Millenium Tower
301 Mission Street
The public entrance
Vitreous Bench by Catherine Wagner
Catherine Wagner is an American conceptual artist. She was born in San Francisco on January 31, 1953. She received her BA and MFA from San Francisco State University.
Although Ms. Wagner has spent her life living in California, she is an active international artist, working photographically, as well as site-specific public art, and lecturing extensively at museums and universities. In 2001 Ms. Wagner was named one of Time Magazine’s Fine Arts Innovators of the Year.
The artist’s statement regarding the piece: “I have chosen to install a sculpture in the shape of an ellipse, cast from clear resin, that calls to mind the image of a frozen pond. Floating inside the piece are cast acorns that appear jewel-like. The work is a response to an existing wall piece depicting a California oak grove. This serves both as sculpture and as a functional seating element. At night, the illuminated sculpture will act as a beacon from the street to passersby.”
This piece is part of the Millenium Towers 2% for Art requirement. The collection within the tower features artists with significant relationships to art schools and institutions in the Bay Area.