Islais Creek
3rd Street and Cargo Way
Bayview – Hunters Point
Islais by Cliff Garten Studio is an artwork that is inspired by the history and landscape of Bayview Gateway and Islais Creek.
“I have created sculptures whose gestures and forms are iconic yet formal and free, solid and transparent, because no one history should take precedence over another. The images of the Bay and Islais Creek are a reference point for the sculptures and for the celebration of the Bayview community.”
The piece is made of blue polychrome bronze with a stainless steel wrap, referencing the shape of the estuary with its different outlets before Islais Creek became a single channel, and suggests how rivers like that grow around the communities and change their form.
The solid form is a bronze casting with a blue patina, and the transparent form is comprised of 1/2” stainless steel rods.
The sculpture suggests that, like the Bayview community, the land is in a constant state of change yet it is solid and enduring.
Cliff Garten has been on this site before.
The history of Islais Creek is fascinating, you can read more about it here.
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As maintenance is not a strong point with the San Francisco Arts Commission I was happy to see this legalese in the proposal for the piece with the Port of San Francisco.
The City’s Art Enrichment program requires that the artwork be accessioned into the Civic Art Collection whereupon the artwork will be under the jurisdiction of the SFAC for maintenance, upkeep and liability. If it is determined the artwork needs to be removed or relocated, the SFAC will follow all necessary policies and procedures and coordinate
with the Port prior to doing so.
The Port will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further clarify the maintenance and upkeep of the artwork and steps required for removal if required. The MOU will also allow the SFAC the use of Port land for the placement of the artwork for 25 years.