Kid Power Park in San Francisco’s Mission District is a mere hop and a skip away from the famous Clarion Alley I’ve already documented. In a city of so much amazing public art, and specifically so many mosaics in public places, this small urban park is a great example of a mosaic mural with a strong impact.
This mural was created by Josef Norris of Kid Serve, an arts organization that enables young people to participate in creative service-learning projects. The scale of the faces in this mural is overwhelming given the context of a narrow street and a small park.
When you see the faces at mid-range, they start to look a bit grotesque; their teeth, made of mosaic pieces, look almost like Chiclets. But, when you approach even closer, you can see that these portraits include images of other people. Who are they? I can’t find an answer online.
I wish Cincinnati had a Mission District.
Comment by Randy Simes — January 26, 2009 @ 10:40 am
What struck me about SF on this trip, which I guess I hadn’t really noticed before, is that so many opportunities are created that integrate art somehow into the urban fabric. For instance, this is a small neighborhood playground flanked by a huge mosaic mural. There’s tremendous support for this sort of integration and, wow, does it ever make the urban experience that much more stimulating and inspiring! I saw art everywhere, from large-scale murals and sculptures to small inlays in sidewalks.
Comment by visualingual — January 26, 2009 @ 11:42 am