In 2005 BRAF initiated our Civic Arts Program, a new model for
public art placement. The program frequently works with existing
artworks, many recognizable from the Burning Man community. By
installing these works publicly, BRAF exposes these works to new
audiences. New contexts are created, and the impact and relevance
of the artworks evolve in unexpected and compelling ways, unique
to each community.
The Civic Arts Program was born when Mayor Gavin Newsom and the
San Francisco Arts Commission encouraged BRAF to collaborate with
the San Francisco’s Hayes Valley community and artist David Best
to create an interactive ‘Temple.’
The Hayes Valley Temple quickly became a cherished focal
point for the community, providing a beautiful space that inspired
connection, dialog and civic pride. The Temple became our model of
how artists, city officials and community members can collaborate
to create meaningful public art work – art that addresses the
specific needs of, reflects the unique character of and serves a
connective function for the community.
Flock at Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco, California. Photo by
Scott Beale.
BRAF has completed Civic Arts projects in San Francisco and the
Bay Area, Reno, Nevada, and Detroit, Michigan, all of which have
met with immense enthusiasm and appreciation from local
communities, and each of which have raised the bar of community
involvement, interactivity and quality of public artwork.
Ongoing performances and outings in the Central Market area of San
Francisco May 15 through September 15 of 2014! Made possible by a
grant from the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce
Development, The Black Rock Arts Foundation is thrilled to
collaborate with artist Mauro ffortissimo to bring his ongoing
Sunset Piano project to San Francisco. Upcoming events: Check our…Keep reading >>
BRAF is proud to support the exhibition of Peter Hudson’s
Homourorboros at the Exploratorium‘s new location on Pier 15
in San Francisco. The piece will be present for a limited
engagement, October 24 2013 through January 6, 2014. The public can
interact with the piece from 10am to 10pm daily. No museum admission
is necessary. The Black Rock Arts Foundation…Keep reading >>
The Black Rock Arts Foundation is proud to collaborate with the
Flaming Lotus Girls artist collective to install their piece Soma in
the Pier 14 tidal plaza on San Francisco’s Embarcadero
waterfront. Soma by the Flaming Lotus Girls Pier 14 Tidal Plaza San
Francisco, Ca, 94105 July 18, 2014 – Present Stainless steel.
12V lighting system 28′ H x 40′ W x…Keep reading >>
In 2012, the Black Rock Arts Foundation, the City of Fernley,
Nevada, and the Burning Man Project collaborated to launch their new
joint initiative, Big Art for Small Towns. The partners were awarded
a National Endowment for the Arts grant (BRAF’s second N.E.A.
grant), an Our Town grant, in the amount of $75,000. The Our Town
grant is a matching grant, and the…Keep reading >>
In close collaboration with artist Charles Gadeken and community
members in Palo Alto, The Black Rock Arts Foundation is excited to
help bring Aurora to downtown Palo Alto. Aurora by Charles Gadeken
Palo Alto City Hall Plaza 250 Hamilton Ave. Palo
Alto, California 94301 November 1, 2013 – Present Mixed metal
(steel and copper), over 40,000 L.E.D. lights 30’H x
40’W x 40’D Thanks…Keep reading >>
For decades, a particular brand of urban explorer has felt compelled
to delve into the unseen and underground layers of city
infrastructure. Guided by a sense of adventure and a desire for a
broader understanding of the systems that support contemporary urban
life, these explorations often reveal as much about the explorer as
the territory explored. What is it about…Keep reading >>
The Black Rock Arts Foundation proudly announces the installation of
artist Bryan Tedrick’s sculpture, Portal of Evolution at a newly
established public art location at Reno’s City Plaza next to Reno
City Hall. Portal of Evolution by Bryan Tedrick Reno’s City Plaza 10
North Virginia Plaza Reno, NV 89501 July 9, 2012 –
Approximately December 2013, TBD Steel. Stainless steel.
26’H…Keep reading >>
The Black Rock Arts Foundation proudly collaborates on the
installation of artist Candy Chang’s interactive mural, Before
I Die… , at two locations in downtown Reno. These two murals will be
on display, for the benefit of the community, for at least six
months. Before I Die… by Candy Chang Sierra St and Island
Avenue and at Apex Products at 415 East Fourth…Keep reading >>
In close collaboration with the Hayes Valley Arts Coalition (HVAC)
and Hayes Valley community members, the Black Rock Arts Foundation
brings another admired work of art to the public park known as
Patricia’s Green in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco,
California. We’re proud to share Future’s Past, by esteemed
artist Kate Raudenbush with the San Francisco community.
