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San Francisco 2016, Day 3, Part 1

South of Market (Part 1)

I started off Day 3 (and spent most of the day, actually) in SoMa, the area south of Market Street.  Historically a district packed with warehouses and gay bars, it’s now an area in transition.

The 7-story Lipi Ni Lapu Lapu mural, celebrating SoMa's Filipino-American heritage. In April 2016 (just 2 months before my visit!), the City of San Francisco designated an area of SoMa as SoMa Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District. San Francisco, United States, North America.
The 7-story Lipi Ni Lapu Lapu mural, celebrating SoMa’s Filipino-American heritage. In April 2016 (just 2 months before my visit!), the City of San Francisco designated an area of SoMa as SoMa Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District.
A hidden spot in SoMa, Alice Street Community Gardens. Each plot is tended to by a local senior. San Francisco, United States, North America.
A hidden spot in SoMa, Alice Street Community Gardens. Each plot is tended to by a local senior.
Lovely lavender roses in Alice Street Community Gardens. San Francisco, United States, North America.
Lovely lavender roses in Alice Street Community Gardens.
A pretty pink rose in Alice Street Community Gardens. San Francisco, United States, North America.
A pretty pink rose in Alice Street Community Gardens.
This building from the '70s looks up-to-date with a colorful paint job. It was formerly Twitter HQ. SoMa is now tech central in San Francisco, a northern extension of Silicon Valley. San Francisco, United States, North America.
This building from the ’70s looks up-to-date with a colorful paint job. It was formerly Twitter HQ. SoMa is now tech central in San Francisco, a northern extension of Silicon Valley.
A funky fish at a city rec center in SoMa. San Francisco, United States, North America.
A funky fish at a city rec center in SoMa.
This pretty butterfly mural is a harbinger of things to come on Day 4 in the nearby Mission District. San Francisco, United States, North America.
This pretty butterfly mural is a harbinger of things to come on Day 4 in the nearby Mission District.

Yerba Buena Gardens

Yerba Buena Gardens, built in the ’90s, and the adjacent Moscone Center, built in the ’80s, were major contributors to the changing face of SoMa.  Rehabbing the area caused the displacement of many long-term residents and business, changing much of the character of the area.

Delightful daisies in Yerba Buena Gardens. Yerba Buena was the original name of San Francisco. Perhaps ironically, Yerba Buena means "Good Herb". San Francisco, United States, North America.
Delightful daisies in Yerba Buena Gardens. Yerba Buena was the original name of San Francisco. Perhaps ironically, Yerba Buena means “Good Herb”.
Pretty purple charmers in Yerba Buena Gardens. San Francisco, United States, North America.
Pretty purple charmers in Yerba Buena Gardens.
Blue lovelies in Yerba Buena Gardens. San Francisco, United States, North America.
Blue lovelies in Yerba Buena Gardens.
I make new friends wherever I go! San Francisco, United States, North America.
I make new friends wherever I go!
Directly across from Yerba Buena Gardens to the north, the Gothic Revival St. Patrick Church, built in 1914. Unsurprisingly, St. Patrick's originally served an Irish congregation. The congregation is now largely Filipino. San Francisco, United States, North America.
Directly across from Yerba Buena Gardens to the north, the Gothic Revival St. Patrick Church, built in 1914. Unsurprisingly, St. Patrick’s originally served an Irish congregation. The congregation is now largely Filipino.
"Deep Gradient/Suspect Terrain (Seasons of the Sea 'Adrift')" by John Roloff, 1993. Inside the glass ship are sediments from the ocean floor deposited by water flowing out of the Golden Gate. San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Deep Gradient/Suspect Terrain (Seasons of the Sea ‘Adrift’)” by John Roloff, 1993. Inside the glass ship are sediments from the ocean floor deposited by water flowing out of the Golden Gate.
Your eyes aren't out of focus. This is "Shaking Man" by Terry Allen, 1993. Shake his right hand(s). San Francisco, United States, North America.
Your eyes aren’t out of focus. This is “Shaking Man” by Terry Allen, 1993. Shake his right hand(s).
Restored historic carousel, hand-carved in 1906. San Francisco, United States, North America.
Restored historic carousel, hand-carved in 1906.
The figure at the top of "Urge" by Chico MacMurtrie appears to be about to ski down the globe. You can manipulate the figure's posture using a control at a nearby bench. San Francisco, United States, North America.
The figure at the top of “Urge” by Chico MacMurtrie appears to be about to ski down the globe. You can manipulate the figure’s posture using a control at a nearby bench.
On top of the world! Or on top of "Urge", at least. San Francisco, United States, North America.
On top of the world! Or on top of “Urge”, at least.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Directly across from Yerba Buena Gardens to the east, one of San Francisco's most recognizable buildings, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The 2016 expansion rises up directly behind it. Beyond that is the Art Deco Pacific Telephone Building, 1925. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Directly across from Yerba Buena Gardens to the east, one of San Francisco’s most recognizable buildings, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The 2016 expansion rises up directly behind it. Beyond that is the Art Deco Pacific Telephone Building, 1925.

