and 1917, Leo Lentelli was commissioned to design five large sculptures for the facade of the Main Public Library, now the Asian Art Museum. In a March 1918 article titled “An Expression of Decorative Sculpture – Leo Lentelli,” published in The Architect and Engineer, Sadakichi Hartmann boldly stated that the five figures were “by far the most important work Lentelli has as yet attempted.” The sculptures, which represent Art, Literature, Philosophy, Science and Law, are 7-feet 8-inch high cement figures once set atop granite pedestals and originally sat Continue Reading

Hell Mouth on Golden Gate Avenue

 Posted by on April 18, 2016
Apr 182016
 
Hell Mouth on Golden Gate Avenue

The corner of Franklin and Golden Gate This interpretation of the Pallazo Zuccari on the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy once graced the front entry to San Francisco Italian restaurant Vivande. Vivande was the run by Chef Carlo Middione.  Middione lost his sense of taste and smell in an auto accident in Spring of 2007 and sadly closed his two restaurants. This piece was created by Michael H. Casey in 1995. Michael H. Casey (1947-2013), received his BFA in sculpture from Rhode Island School of Design. Moving to California in 1974  to work on the ornamental exterior of the Museum of Man Continue Reading

Inflatable Bunnies Hop to San Francisco

 Posted by on April 5, 2016
Apr 052016
 
Inflatable Bunnies Hop to San Francisco

Inflatable bunnies, an art installation by Australian artist Amanda Parer has stopped in San Francisco for a few days. The monumental rabbits, each sewn in nylon, inflated and internally lit. will be in San Francisco from April 4, 2016 to the 25th. The giant rabbits will travel throughout North America, making stops in Washington D.C.,  Toronto, New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Denver and Memphis. The project, made possible by a loan of $50,000 from the S.F. Cultural Affairs office to the San Francisco Arts Commission is also sponsored by the Recreation & Park Department and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development Continue Reading

Center of San Francisco

 Posted by on July 13, 2015
Jul 132015
 
Center of San Francisco

UN Plaza Civic Center What in the world is that brass cross in the middle of UN Plaza?  That is Joel Pomerantz of Thinkwalks pointing to something most San Franciscans probably don’t even know is there, or why. This is the spot used to measure the distance to and from the City of San Francisco to other cities around the world.  Why here?  Because this is where our original city hall once sat. The Hall of records is the round building in the front, City Hall is the taller one in the back. A common misconception is that distances shown Continue Reading

83 McAllister

 Posted by on May 27, 2015
May 272015
 
83 McAllister

This is the Methodist Book Concern.  The book concern, established in 1789 in Philadelphia, was the oldest publishing house in the United States and used Abington press as their trade imprint. It is now the United Methodist Publishing House and it is the largest general agency of The United Methodist Church. The Methodist Book Concern furnished reading material to church members and helped support ministers, who received liberal commissions for selling the publications. ”The preachers still feel the need of the press as their most potent ally in their work,” said The Methodist Review in 1889 The building was designed by Lewis Continue Reading

Passage of Remembrance

 Posted by on April 6, 2015
Apr 062015
 
Passage of Remembrance

Memorial Court Civic Center   In 1932 when the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House and Veterans Building were built the project was supposed to include a memorial to veterans. The project ran out of money, and one was never made. However, during this time the octagonal lawn in the Memorial Court has held earth from lands where Americans fought and died. This stone octagon, now encloses the earth. The Memorial has been designed so that it can be opened to accept newly consecrated earth from battlefields of the future. In 1935 that War Memorial Complex architect Arthur Brown, Jr., recommended Continue Reading

Exultadagio

 Posted by on April 28, 2014
Apr 282014
 
Exultadagio

San Francisco Conservatory of Music 50 Oak Street Civic Center Fulfilling the 1% for public art requirement for private development in San Francisco, this glass curtain wall of the music school includes 8” deep horizontal and vertical glass fins. A dichroic glass bevel at the front edge of each fin casts colored light across the building facade and the interior classrooms. The combination of sunlight and glass creates an ever changing composition of colored light throughout the day. The project is by Daniel Winterich.  The glass was fabricated by Lenehan Architectural Glass Company. Interior Shot courtesy of Winterich Studios According Continue Reading

Rain Portal

 Posted by on April 7, 2014
Apr 072014
 
Rain Portal

SFPUC Building 525 Golden Gate Avenue Civic Center Rain Portal by Ned Kahn.  Kahn has several pieces around San Francisco that you can read about here. Ned Kahn’s Rain Portal is located inside the lobby of the new Public Utilities building.  Kahn’s Firefly graces the exterior of the building and you can read about it here. Rain Portal seeks to permeate an interior architectural wall with rain. Drops of water falling inside of an undulating polycarbonate membrane suggests the endless cycle of evaporation and precipitation. According to Kahn, “One of the paradoxes of the Rain Portal is that much of the entire history of Continue Reading

Peace

 Posted by on March 31, 2014
Mar 312014
 
Peace

154 McAllister Street Civic Center   According to Reka’s own website: James Reka – Melbourne, Australia Self-taught artist James Reka is a young contemporary Australian artist based in Berlin, Germany. His origins lie in the alleyways and train lines of Melbourne’s inner-suburbs where he spent over a decade refining his now-emblematic aesthetic. His character work has come to represent the beginnings of a new style of street art: clean, unique and not necessarily on the street (much to his mother’s joy). With influences in pop culture, cartoons and illustration, Reka’s style has become known for its fusion of high and low Continue Reading

