Mermaid with a megaphone on the bay side of the narrow Canyon Path.
A mermaid emerges near the edge of beautiful San Diego Bay. She summons people from the bustling city with her megaphone…
Man with binoculars peers into dark alley between convention center and Marriott.
A man with binoculars peers between the San Diego Convention Center and the Marriott Marquis hotel. He heard the mermaid’s siren call, and is trying to catch a glimpse. She seems to be waiting at the end of a long, mysterious passageway…
Unique entrance to partially hidden walkway that provides easy bay access.
Will these people walking along succeed in finding the elusive mermaid? Turn left! Turn left!
Walking through narrow Canyon Path between buildings.
The mermaid seems to be somewhere ahead. The narrow Canyon Path between buildings is shadowy and filled with dark trees and bushes. It’s a bit scary. Where are we going? Are we lost?
Prismatic kite in blue sky above the Canyon Path.
Look up! It’s a shining kite in the blue sky!
Colorful light like a rainbow is cast by prism kite onto building side.
As we approach the mermaid on the opposite side, a beautiful rainbow-like splash of color appears on the Canyon Path’s vertical side! This secret place seems to be filled with magic!
The mermaid, man with binoculars and prismatic kite are all part of public art called The Benefit of Mr. Kite. This fun artwork was created to draw attention to an easily overlooked 925-foot long pedestrian accessway between the convention center and Marriott Marquis hotel, leading from Harbor Drive to the Marriott Marina on San Diego Bay. The artists responsible for our magical journey are Mags Harries and Lajos Héder!
UPDATE!
Look what I saw during a later walk through the passageway!
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Four sculptures depict tables of tasty food in Amici Park.
People love to congregate in Little Italy’s Amici Park, just north of downtown San Diego. There’s a big grassy area for dogs, a couple bocce ball courts, and some tables and chairs where neighbors can just sit and relax. Or eat.
Honestly, who wouldn’t be hungry in this park? There’s food all over the place! Metal sculptures in the shape of food, to be exact!
The red and white checkered tablecloths you see are actually glass mosaics. The recipes beside the plates are designed so that inquisitive gourmets can take a rubbing, and bring the recipe home. The various round plaques are sprinkled about the park, set in concrete where people might walk. The entire installation is called “A Recipe For Friendship” and was created by Nina Karavasiles in 2001. The public art was commissioned by the City of San Diego Commission For Arts and Culture.
Now, what’s for dinner?
Metal sculpture of blackened fish taco plate in Little Italy’s unique Amici Park.Blackened fish taco recipe from Debra Scott.Food for thought is no substitute for the real thing. –Walt KellyYou’d need some powerful teeth to eat these stuffed artichokes!Stuffed artichokes recipe from Rose Cresci.Round plaque at Amici Park shows many popular spices.Marinara sauce on plate of tasty pasta makes fun public art!Marinara sauce recipe from local restaurateurs Lisa and Joe Busalacchi.Only the pure in heart can make a good soup. –Beethoven.A plate of fava beans served up on a checkered tablecloth makes for cool artwork.Fava bean spread recipe from Nina Karavasiles.A Recipe For Friendship celebrates food, created by Nina Karvasiles in 2001.
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New public art being applied to building on San Diego’s waterfront.
Early yesterday morning, I strolled for a few minutes along San Diego’s beautiful Embarcadero. I wanted to get some photographs to update last year’s blog post about the Star of India’s tattered sails.
While heading back east on Beech Street, I noticed some gigantic public art is being applied to the west side of the relatively new Ariel Luxury Apartments building. This high-rise stands between Santa Fe Depot and the Little Italy trolley station.
I’ve found no info on the internet about this new artwork. Here are some pics!
A red San Diego trolley passes fishermen catching a huge fish!This new artwork is on the side of the Ariel Luxury Apartments in downtown San Diego.
Half a century ago, San Diego was home to the world’s largest tuna fishing fleet! This image of fishermen working together is very similar to a sculpture on Shelter Island, which I have yet to blog about!
Workers on platform mount a gigantic trophy fish to a high-rise building!
I’m not sure what the white stuff is running down the building’s side. I suppose that will be removed when all is done!
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Nikigator is a fun mosaic sculpture in front of the Mingei Museum.
