Anyway, of course I jumped at the chance to drive my mom to San Francisco to pick up her passport (she isn't a U.S. citizen so she has to go to her embassy to get one). It was about a 1 1/2 hour drive and then I literally dropped my mom off while she went inside, circled around about 4 city blocks, picked her up and then we drove back home. Still, I had time to snap a pic of this building while I was stopped at a light and even decided to do research on it when I got home (I told you San Jose was boring... I did research when I got home).
So here it is:
"I create works which make the improbable appear plausible, while challenging expected notions of how we perceive and interact with the environment."- Artist Brian Goggin
Defenestration is the act of throwing something or someone out of a window. This I learned after digging for information about the public art on display at the corner of 6th and Howard in San Francisco.
Although I'd seen the building numerous times, I only today bothered to investigate its origin. Maybe it's the creative environment of San Francisco that made me expect crazy art like this, but I scarcely looked twice at this very odd building before.
Installed by artist Brian Goggin in 1997, the work includes several pieces of furniture - from lamps to beds - hanging precariously onto the sides of the building.
It's a strange site to be sure but is still a distinguished gem amid the rapidly changing landscape of San Francisco. As familiar landmarks make way for new high-tech condos and office buildings, the Defenestration installation stands as a beacon to remind San Franciscans of their roots in creative expression.
I noticed today that the lot and building are for sale. With all the flashy new buildings being erected in the area, I wonder if the new owners will bother to recognize or preserve its quirky sensibility.
Find out more about artist Brian Goggin and his San Francisco installation here and here.
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