Island Fever

 Posted by on March 24, 2014
Mar 242014
 
Island Fever

50 8th Street SOMA/Civic Center   I am a huge fan of  Lady Mags and Amanda Lynn, and they have been on this website many times. I have also been walking by this piece for quite a while, admiring it and yet not quite having a chance to take pictures when it wasn’t blocked by cars.  Finally, I had the chance, so here it is for your pleasure. According to Amanda Lynn’s  website: Lady Mags and I (aka Alynn-Mags) recently completed the largest mural production we have ever created, and it all happened in less than 5 days! We were asked Continue Reading

Love and Marriage San Francisco Style

 Posted by on February 14, 2014
Feb 142014
 
Love and Marriage San Francisco Style

City Hall South Light Court In 2004, San Francisco General Hospital  launched Hearts in San Francisco to generate revenue to support its  numerous programs.  This heart, in City Hall’s South light court, was part of that program.  Designed by Deborah Oropallo the  interlocking Heart, titled LOVE + MARRIAGE, was sponsored by Ambassador James Hormel and Timothy Wu.  The heart displays the first names of many of the gay couples married in San Francisco in 2004. ARTIST’S THOUGHTS: “I wanted to make a heart that would not just be decorative, but somehow be relevant to what is going on in San Francisco Continue Reading

Judge James Seawell

 Posted by on February 11, 2014
Feb 112014
 
Judge James Seawell

Second Floor City Hall Civic Center The San Francisco Call ran this article on November 8, 1898: Judge James M. Seawell. No better nomination has been made by any party than that of Judge James M. Seawell, one of the Democratic candidates for Superior Judge. During the six years he has served in that capacity he has built up a reputation as a jurist that he may justly feel proud of. He has shown conspicuous ability, has ever presided with dignity and has been honest and conscientious in his interpretation of the law. It can be truly said that his Continue Reading

Dianne Feinstein

 Posted by on February 7, 2014
Feb 072014
 
Dianne Feinstein

City Hall Mayors Balcony Civic Center Dianne Feinstein was the head of the Board of Supervisors on the day that Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were tragically assassinated.  She instantly became Mayor. This sculpture (the second of Dianne Feinstein to sit in City Hall) was done in 1996 by Lisa Reinertson. According to Lisa’s website:  Lisa Reinertson is known for both her life size figurative ceramic sculptures and her large-scale public sculptures cast in bronze. Coming from a family of peace and social activists, Reinertson’s work has an underlying humanism that can be seen both in her poetic Continue Reading

City Hall in Wood

 Posted by on February 6, 2014
Feb 062014
 
City Hall in Wood

City Hall South Light Court Civic Center This is one of five wooden models that Don Potts did for the 1982 AIA Convention.  The pieces were later purchased by the City and four are now on display in City Hall.  You can read about the first two here. Don was a meticulous artist.  Another renown project, that has since been destroyed was “My First Car”. * * * The fourth of these models is of the Hallidie Plaza, a building that houses the San Francisco Chapter of the AIA. * * In researching Don Potts I found this article by Continue Reading

Don Potts Amazing Wood Models

 Posted by on February 5, 2014
Feb 052014
 
Don Potts Amazing Wood Models

City Hall South Light Court Civic Center Pylon of the Golden Gate Bridge There are four amazing, exquisite and highly detailed wood models in the South Light Court of City Hall.  They are all by Don Potts. These architectural models were designed and built in 1982 by Don Potts in commemoration of the Centennial of the San Francisco Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.  The models were first displayed in an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art which “highlighted the important contribution that architecture has made to the City and County of San Francisco, and which Continue Reading

George Moscone

 Posted by on February 4, 2014
Feb 042014
 
George Moscone

City Hall Mayor’s Balcony Civic Center This bronze bust is of the late Mayor George Moscone.  Moscone was assassinated by Dan White along with Harvey Milk in November 1978, a tragedy for the City of San Francisco.  Moscone was our 37th mayor. The bust was done by my dear friend Spero Anargyros.  Spero has a few works throughout San Francisco, and you can read about them here. Many people are aware of the highly controversial, but in my opinion, excellent, sculpture of Moscone by Robert Arneson.  The bust that Arneson created was not liked by the powers that be.  The Continue Reading

Cyril Magnin

 Posted by on January 31, 2014
Jan 312014
 
Cyril Magnin

City Hall South Light Court Cyril Magnin served as San Francisco’s Chief of Protocol from 1964 until his death in 1988.  He was responsible for keeping many key international consulates from moving out of San Francisco and to Los Angeles.  He is seen here walking his dog Tippecanoe. In Magnin’s 1981 autobiography, “Call Me Cyril,” opera superstar Beverly Sills is quoted as saying: “He twinkles, he’s a song-and-dance man, a sentimentalist, a tough businessman, a sucker for a hard-luck story–and one of the great philanthropists. He’s a prince of pleasure, a king of kindness, a formidable friend, and I am Continue Reading

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