It seems everybody loves these two colorful sculptures located near the entrance of Balboa Park’s Mingei Museum. They were created by world-famous Franco-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle, whose fanciful works can be seen in a few different San Diego locations. Earlier this year I posted some pics of her Coming Together sculpture near the San Diego Convention Center.
These imaginative mosaic sculptures are made primarily of tile, glass and stones. The alligator-like Nikigator is an absolute favorite of kids, who ride the whimsical creature as if it were alive. The second artwork contains ancient symbolism and is titled Poet and Muse. A female muse emerges from the shoulders of a male poet as his poetry takes flight.
The nearby Mingei Museum contains a fascinating collection of international folk art, crafts and design. The museum was founded by American artist Martha Longenecker, who was a close friend of Niki.
Kids play on creature sculpture by Franco-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle.Someone photographs Le Poète et sa Muse–Poet and Muse.Famed sculptor was benefactor of Balboa Park’s Mingei Museum.
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Public art at Lillian Place shows many facets of African-American history in San Diego.
Should you walk through downtown San Diego’s East Village in the vicinity of 14th and J Streets, you might be attracted to several large yellow panels along the sidewalk. This proud display of public art at Lillian Place was raised to commemorate how African-Americans have played an important role in building our diverse and beautiful city.
The artwork, created by Jihmye Collins and Nina Karavasiles, is titled “A San Diego African-American Legacy” and represents African-American contributions to San Diego’s development and rich history.
Cast metal parachute recalls 1943’s Top Black Owned Business in the United States.
Here’s a large portion of the text contained on the panels:
People of African decent were present in San Diego as early as the establishment of Presidio de San Diego in 1769, and played a role in settling the area now known as Old Town.
In the later decades of the 1800s, African-Americans began emigrating to Horton New Town, San Diego’s present-day downtown, relocating primarily from the southern US.
Religious institutions were, and continue to be a cornerstone of the African-American community. In 1887, the African Methodist Episcopal Church became the first organized African-American congregation in downtown San Diego, followed soon after by Calvary Baptist and Bethel AME. At the same time, African-American social and civic groups like the Violet Club, Acme Social Club and Fidelity Lodge #10 of the Prince Hall Masons became important organizations in the community.
San Diego was once the center of a thriving jazz, blues, and gospel music scene. The Creole Palace at the Douglas Hotel and the Crossroads Jazz Club were just two of the spots that hosted local and national talent playing to mixed audiences.
African-Americans have always played a major role in amateur and professional sports in San Diego. Local favorite Archie Moore fought at the city Coliseum as did other champions. San Diegan John Ritchey became the first black player in the Pacific Coast League when he was signed as a catcher to the then minor league padres in 1948.
The entrepreneurial spirit of the African-American community flourished through the 20th century with doctor’s offices, hotels and clubs, barbers and beauty parlors, cafes and restaurants, ice cream parlors, laundries, jewelers and pool halls that served the African American community as well as other San Diegans.
During World War II, African-American stunt pilot and businessman Howard Skippy Smith owned the Pacific parachute Company factory on 8th Avenue. Named the Top Black Owned Business in the United States in 1943, Mr. Smith operated an integrated work place that reflected the ethnic and racial diversity of wartime San Diego.
On this block of J Street, African-American Lillian Grant owned multiple buildings, offering rooms to an ethnically mixed clientele during the time of segregation. Next door at the corner of 14th and J Streets sat the Vine/Carter Hotels. Known as the colored hotels, it was owned and operated by African-Americans Alonzo and Katie Carter from the 1930s to the 1950s.
African-Americans helped to build religious institutions and community organizations.Exact duplicate of baseball catcher’s mitt from the 1940’s made of cast metal.Artwork shows San Diego as an important center of jazz, blues, and gospel music. Count Basie and Billie Holiday both played at the Creole Palace.Hair curling iron is a symbol of many thriving African-American entrepreneurs.
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Bronze sculpture of Mark Twain sitting on a bench at Fenton Marketplace in Mission Valley.
A very famous author is known to hang out in San Diego. He’s usually seen just off Friars Road in Mission Valley. He likes to sit on a bench at Fenton Marketplace in front of the International House of Pancakes!
Who is this celebrated writer of American literature? That prolific master of humor and satire, Mark Twain!