SFMOMA was founded in 1935 as the San Francisco Museum of Art.  40 years later, in 1975, it took on its current name.  SFMOMA moved into its current landmark location in 1995, the year of the museum’s 60th anniversary.  In 2013, SFMOMA closed for 3 years for an expansion that more than doubled its space.  It reopened in May 2016, the month before my visit, as the country’s largest modern art museum.  And seriously, it’s the most overwhelming attraction I’ve been to since the Forbidden City.

Why not start off with something large-scale and Pollock-esque? "Thievery by Servants", Mark Bradford, 2013. (Sorry the color is a bit off on this one. I still had my camera set for the outside.) SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Why not start off with something large-scale and Pollock-esque? “Thievery by Servants”, Mark Bradford, 2013. (Sorry the color is a bit off on this one. I still had my camera set for the outside.)
Anyone hungry for lunch? "Untitled (Fountain)", Robert Arneson, 1992. The Northern California artist died from lung cancer in 1992, so I guess that's how he was feeling at the time. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Anyone hungry for lunch? “Untitled (Fountain)”, Robert Arneson, 1992. The Northern California artist died from lung cancer in 1992, so I guess that’s how he was feeling at the time.
"Anubis and the First Chakra", Daisy Youngblood, 1945. This sculpture combines Egyptian and Tibetan mythology. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Anubis and the First Chakra”, Daisy Youngblood, 1945. This sculpture combines Egyptian and Tibetan mythology.
Does modern art ever have you crawling the walls? "Lilith" by Kiki Smith, 1994. The sculpture inverts a character from Jewish folklore. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Does modern art ever have you crawling the walls? “Lilith” by Kiki Smith, 1994. The sculpture inverts a character from Jewish folklore.
Hockney goes down-market? Actually, it's "Watsonville Olympia" by SF-born painter Robert Bechtle, 1977. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Hockney goes down-market? Actually, it’s “Watsonville Olympia” by SF-born painter Robert Bechtle, 1977.
"Appreciation of the Inches" by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, 2013. Lynette favors muted colors. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Appreciation of the Inches” by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, 2013. Lynette favors muted colors.
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Another one reminiscent of Hockney. This time it’s “Geoffrey Hendricks and Brian” by Alice Neel, 1978. Geoffrey and Brian were artists and a couple. Brian died from AIDS 9 years later.
Dirt. More specifically, a pile of dirt with mirrors going through it to create 4 quadrants of dirt. More specifically, "Nonsite (Essen Soil and Mirrors)" by Robert Smithson, 1969. Robert died in a plane crash at 35 4 years later. (Sorry for my sneakers in the reflection.) SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Dirt. More specifically, a pile of dirt with mirrors going through it to create 4 quadrants of dirt. More specifically, “Nonsite (Essen Soil and Mirrors)” by Robert Smithson, 1969. Robert died in a plane crash at 35 4 years later. (Sorry for my sneakers in the reflection.)
"Girl With Pink Hat" by Bay Area painter Wayne Thiebaud, 1973. Even for me, the hat isn't the first thing I notice. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Girl With Pink Hat” by Bay Area painter Wayne Thiebaud, 1973. Even for me, the hat isn’t the first thing I notice.
Fortunately, he's not throwing up in this work like in the one above. He must have been feeling a lot better when he did this. Actually, it was 10 years before he died of liver cancer. "California Artist" by Robert Arneson, 1982. He created it in response to a put-down by a New York critic about the Northern California artist and California art in general. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Fortunately, he’s not throwing up in this work like in the one above. He must have been feeling a lot better when he did this. Actually, it was 10 years before he died of liver cancer. “California Artist” by Robert Arneson, 1982. He created it in response to a put-down by a New York critic about the Northern California artist and California art in general.
See? California Artist! SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
See? California Artist!
