San Francisco's waterfront is the ideal place to enjoy some beautiful and thought-provoking works of art.
Located at Third Street and Arthur Avenue, Islais is inspired by Islais Creek’s landscape and the Bayview community’s long history. Islais came about through partnership between the Port of San Francisco and the San Francisco Arts Commission with public feedback. Photo by Karwanna Dyson
BY RENÉE DUNN MARTIN
Published: September, 2018
San Francisco’s waterfront is the ideal place to enjoy some beautiful and thought-provoking works of art. The Embarcadero features views of the iconic twinkling Bay Lights on the Bay Bridge, Cupid’s Span at Rincon Park, the Tidal Columns at Brannan Street Wharf, and many other artworks that enhance the natural beauty of the Embarcadero Promenade’s surroundings.
This summer, two new works of art joined the waterfront—Islais and Point of View. Point of View is located at the Pier 27 James R. Herman Cruise Terminal, and it is a temporary installation by Israeli designer Saron Paz and Bay Area artist Matthew Passmore. On view until May 31, 2019, Point of View consists of lighthouse-like sculptures—one in San Francisco and the other in Haifa, Israel, with cameras that show live views from the other city.
At Third Street and Arthur Avenue, artist Cliff Garten drew inspiration from the landscape of Islais Creek and the Bayview community’s long history on the water’s edge to create Islais, a 20-foot tall blue bronze and stainless-steel sculpture that references the estuary’s shape and watersheds and shines with LEDs at night. Islais joins Bayview Rise at Pier 90 at the gateway to the Bayview neighborhood as part of the continued enhancement to public space along the Blue Greenway.
You can use the map on this page to take a Public Art Walk along San Francisco’s waterfront, and visit the Port of San Francisco’s website (https://sfport.com/art) to see more art along the waterfront.
Renée Dunn Martin is the Port of San Francisco’s communications director.
PUBLIC ART ALONG THE WATERFRONT
1. PIER 39: Crab Topiary
2. Pier 27: Point of View* (Temporary Installation)
3. Between Piers 9 and 15 (Exploratorium): Barnacle Seating
4. Rincon Park (near Pier 14): Cupid’s Span
5. Brannan Street Wharf: Tidal Columns
6. South Beach Park (near Pier 40): Sea Change*
7. Third Street, Arthur Avenue, and Cargo Way: Islais*
8. Pier 90: Bayview Rise*
*Collection of the City and County of San Francisco; commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission.
