Improbable Monument

Octavia Before

Octavia After

Preliminary Sketch

Photoshop Rendering

Google SketchUp Model

Google SketchUp 3D Model

3D Model produced for
Google Earth

The final project is to make an improbable monument.  Our city, San Francisco, is known for many things - one distinction it holds is as the homeless capital of the US.  Though we are one of the richest cities in the nation, we have not yet found a way to address the issue successfully.  Instead we pour money into bandaging the problem rather than aiding through prevention and intervention.  Through non-action we seem to quietly embrace the problem, I think it is time we own up and create a monument to our homeless affliction.

I live on Octavia Blvd where the freeway once was.  Previously the area was under the raised central freeway, fenced off, and home to a large homeless enclave.  The monument I'm proposing would be a tribute to this local history and these underrepresented residents as well as a commentary on the pervasive homeless population in San Francisco that we continue to support with social services, but fail to ever remedy.

In true monument form, it would call to attention the neighborhood history, but also point out the stark contrast between past and present.  Now that the freeway is gone, the area is quickly becoming overly gentrified and expensive.  It is an unavoidable and obvious development.. probably even a positive one culturally and economically, but I can't help but roll my eyes every time yet another baby boutique or candy shop goes in - I feel like I'm at Disneyland.

The piece would consist of a row of life-size, cast bronze, gold gilt representations of the individuals that once called this area home.  They would be placed in a row down the center of Octavia blvd from Market to Hayes street - the span of about five blocks.  The gilding would be symbolic of the way we gild over the issue of homelessness as well as exhibit the dichotomy of rich and poor.  I think it is a valuable cultural notion for people to consider as they shop for designer clothes along Hayes.  By gilding the problem, making it pretty to look at, I hope people will take a longer look at the neighbors they otherwise choose to ignore.

This monument becomes especially improbable with the recent passing of sit/lie, the transparent, passive-aggressive measure that targets homeless people by making it illegal to sit and/or lay on public sidewalks.  I doubt the law is in place to crack down on the yuppies as they dine on pastries curbside - more likely cops will keep their attention focused on the more unsightly residents we see pictured above.

Monument Intervention

For this project I wanted to comment on one of the more shameful aspects of San Francisco history by making a monument of sorts to Geary Blvd., a main thoroughfare and symbolic city divide.  Though Justin Herman has already been bestowed a namesake plaza downtown, I felt a dedication was in order for the work he did in the Fillmore:

 

on the table are two objects, a white cup filled with water and a black book.

Logo Heist

For the logo design I wanted to re-appropriate the Abercrombie & Fitch brand.  It's not much of a stretch because they already market to the mindless masses, which makes for a beautifully subversive ad campaign.  Clearly it wasn't hard to find poster boys - these two came up as one of the first images generic and photoshop-ready, blank stares and all!

Culture Jam

Personally I'm not offended by the act of eating meat, but to the factory farming industry itself.  If confronted with having to kill dinner, however, I don't think I'd be able to do it - for this reason I  feel it is not my place to consume it.  Even though I don't eat meat I don't really try to preach about it


..that said (see above preaching disclaimer), for this project I thought that it would be interesting to do something that would cause consumers to stop and think about the source of their food.  The factory farming industry is not only horrifying from the perspective of the commodity, but it is also committing crimes against nature and ruining our ecosystem in the process.  I thought that by placing this sticker on meat packaging it might cause consumers to consider what they're really getting for the low, low price of $1.99/lb.