This one caught my eye. I think I'm drawn to triptychs. "Dynaton Triptych" by Lee Mullican, 1952. At the time, he was a member of the short-lived SF-based Dynaton art movement. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
This one caught my eye. I think I’m drawn to triptychs. “Dynaton Triptych” by Lee Mullican, 1952. At the time, he was a member of the short-lived SF-based Dynaton art movement.
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The title says it all: “White Painting [three panel]” by Robert Rauschenberg, 1951.
This large one reminds me of Carol Burnett's character Mrs. Wiggins: "I have pencils to sharpen!" "Leaky Ride for Dr. Leakey" by James Rosenquist, 1983. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
This large one reminds me of Carol Burnett’s character Mrs. Wiggins: “I have pencils to sharpen!” “Leaky Ride for Dr. Leakey” by James Rosenquist, 1983.
Heeeeeres Andy! "Self-Portrait" by Andy Warhol, 1967. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Heeeeeres Andy! “Self-Portrait” by Andy Warhol, 1967.
My favorite surrealist! "Les valeurs personelles" ("Personal Values") by René Magritte, 1952. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
My favorite surrealist! “Les valeurs personelles” (“Personal Values”) by René Magritte, 1952.
Marcel Duchamp's notorious "Fountain". This is a 1964 reproduction of the 1917 original. The earlier puking work was also subtitled "Fountain". Interesting. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Marcel Duchamp’s notorious “Fountain”. This is a 1964 reproduction of the 1917 original. The earlier puking work was also subtitled “Fountain”. Interesting.
"Enigmatic Combat" by Arshile Gorky, 1936-37. Well, it's a mystery to me, but I like it. Much of the artist's work was inspired by the Armenian Genocide. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Enigmatic Combat” by Arshile Gorky, 1936-37. Well, it’s a mystery to me, but I like it. Much of the artist’s work was inspired by the Armenian Genocide.
"The Luminous Loot" by Lee Mullican, 1948. This is the same artist that did "Dynaton Triptych" above. I guess something about his art must catch my eye. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“The Luminous Loot” by Lee Mullican, 1948. This is the same artist that did “Dynaton Triptych” above. I guess something about his art must catch my eye.
"Un coq pour Chango" ("A Rooster for Shango") by Wifredo Lam, 1947. I look at this and just think, "Wow, that guy has a small head!" SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Un coq pour Chango” (“A Rooster for Shango”) by Wifredo Lam, 1947. I look at this and just think, “Wow, that guy has a small head!”
"The Flower Carrier" by Diego Rivera, 1935. A beauty, but harsh. This was was of the first works in the museum's permanent collection. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“The Flower Carrier” by Diego Rivera, 1935. A beauty, but harsh. This was was of the first works in the museum’s permanent collection.
"Frieda and Diego Rivera" by Frida Kahlo, 1931. 20th-century art's power couple. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Frieda and Diego Rivera” by Frida Kahlo, 1931. 20th-century art’s power couple.
"Forever Free" by Sargent Johnson, 1933. Another of the museum's original pieces. Sargent aimed to depict the beauty and dignity of African-Americans. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Forever Free” by Sargent Johnson, 1933. Another of the museum’s original pieces. Sargent aimed to depict the beauty and dignity of African-Americans.
Pablo! "Les femmes d'Alger" ("Women of Algiers") by Pablo Picasso , 1955. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Pablo! “Les femmes d’Alger” (“Women of Algiers”) by Pablo Picasso , 1955.
Untitled work by Paul Klee, 1940. As soon as I saw this, I suspected it was Klee. I became familiar with his work at the fabulous Museum Berggruen in Berlin. SFMOMA, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Untitled work by Paul Klee, 1940. As soon as I saw this, I suspected it was Klee. I became familiar with his work at the fabulous Museum Berggruen in Berlin.

To be continued…

[Factual information is primarily gathered from Wikipedia, so you know it must be true.]

Related posts:

San Francisco 2016, Day 1, Part 1 San Francisco 2016, Day 5 The 2016 BSFBB Awards San Francisco 2017, Day 5, Part 2

Comments

  1. Marlene says

    Hi Bill,
    I have loved your travelogues and I love the pieces you pictured in this one. Miss you. Have a happy Thanksgiving. Wish you were sharing it with us.
    Marlene

    Reply

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