"Art of the Walk" on Pinterest

In conjunction with “Art of the Walk: An Instagram Tour of Art by Women in San Francisco” the Art and Music Center created a Pinterest board showing the 31 photos of public art that were posted in March. Each one of these art works is displayed (in reverse order- the first photos that were posted are at the bottom of the page.) Viewed on a desktop computer these photos show up on the left side of the monitor, while a map displays in the remaining area on the right. Clicking on one of the markers on the map will locate the work on the left side by highlighting it in red. If you click on the right side, on one of the photos, you’ll bring up a larger photo with text and a small map underneath.

Here is the link for the Pinterest page:
Art of the Walk

If you're interested in discovering these art sites yourself, there’s a high concentration of "Art of the Walk" art work near the Market St. corridor. One possible itinerary could start in the Civic Center, at 8th St., 100 yards south of Market. You’ll see the mural created by Lady Mags and Amanda Lynn. Cross Market at Hyde and Grove Streets to enter the Main Library where you’ll find a work by Ann Chamberlain and Ann Hamilton covering the southeast walls of floors 3-5. Here are 50,000 library catalog cards annotated by volunteers. In City Hall there are 2 works by women available to view.  A bust of Angelo Rossi by Ruth Wakefield Cravath sits in an alcove, near the west entrance. Near the south side is one of the heart sculptures benefiting General Hospital. This heart, created by Deborah Oropallo, is entitled “LOVE + MARRIAGE,” and celebrates marriage equality by listing first names of many of the gay couples who wed in 2004.

"LOVE + MARRIAGE" by Deborah Oropallo

Outdoor Sculpture in San Francisco

Outdoor Sculpture in San Francisco: a Heritage of Public Art is a well-rounded introduction to the sculpture of the City. The authors included work based on artistic merit and historic significance. Other requirements for inclusion were that the sculpture was located in San Francisco, out-of-doors and in a public space. It is organized roughly by chapters based on location or theme, in chronological order. The title not only gives a thoughtful artistic assessment of many pieces, but provides context to the political machinations of the time as it affected the art and its placement. Some background information on individual sculptors and on different spheres of the sculpting world – in California, the United States and Europe is also helpful. Crisp black and white photographs give illustrative detail.

San Franciscans and visitors to the City will recognize many familiar pieces, and enjoy learning new details. The first chapter discusses the work placed in Golden Gate Park. A monumental piece by James Happersberger memorializing the recently assassinated president, James Garfield, was the first sculpture to be placed here, and many other memorials followed. Douglas Tilden’s Mechanic’s Monument is noted in the second chapter on the downtown area, its dynamism still a defining feature. As the decades progress, readers are treated to works by Benjamin Bufano, Henry Moore, Ruth Asawa and a great number of other important sculptors.

Back matter includes notes, photography credits, and a directory organized alphabetically by sculptor’s name, giving the title of the piece and location. The bibliography is divided into sections by material type. A brief background on the authors and lastly, an index are also included.

For other resources on sculpture in San Francisco the exhibition catalog American Sculpture: the Collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco provides a brief biography on featured sculptors and interesting details on some of the works. The Checklist of the Collection lists all sculptors alphabetically by name and title of sculpture.

For those interested in seeing the sculpture, art and other sights of San Francisco on foot, Cityguides is an excellent way to learn about the history and culture of different neighborhoods of the City. Tours are given by volunteers who do extensive research on their topic and are free for individuals. Group tours can be arranged, (there is a charge for these) and proceeds benefit the San Francisco Public Library.

A popular outdoor exhibition, Hearts in San Francisco shows the work that could be found in the City from Valentine's Day through November, 2004. Local artists were given a heart shaped form in either steel or fiberglass on which to create a unique work. These pieces were eventually auctioned off to benefit the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.