Friday, February 28, 2014

Anton Refregier - Brutal Realism at the Rincon Center Annex San Francisco

Details from 27-panel “History of San Francisco” located at the Rincon Post Office .
Perils of the West.
Indoctrination of the Noble Savage

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Anton Refregier 27-panel work San Francisco.

Detail from 27-panel work detailing the “History of San Francisco” located at the Rincon Post Office in San Francisco.

Some of my favorite murals in SF

27-panel work detailing the “History of San Francisco” located at the Rincon Post Office in San Francisco.
Anton Refregier (1905-1979) born in Moscow. His most famous mural is the 27-panel work.  Refregier won this commission from the Section of Fine Arts in 1940 and completed the work in 1948. This mural was the costliest ($26,000) and most controversial of the Public Works, sparking national debate over the inclusion of controversial events from California’s history. Shortly after the murals’ completion a conservative Republican Congressman (the now forgotten Herbert Scudder- erroneously referred to as a senator or a state Representative) demanded the work be covered, insisting the work defamed the pioneers and reflected negatively on California’s past.
(credit to ERIC on Flickr 2003)

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

New cycle-friendly gentrification on Valencia Street

 Bikes are front and center on vigorous Valencia St.
The street is changing so dramatically and at warp speed, I thought even this little undramatic moment was worth a note.
Tartine - the chic restaurant and bakery business is trying to be unassuming but with the way things are going that's hard to do.

Monday, February 24, 2014

No, we're not in Rio

Oddly engaging bad art corner grocery mural - somewhere on Valencia St.
Actually this is more likely to be a $4000 electric Google bike now.

Looking out at a changing Valencia Street

Keeping an eye on the Police Station
How long before this place can't afford the neighborhood. I'm not trudging all over to Oakland for a manual egg beater.

The Curvaceous Queens of San Francisco

Under the prow of a magnificent vessel on a radically transforming Valencia Street
The Tars aren't scrambling all over the mainsail, but you get the idea.