Future’s Past by…Keep reading >>
The Bike Bridge is currently on view in Gerlach, Nevada. The Bike
Bridge By Bike Bridge students, artist Michael Christian, and The
Crucible Oakland Gerlach, Nevada September 2, 2014 – Present
Past exhibitions: Black Rock City, Nevada August 25, 2014 –
September 2, 2014 Between 19th St and William St on Telegraph Ave,
California March 8, 2013 – August 11, 2014…Keep reading >>
Spire of Fire, by local Reno artists Steve Atkins and Eric Smith,
was BRAF’s fourth installation at our public art venue in Reno,
Nevada. Spire of Fire by Steve Atkins and Eric Smith Sierra St and
Island Avenue, Reno, Nevada June 24, 2011 – November 15, 2011 Steel
and flame effects 48’H x 20’W x 20’D Opening night festivities were
held on…Keep reading >>
The Heart Machine debuted at Burning Man in 2010, presenting a
sophisticated fusion of concept, interactivity, aesthetics and
amusement to the citizens of the city. The piece is comprised of a
large sculpture of a robotic, but recognizably human-shaped, heart
surrounded by four 16′ pillars, or “arteries,” that display
light effects and emit 25’ columns of fire when activated. The
Heart…Keep reading >>
Burning Man festival participants have come to expect art that
impresses, outdoes previous projects, and pushes the limits of
scale, engineering, and visual spectacle. But at the 2010 festival,
one work stood out among the rest. Both visually breathtaking and a
feat of construction, Marco Cochrane’s Bliss Dance
necessitates public exposure. A work of this caliber deserves to be
shared…Keep reading >>
In partnership with the San Francisco Arts Commission, Black Rock
Arts Foundation (BRAF) proudly supported the installation of
the Market Street Blooms, two of Karen Cusolito’s 20-foot
flower sculptures, at U.N. Plaza and across the street at 1123
Market Street. These sculptures made their San Francisco debut as
part of SFAC’s Art In Storefronts Program (AIS). Market Street
Blooms by Karen Cusolito…Keep reading >>
The Black Rock Arts Foundation proudly collaborated with artists
Sean Orlando, Nathaniel Taylor, David Shulman, Alan Rorie and their
talented crew (FiveTonCrane.org) on the installation of the iconic,
large-scale sculpture, The Raygun Gothic Rocketship at Pier 14 on
San Francisco’s waterfront. We held an opening reception for
the work on August 6th, 2010. Raygun Gothic Rocketship by Sean
Orlando, Nathaniel Taylor, David Shulman, and their…Keep reading >>
In close partnership with Hayes Valley Arts Coalition, the Black
Rock Arts Foundation proudly supported the installation of Dan Das
Mann and Karen Cusolito’s sculpture Ecstasy at Patricia’s
Green in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, Ca. By Dan
Das Mann and Karen Cusolito San Francicso, California February 7,
2010 – October 21, 2011 Reclaimed steel 30’H x 9’W x 9’D…Keep reading >>
Duel Nature by Kate Raudenbush graced the waterfront of the Truckee
River in downtown Reno, Nevada, from May 21, 2010 to December 1,
2010. Located on the corner of Sierra Street and Island Avenue, this
elegant and contemplative work transformed a once empty lot into a
temporary interactive art installation, performance venue and
community gathering space. Duel Nature by Kate…Keep reading >>
com⋅post [kɒmpɒst] n. – a combination of various decaying
organic substances that are being decomposed largely through aerobic
decomposition into a rich black soil.
con⋅trap⋅tion [kuhn-trap-shuhn] n. – a mechanical contrivance;
gadget; device. The Composting Contraption by Paul Cesewski San
Francisco, California May 1, 2010 – July 30, 2011 Reclaimed
materials 25’H x 30’W x 20’D About the Project The Composting
Contraption was a…Keep reading >>
ScrapEden on the Playa 2008 Scrap: n. Discarded, leftover or unused
material. Eden: n. A delightful place, a garden, a paradise.
