New Public Artwork Unveiled at Herz Recreation Center in John McLaren Park
“Reflection and Projection,” 2025, by artist Sanjay Vora celebrates belonging, play, and community in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley
(Image: Reflection and Projection, Herz Recreation Center)
SAN FRANCISCO, January 9, 2026 – The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (RPD) are thrilled to announce the completed installation and unveiling of Reflection and Projection, a new permanent public artwork by visual artist Sanjay Vora, at the City’s new Herz Recreation Center.
Standing nearly eight feet tall and spanning almost ten feet wide, the new interactive artwork installation combines imagery from Vora’s studio practice with reflective mirrored stainless-steel tiles to create an open, ever-changing experience.
Inspired by his family’s dream of finding a welcoming, culturally diverse community, Reflection and Projection celebrates belonging, inclusion, and shared joy. Abstract, playful figures reflect viewers and their surroundings, inviting everyone to see themselves as part of a vibrant, collective narrative.
“Public art is about sparking connection, reflection, and community,” said Ralph Remington, Director of Cultural Affairs. “Sanjay Vora’s Reflection and Projection transforms Herz Recreation Center into not just a space for play and gathering, but also a place for self-recognition and shared experience.”
Fabricated in steel and porcelain enamel, the piece was designed to withstand daily interaction and harmonize with the welcoming spirit of Herz Recreation Center.
“This work honors the dream my parents carried when they came to this country, the search for a place that embraces diversity, creativity, and connection,” said artist Sanjay Vora. “By integrating reflective surfaces with painted imagery, I wanted to create a space where everyone could literally see themselves as part of the story of Herz Recreation Center, a story that is about belonging and joy.”
The artwork is part of the broader development of Herz Recreation Center, a community hub within John McLaren Park at Hahn Street and Sunnydale Avenue. Developed by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department in partnership with Mercy Housing and Related CA, the new facility features an indoor basketball court, multi-purpose spaces, and childcare services. Together with nearby Coffman Pool and Herz Playground, the center anchors “the Hub,” envisioned as an inclusive, family- and youth-focused resource for neighborhood residents and visitors.
“Sanjay’s piece complements our vision for Herz as a safe, welcoming, and modern community hub for the south side of San Francisco,” said Sarah Madland, SF Rec & Park Interim General Manager. “It captures the spirit of gathering and play that this neighborhood deserves, while reflecting the resilience and creativity of the community.”
The unveiling of Reflection and Projection marks the first public art commission for Sanjay Vora and continues SFAC’s commitment to investing in community-centered works that enliven the urban environment and the City’s parks and neighborhoods.
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About the Artist
Sanjay Vora is an Indian American visual artist, musician, curator, and educator whose multidisciplinary practice draws on themes of memory, identity, ritual, and cultural inheritance. Born in rural New Jersey to a musical family, he was influenced early by North Indian classical music as well as the landscapes of his childhood. His paintings have been exhibited internationally, including at the Museum of Northern California Art and the Venice Biennale’s Personal Structures exhibition. He has been commissioned by Facebook’s Artist in Residence Program and Square, Inc., and his works are in the collections of Kaiser Permanente, the Rainin Foundation, and Alta Bates Hospital. Vora is a recipient of the Sustainable Arts Foundation Grant and was awarded the Herz Recreation Center Public Art Project through the San Francisco Arts Commission. Learn more at sanjayvora.com.
About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment, and shaping innovative cultural policy. SFAC programs include the Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Investments, Public Art, SFAC Galleries, and Art Vendor Licensing. Learn more at sfartscommission.org.