Oct 082011
Bernal Height
Mission District
Noe Valley
Transit Systems
Due to a strong art commission in San Francisco we are fortunate to see art most everywhere. The fun thing is finding it when you least expect it. Our transit system has lots of art, but sometimes you just pass it by. This is at the corner of Mission and 22nd, and as you can see, it is a bus stop. This is titled Layla and Swingdaddy by Joe Mangrun.
Joe was born in Florissant Missouri. At the age of 16 he was awarded a trip to India sponsored by the Asia Society of New York 1986. He received his BFA with a focus on painting and photography from the School of the Art institute of Chicago. He currently resides in New York City and has taken up sand painting.
This panel and iterations of it are on the Church Street line of Muni. They are by Tirso Gonalez. Hailing from Mexico, Tirso first started drawing when he was in middle school. He started off drawing caricatures of friends and teachers, he later began to draw cartoons about social issues that affected the people of his city and state. His first work as an artist began at a local newspaper; it took him only one visit to the news editor to get a job as the editorial cartoonist of a major newspaper in his home state.Tirso left Mexico for the San Francisco Bay Area in 1982 and a year later, was introduced to Mission Grafica at Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. He was invited to join Mission Grafica, where he learned to print silk screen posters. He went on to learn mural painting by collaborating with different muralists in San Francisco.
Feed Eat
Others
Switch
Grow
This last series is along the Mission Street Bus line from Precita to Cortland. These are all by Brian Goggin. The amazing thing about these is the fact that they simply disappear. This section of the street has a utility box every foot. Sewer, Telephone, Water, Gas and Electric all appear in this form along the street, so you really don’t notice Brian’s work at all. The first one struck me as odd until I saw the neon sign just above it. The others, I think tell their own story.
These are the kind of discoveries I love to make. You are right – you seem to have art everywhere there!
Nice series with lovely textures and contrasts.
My favorite shot is the one of the sign “Eat”! You do seem to have art underfoot everwhere there in SF…
I love all the art you share with us. The second one is my favorite! I love how bright those colors are.
really terrific sooc shots!!
I love the old neon sign… wish it were lit!
You found some real treasures on the streets of SF.
Making simple things look interesting through photography is brilliant idea. thanks for the post
Conventional wisdom is to “look up” in order not to miss something interesting. You looked down and discovered more treasure at your feet.