ScrapEden: n. This year the Black Rock Arts Foundation’s
ScrapEden playa-garden draws on the likeness of a working-class
American backyard. We’ll create a casual, welcoming
environment strewn with clotheslines of colorful, flowing panels of
fabric. We’ll lounge in the…Keep reading >>
The Black Rock Arts Foundation is proud to support a permanent
installation of Tree Spire. Tree Spire, by the Iron Monkeys Whitaker
Park, Reno, Nevada October 2009 15′ H x 7’ W Wood, steel About
the Project First funded by Burning Man and exhibited in Black Rock
City 2007, Tree Spire was the first project created by the Seattle
art collective, the…Keep reading >>
Celtic Forest: The Book of the Raven was the second incarnation of
the urban art space in Reno, Nevada, originally inhabited by The
Mangrove. The installation of Celtic Forest was an ambitious
undertaking. Its scale, number of pieces and many fire effects
enchanted the Reno community, as it created an interactive art
environment and raised the bar for public art in…Keep reading >>
From September 6, 2008 to December 13, 2008, the Black Rock Arts
Foundation proudly collaborated with five different artists
collectives to present The Mangrove, a collection of tree
sculptures. The Mangrove by Kitty Gordon, David Boyer, Ryan Jackson,
Jennifer Forbes and Jessica Reeder, and the Iron Monkeys art
collective Sierra St and Island Avenue, Reno, Nevada September 6,
2008 – December 13, 2008 Reclaimed…Keep reading >>
The Panhandle Bandshell was a collaboration between BRAF, The Finch
Mob, REBAR Group, CMG Landscape Architecture and the North of the
Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA). Panhandle Bandshell by
The Finch Mob and REBAR art collectives, and Christopher Guillard of
CMG Landscape Architecture San Francisco, California June 23, 2007
– September 3, 2007 Reclaimed materials 25’H x 30’W x 20’D
About the…Keep reading >>
The Black Rock Arts Foundation is proud to partner with Motor City
Blight Busters in the creation of The Temple of the American Dream
in Detroit’s Brightmoor neighborhood. The Temple was completed
in June, 2008. Temple of the American Dream by Lead Artist, David
Best, and crew Grand River and Lahser Road, Detroit, Michigan
Reclaimed scrap wood from toy construction 25’H x 15’W x…Keep reading >>
From May 15 to June 15, 2008, The Black Rock Arts Foundation proudly
collaborated with artist Peter Hudson to bring his masterwork
Homouroboros to downtown San Jose, Ca, exhibited at the Discovery
Meadow, near the Children’s Discovery Museum. BRAF is thrilled
to have had the opportunity to bring this groundbreaking interactive
work to the diverse community of San Jose at…Keep reading >>
The beloved work of Northern California artist Finley Fryer, Stan:
The Submerging Man, took up fresh roots in a new urban park as part
of neighborhood beautification. The work was on display, free to the
park’s visitors and community, from May of 2007 till April of
2008. Stan: The Submerging Man by Finley Fryer Victoria Manalo
Draves Park, San Francisco, California…Keep reading >>
A colorful recycled mosaic series, Sol Flor was designed by artist
Jennifer Alexander for the Juri Commons, located at 25th Street
& Guerrero in San Francisco. Sol Flor was created in
collaboration with the Juri Commoners, a group of area residents and
park enthusiasts. Sol Flor by Jen Alexander Juri Commons 25th and
Guerrero St, San Francisco, California Reclaimed plastic…Keep reading >>
San Francisco residents and visitors enjoyed this enchanting
addition to the cherished and familiar landscape of Golden Gate
Park. The Dreamer by Pepe Ozan Golden Gate Park, San Francisco,
California May 2007 – November 2007 Mixed media 18’H x 24’W x
24’D About the Project The Dreamer was commissioned by Burning Man
in 2005, as part of its theme ‘Psyche’. Inspired…Keep reading >>
Artist Wendy Testu collaborated with students from the Leonard R.
Flynn Elementary School and The Mission Parents Group, to create a
small open play space constructed from leftover building supplies,
tree branch trimmings, rubber bicycle tires, and plastic milk
cartons, among other things. Casa de la Imaginacion by Wendy Testu
Parque Ninos Unidos 23rd Street & Treat San Francisco,
California…Keep reading >>
June 16th, 2007 marked the opening dedication of both Dan Das Mann
and Karen Cusolito’s sculpture, Passage, and the newly
renovated breakwater which is now a public access pier. Passage by
Dan DasMann and Karen Cusolito Pier 14 on the San Francisco
Embarcadero, California June 16, 2006 – November 2007 Reclaimed
steel 30’H x 20’W x 9’D About the Project Passage, originally…Keep reading >>
ScrapEden on the Playa 2006 Scrap: n. Discarded waste material,
often metal suitable for reprocessing. Eden: n. A delightful place,
a garden, a paradise. ScrapEden: n. 1. A delightful garden made of
re-claimed discarded waste material, often metal suitable for
reprocessing. 2. Black Rock City’s First Participant-Based Community
Garden, created by the community for the community 3. A project of…Keep reading >>
Pepe Ozan’s whimsical Monicacos enjoyed a brief installation
on San Francisco’s Blue Greenway waterfront. Monicacos by Pepe
Ozan The Blue Greenway, San Francisco, California June 2006 –
December 2006 Steel, wire mesh, fiberglass and polymer resin Four
figures, ranging in height, tallest is 14 feet. About the
Project The dedication of Pepe Ozan’s ‘Monicacos de
Esperanza’ with Mayor Gavin Newsom and…Keep reading >>
In conjunction with Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office, BRAF worked to
bring Michael Christian’s Flock to Civic Center Plaza in San
Francisco. Flock by Michael Christian Civic Center Plaza, San
Francisco, California November 2005 – February 2006 Steel 40’H x
30’W x 20’D About the Project This 42-foot tall sculpture of
welded-steel conjures both plant and animal shapes. The form of an
otherworldly…Keep reading >>
In 2005, Mayor Gavin Newsom and the San Francisco Arts Commission
encouraged BRAF to collaborate with the San Francisco’s Hayes Valley
community and artist David Best to create an interactive
‘Temple.’ Known for his breathtaking and poignant
temples at the Burning Man event, Best and his crew created a temple
in recognition of the Hayes Valley community. The Hayes Green…Keep reading >>