Continuing on our journey through San Francisco looking for the “Illuminate SF” art projects, once again I am using a little creative license to connect these dots. John F. Kennedy Drive goes through Golden Gate Park and that is where you will find the Conservatory of Flowers and there you will see some Psychedelic Photosynthesis.
As you will remember with the “Entwined” exhibit, Golden Gate Park was actually closed to traffic by the time I got there. A few folks were out walking their dogs and there were some tennis courts with people still playing so the lights were on but I didn’t really want to just randomly park the car and go wandering by myself so I kind of overlooked the signs that said “do not enter” or “road closed” and drove to where I saw the flashes. The Entwined exhibit was on the same road, just a bit farther down.
This colorful projection on the outside of the Conservatory was developed with the San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department and started in 2021. The moving colors and different flowers are reminiscent of the San Francisco Summer of Love. I couldn’t get any closer to the building itself but was able to park on the hill and look down.
As I was just about finished shooting this sequence, a man walked by who was cleaning up (or I assumed he was cleaning up because he had a big black trash bag) and he said that there were heavy fines for being in this area. I thanked him and got back in the car. I wish I had taken just a few more minutes though because I could see as I was pulling away that the colors on the Conservatory were turning a deep blue and then red. I didn’t hear any music but the addition of some would have been really cool I think.
Best Viewing: Outside the Conservatory of Flowers, 101 John F. Kennedy Drive. Starts at dusk each night and runs on a loop through the night. Make sure to get there early enough so you don’t have to break the law to see it!
I’m sorry to say that the pictures on the website show much more color and vibrancy than the video I got. I would like to go back sometime and see it again. I’ll be sure to post about it if I do. Thanks to all who have been visiting me from the A to Z. I promise I’ll try to get out and visit some new folks soon!
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Hi, Janet!
ReplyDeleteHappy "J" day, dear friend!
How I'd love to hark back to 1969 witnessing the Psychedelic Photosynthesis and Surrealistic Summer Solstice Jam, the mind-blowing light and music show staged at the Conservatory of Flowers at Golden Gate Park! You make me smile, dear Janet, with your stories about ignoring the "Keep off the grass" and other warning signs to bring us the best possible images for this wonderful series. To paraphrase Star Trek, you boldly went where no one has gone before. :) You would have made an excellent investigative news reporter, or maybe you actually were one. Forgive me if I forgot. I used to do the same thing as a TV news reporter and film/videographer. When I worked the nighttime shift, I'd often hear a report on the police and fire scanner about a fire or serious accident. I'd grab my camera, head out to the scene and go to great lengths to get around barricades and close to the action so that I could shoot newsworthy footage.
Anyhow, it's a shame that man spotted you and advised you to vacate the premises just as the lights were beginning to change. If we use our imagination, we can hear those 1969 anthems playing and the light show dazzling the audience.
If you get time, I hope you will swing by Shady's Place where Belle Rat the Dell Rat is unveiling her new hot pink poodle skirt, the latest creation of my Canadian artist friend Belle Unruh. There's good music galore, too, and it's from the same period covered in this post of yours today. Have a wonderful Wednesday and I'll be back to see you tomorrow, dear friend Janet!
Hi there, Shady! I was not an investigative news reporter but I do like to add a little "embellishment" to my stories. I think deep down I've always wanted to be a writer but I'm not so fond of having to edit for punctuation and such. It's a little easier for me to use my creative energy with my paper crafting. LOL. I'm pretty sure I could have talked my way out of a fine and I really wasn't there that long but I think that the "good girl" in me got just a tad worried.
DeleteThanks for the tip, I'll be over to visit your neck of the woods. Have a wonderful rest of your day my friend.
An excellent creative choice for your J! And it's a lovely vid. The cool blue is quite serene. I bet the red totally changes the feel.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely give more meaning to the Psychedelic part!
DeleteThis is so cool and so what for bending the rules. Rules are easy to be broken or bent. Love this whole scene
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