39th and Ortega
Ortega Library
Ocean Beach
Wowhaus consists of artists Scott Constable and Ene Oseraas-Constable. These two artists were also responsible for the Sunnyside Menagerie at the Sunnyside Conservatory here in San Francisco.
Located near the entrance of the library, the artwork features a duo of large-scale, glass mosaic fish sculptures. The sculptures represent a silver Forage Fish and a vermillion Rockfish, two species that swim in the waters just off Ocean Beach that have played a vital role in the natural and cultural history of the region.
The artwork’s title, Abundance, speaks to the concepts that inspired the artwork. According to Wowhaus, “These colorful sculptures are icons of the abundance that lies both in the library and in the ocean beyond. Uniquely sited within view of the Pacific Ocean, the Ortega Branch Library is a source of ‘abundant knowledge’, a place where people of all ages come to learn and grow. Likewise, the nearby ocean is a wellspring of sustenance, offering an ‘abundance of resources’ for both humans and animals alike.”
The silver fish celebrates the small but heroic Forage Fish found in the waters just off Ocean Beach. Forage Fish are a small species, which includes anchovy and herring, that are a vital food source for larger predator fish, marine mammals and sea birds. For the artists, they “symbolize the interdependence of all life forms and remind us that seemingly small details in life are worthy of celebration and appreciation.” Native to San Francisco, the more solitary vermillion Rockfish has been a food source since the Ohlone inhabited the Bay Area hundreds of years ago. San Francisco was the primary fishery for rockfish on the West Coast as late as 1887.
This piece was commissioned by the SFAC for $75,000.
Nice pieces. I spent a lot of time at the Sunnyside Conservatory before it was restored. My therapist and psychiatrist were in a little clinic a block-and-a-half away from it on Monterey Boulevard. Once a week for many years, I’d stop in at the conservatory on my way home to meditate. Now that the little park has been restored, I doubt that it would have the same melancholy charm of abandonment. Certainly, the conservatory itself looks nothing like it did. Some things are better left alone, I think.
These are lovely. The glass tiles must glow in the sun!
We don’t usually see such fishes so it is nice to get a close up view of them and learn about their backgrounds. I have never been to this library, but I certainly enjoy the modern architecture with its large windows. The fishes are nice touches to its exteriors shimmering in the sunlight.