August 04, 2008

San Francisco Art Institute


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Saturday morning I had nothing better to do, so I popped over to San Francisco and did some early morning spooking-around in Polk Gulch, followed by some other-world exploring in Chinatown, but as I was taking the route home up Columbus Avenue towards Bay Street I crossed Chestnut Street and spotted the old tower at the San Francisco Art Institute off to my left.   I actually found a parking spot and proceeded to lug my old bones up the steep hill to it's entrance.

The last time I had been inside was when I was about 15 years of age, and I'll be 61 near the end of this month so you can do the math, but it's been a heck of a long time since I've been there.   Despite a huge new addition it looks pretty much the same.   The Spanish courtyard fountain is still bubbling away, and the walls of the open arched corridors are still filled with art.   Aside from a neatly dressed security guard I was the only person there, so I asked if I could snoop around and he nodded yes.

Off to the left of the courtyard I entered what I remember as the main gallery, and although it was completely empty in preparation for another exhibit, there it was -- filling one complete wall -- an incredible mural painted by Diego Rivera in 1931.   And no, I didn't remember it from when I was 15 -- because in those days I didn't know who Diego Rivera was, or what he represented -- but his muti-sectioned mutal completely blew me away, and I busily snapped away trying to document it.

So, folks, I'm going to leave you hanging on that teaser -- you'll have to stop back in a week-and-a-half on Åugust 20 when we're doing "D" (for Diego Rivera) on ABC Wednesday...   Don't make yourself a stranger in the meantime, but I'll see you then...

ANNOUNCEMENT:   Yesterday I got around to adding 18 new photos (a few you may have already seen here) on my Mount Tamalpais set of photos on what I call my "big" site.   If you go to the site directly and you have recently visited the site, you may have to refresh your browser cache or you may not see the links to the updates -- or you can follow these links directly:
http://www.photoarrow.com/big/89/8904.html
http://www.photoarrow.com/big/89/8905.html
http://www.photoarrow.com/big/89/8906.html
and I also added another set to my Çhina Çamp set at:
http://www.photoarrow.com/big/84/8406.html


CLICK to visit my Daily-Duo
CLICK to visit KittyBLOG -- the daily doings of my cat.
CLICK for what I call my BIG site.


Your comments are invited and welcome.


5 comments:

kjpweb said...

Good shots, mate - was nice to get a flashback, huh? Well - I'll be waiting for "D" and it better be good! ;)
Cheers, Klaus

Tomate Farcie said...

Wow, you've been busy!!!

(BTW, that reminds me, did you have a chance to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the SF Moma, yet? Just curious. I haven't been yet. You have to make reservations for that one, though, you can't just show up.)

Texas Travelers said...

Nice post and photos.

I was looking at set 6 of Mt. Tamalpais, rae5758 is so sharp, you can almost reach through the monitor and peel some bark.

Troy

Texas Travelers said...

By the Way, I like the colors of the photo of Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.

Troy

photowannabe said...

Great glimpse of a place I have never been.
Love the work Rivera did on the Coit Tower murels so I'm looking forward to your letter D post.

 
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