Public Art Projects

Art Enrichment Projects

BACKGROUND

The San Francisco Arts Commission is currently commissioning new public artworks for seven new or renovated San Francisco Public Library branches as part of the San Francisco Public Library’s Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP). Each artwork is being created by a Bay Area artist to enhance the architecture of each of the seven branches and reflect the interests of the residents who will be using each facility. Funding for the artworks is provided by 2% of the BLIP construction budgets for each of the seven branches that qualify for art enrichment, which includes replacement facilities in Glen Park, Ingleside, Portola and Visitacion Valley, a new library in Mission Bay, and substantially renovated Potrero and Richmond branches. This ambitious citywide upgrading of the City’s library system is funded primarily by bond funds approved by San Francisco voters in 2000.

Arts Commission staff worked with Library staff to develop an Arts Master Plan for expenditure of the Art Enrichment funds generated by the five new facilities and the renovated Potrero and Richmond branches. The BLIP Arts Master Plan included a two-tiered artist selection process to allow community panels from each branch to have a direct role in the artist selection process. The Arts Master Plan also proposed the pooling of art enrichment funds generated by each of the seven branches to allow for a more equitable distribution of art money among the seven branches, and to insure that branches with smaller construction budgets would receive an adequate allotment for art enrichment

The two–tiered artist selection process began with the establishment of a prequalified artist candidate pool of eligible professional artists working in a wide variety of appropriate media selected through an open competition. An ad hoc artist selection panel, which was convened to select members of the artist pool, included three arts professionals: Saudy Sanchez, Public Art Officer with the San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs; Beau Takahara, Director of Zero One, an art and technology organization; and JoeSam, an artist. Also serving on the panel were Marilyn Thompson, the Branch Library Improvement Program Manager, and Joan Jasper, Chief Curator of the San Francisco Public Library.

For the second tier, community-based panels then selected the artist(s) whose approach and medium was most compatible with the architectural and neighborhood characteristics associated with each branch. This process ensures maximum community participation in the art enrichment process. The community-based panels include three neighborhood residents elected by community members, the branch manager, and the project architect for the branch.

Branch Library BLIP Projects and Artists

Glen Park Branch

Location of new branch: Wilder and Diamond
The completed artwork will be installed by the end of June, 2007
Artist Team: Reddy Lieb and Linda Raynsford
Art project status: The Artist Team is currently developing a proposal for a colorful glass and metal artwork to be installed on the wall facing the entrance of the library.

Ingleside Branch

Location of new branch: Ocean Avenue and Plymouth Street
Expected branch completion date: 2008
Artist: Eric Powell
Art project status: An appropriate site for the artwork is being determined.

Mission Bay Branch

Location of new branch: 4th Street at Berry
Branch Completion Date: The branch opened July 8, 2006
Artist: Vince Koloski
Art project status: The artwork, A Library Book, is an illuminated sculpture in the form of an accordion-fold book. Installed on two adjacent upper level walls in the main reading room of this library branch, the artwork includes quotations about books and libraries contributed by patrons of the San Francisco Public Library.

Portola Branch

Location of new branch: Bacon and Goettengen
Expected branch completion date: Fall, 2008
Artist: Dana Zed
Art project status: The artist is finalizing a design for four colorful translucent glass and metal shutters to be installed in the front window of the new branch. The glass panel designs are inspired by native plants in the Bay Area.

Potrero Branch

Location of new branch: 20th Street at Connecticut
Expected branch completion date: Beginning of 2009
Artist: Gina Telcocci
Art project status: The artist is developing a preliminary design for a group of sculptures incorporating local plants and other materials to be suspended from the ceiling in the open atrium area of the new branch.

Richmond Branch

Location of new branch: 9th Avenue at Geary
Expected branch completion date: Beginning of 2009
Artist: Scott Donahue
Art project status: The artist is finalizing designs for two bowl-shaped concrete sculptures, to be covered by horizontal bronze disks with relief maps of the Bay Area and imbedded with small porcelain enamel disks depicting the history of transportation in the Bay Area. The sculptures will be placed on either side of the outdoor path leading to the front door of the branch.

Visitacion Valley Branch

The artist for this branch will be selected and the art project developed following determination of a location and timeline for the new Visitacion Valley Branch Library.

This information was last updated in January, 2007.