San Franciscans have an endless supply of museums, galleries and exhibit space to visit when they need their art fix. But over the past few weeks, some of the city’s most eye-catching, conversation-sparking art has been available free of charge and in perhaps the city’s unlikeliest space: the streets of the Tenderloin.
It’s called Wonderland, and it took dozens of artists, most of them local, working for a year and virtually for free to produce the 15 large-scale installations.
There are giant wood frames wrapped in shiny silver material on the rooftops of the Warfield theater and Showdogs, a sausage joint across the street. A sound installation of recorded voices of Tenderloin residents singing and telling their stories. A big, hot pink, platypus-looking creature on wheels inspired by whimsical drawings by children.
There’s no wine and cheese opening for this exhibit – and you might have to walk past panhandlers and drug deals to see it. But for Lance Fung, curator of the show that closes Nov. 15, that’s what makes it worthwhile.
“Will a show at the MOMA change someone’s life? No, you have to save 20 bucks to go there,” he said. “I’m surprised that a project like this hasn’t happened yet in San Francisco.”… [SFGate]
Filed under: SF Tenderloin, Tenderloin, What's Going On?
“San Franciscans have an endless supply of museums, galleries and exhibit space to visit when they need their art fix.”
We do? Since when? Most of the museums here are not very good. They’re just different — but still not very good. The penalty of living in a city that values the unique over the excellent.
That said, I’ll be sure to check out Wonderland.
Oh and SF MOMA is free once a month. I think the first Tuesday? We exploit it to hit the blue bottle on the top floor. The exhibits there are kinda bunk.
Yup on SFMOMA. The Asian is free the first Sunday of each month too!