Salesforce Transit Center just got a little more colorful. Over the weekend, 38 artists from ArtSpan—an organization that supports emerging and established local talents—painted 10,052 square feet of the grand level windows of the soon-to-open complex. Among the artists were local legends such as Paul Madonna as well as Dilcia Giron (a mixed-media artist), Johnny Botts (known for his retro-future robots), and painter Lynn Rubenzer.
The collaborative project focused on the theme of “Dynamism,” with the hope of capturing the eclectic spirt of San Francisco and the vibrant energy of the city. The new works will be unveiled during Salesforce Transit Center's Opening Block Party on August 11. The event will also feature live painting performances by Nora Bruhn (known for the Rainbow Room at the Museum of Ice Cream) and Nathan Richard Phelps (notable for his works at 1625 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley and Bloc 15 in Oakland).
The grand opening will also reveal four permanents large scale works by acclaimed national and international artists. New York-based artist James Carpenter will debut Parallel Light Fields, a field of 54 illuminated light fins set into the ceiling (to be completed this fall). Inside the Grand Hall, San Francisco talent Julie W. Chang will open the door to a Secret Garden, her colorful design on the 20,000-square-foot terrazzo floor that evokes a lush sunlit Victorian garden. White Light by Jenny Holzer is an elliptical LED installation and sculptural light column that surrounds the Grand Hall and features scrolling text specific to San Francisco by dozens of famous writers. Integrated into the rooftop park is Bus Jet Fountain, by Bay Area artist Ned Kahn. Kahn designed a 1,000-foot-long interactive linear fountain with water jets that respond to the movement of buses on the deck below in real time; their movement triggers sensors controlling the frequency, motion and height of the water.
See it all at the Grand Opening Block Party, this Saturday, August 11 from 12-4pm at Salesforce Transit Center.