To anyone new here, I am blogging this year about a San Francisco experience called “Illuminate SF” which is a “celebration of the ability of light art to transform our most familiar spaces and an opportunity to turn the long nights of winter into an inspiring time to visit San Francisco.” It has been going on for 10 years now and the installations I am focusing on are the ones that have become permanent fixtures around the city.
“Seeing Spheres” was designed by Olafur Eliasson and is his largest public artwork display in the United States. It consists of five polished hydroformed steel spheres that are 15-1/2 feet tall. Each sphere has a flat, circular mirrored face framed by a ring of LED lights oriented inward to reflect the mirrored faces of the surrounding spheres.
Per the Illuminate SF description, this is supposed to produce an “environment of multilayered reflected spaces in which the same people and settings appear again and again, visible from various unexpected angles. Tunnel-like sets of nested reflections open up in the mirrors, repeating countless times and disappearing into the distance.”
Unfortunately while the spheres are still there, they are not reflecting at the moment due to vandalism so that explains why I didn’t see anything when I stood in front of them. I didn’t read about the vandalism until I was doing the research for this post. It’s too bad people can’t control themselves and not ruin it for others.
Best Viewing: After dusk, located on the triangular plaza in front of the East entrance to Chase Center, 1 Warriors Way. The big round balls are still interesting, reflective or not.
Okay folks, thanks for coming along on this journey with me. Make sure to come back tomorrow because I have a real treat for the letter “P!”
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Hi, Janet!
ReplyDeleteHappy "O" day, dear friend! I was looking for this post to appear around the usual time, 12:30 Eastern, but when I still didn't see it quite a while later, I broke away to do other things. I am happy to check out what you have in store today, and I see that you have already come to Margaret's birthday party. Thank you for that! I will reply to your comment there as soon as I comment here.
Seeing Spheres by artist Olafur Eliasson is an awesome exhibit. The 15.5 foot diameter polished chrome spheres remind me of the steel balls in a pinball machine. I was going to say that I can't fully comprehend what it is they do, and wish you could have shown us the reflecting effect. I am dismayed to learn that vandals found it necessary to destroy an art display placed there for the benefit of all citizens of the community. I hope the reflective surfaces will be restored at some point to prevent the vandals from claiming victory. I think they should install surveillance cameras at the site and publicize the fact that anyone doing harm to the art objects will be arrested and prosecuted. Regardless, the gigantic scale of the balls is an incredible sight that looks like a scene from Attack of the Puppet People.
Have a wonderful Tuesday, dear friend Janet. I'll be back to see your tomorrow for your "P" day essay!
Hi my friend! I was sorry that the sphere's weren't functioning too. Frustrating that a few bad folks ruin it for the rest of us. I do think they have plans to restore it and I agree with the idea of prosecuting vandals. It is quite a site regardless. See you tomorrow!
DeleteI was looking for the faces until read about the vandalism. Jerks! Cameras are needed and strict punishment. We need to think a little like the people from Singapore.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I would have thought that there would be cameras in front of such a public space.
DeleteI love the infinite-images-in-mirrors effect, and I bet it would be awesome in these giant spheres. I do hope they get repaired. And as they're in the Chase plaza, I sysoect they will be. If it happens, you'll have to go back and blog a report for us.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! I certainly will.
DeleteIt must have been disappointing to find they had been vandalised.
ReplyDeleteYes it was. Some people just have no self-control.
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