According to my research on the internet, Mr. Samuel Clemens seems to get around. He’s been seen in the same pose in numerous cities. That’s because the bronze sculpture, by artist Gary Lee Price, is practically mass-produced!
Samuel Clemens gazes up dreamily from his book.Mark Twain is reading his own classic American novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.Famous author with biting wit sits on bench by fountain in front of IHOP.
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SAN DIEGO writ large on fence around Horton Plaza Park’s construction site.
I recently noticed some new murals along Broadway in downtown San Diego, between 3rd and 4th Avenue. They decorate the fence that surrounds the Horton Plaza Park construction site, and replace a number of large historical photographs which I featured in this earlier blog post.
I took these pics at close range from the sidewalk, not wanting to step out into traffic. So I missed a few parts of the creative, colorful artwork.
Part of one new mural along Broadway in downtown San Diego.A colorful underwater scene can be glimpsed by passing motorists.Various surfboards. One contains an ode to baseball’s World Series.These murals replaced photographs which showed downtown history.A fun depiction of San Diego Bay and a red trolley.These three happy dogs are sharing a surfboard!Another interpretation of the San Diego skyline.California girl in cool sunglasses watches a sunset.A sexy green-haired mermaid and Mission San Diego!Downtown has been encroached by breakers and rocky hills!Man walks past construction fence surrounding Horton Plaza Park.
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Public art on 11th Avenue in San Diego’s East Village.
Just some cool pics of colorful urban art on a building wall in downtown San Diego’s East Village.
Neighbors painted many colorful tiles for this artistic creation.The artwork was conceived and applied to a building wall in 1999.Diverse faces, names and scenes are assembled in a larger design.Hundreds of hand-painted tiles compose the colorful street mosaic.The Power of Collective Thought from the Urban Art Trail project.
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LEGENDS mural in downtown San Diego. Don’t kill Sean Bean!
A couple blocks from downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter, a huge painted mural on the side of a building depicts actor Sean Bean holding a gun and the Twitter hashtag #DontKillSeanBean. This eye-catching public artwork was created during the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con to promote the upcoming TNT television spy thriller LEGENDS.
Poor Sean Bean never seems to survive his roles. Many of his fans are hoping he makes it through this series. He has died over twenty times onscreen.
Some of his more notable deaths?
Shot through with Uruk-hai orc arrows as Boromir in Lord of the Rings.
Falling from and then crushed by a huge antenna structure as Agent 006 in Goldeneye.
Impaled by an anchor and then blown up during a boat chase in Patriot Games.
Chased off a cliff by a rampaging herd of cows in The Field.
Shot through the neck by a grappling hook and then hung in The Island.
Beheaded as Eddard Stark in the first season of Game of Thrones.
Better luck this time around, Mr. Bean!
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El Cid sculpture in Balboa Park, by artist Anna Hyatt Huntington.
Near the center of Balboa Park, between the San Diego Museum of Art and the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, you’ll find a 23-foot high bronze statue of El Cid. The legendary hero of Spain is mounted on his horse Babieca and proudly holds a spear and shield.
The striking sculpture is formally called El Cid Campeador and was created in 1927 by Anna Hyatt Huntington, a famous American sculptor who during her life won numerous awards and commissions. Most known for her lifelike animal sculptures, she is remembered for being the first woman to create a public monument in New York City. Her Joan of Arc was also New York City’s first monument dedicated to a female historical figure.
Anna Hyatt Huntington was married to Archer Milton Huntington, a wealthy philanthropist and art enthusiast, who founded The Hispanic Society of America. He made the very first contribution to the nearby San Diego Museum of Art, in the form of the painting María at La Granja, by famed Spanish post-impressionist painter Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida.
The El Cid in Balboa Park is one of several identical statues. The original stands in front of the Hispanic Society in New York City. Other copies stand in Seville, San Francisco, and Buenos Aires.
It seems that when the statue was installed in Balboa Park in 1930, there was a good deal of public comment about the horse’s unsightly posterior, and a debate over the direction it should face! To the relief of many, the horse’s rear end faces away from the central square and nearby buildings!
A much smaller horse sculpture by Anna Hyatt Huntington can be enjoyed a short distance to the north of El Cid, right next to the San Diego Museum of Art. It’s called Youth Taming the Wild.
El Cid Campeador, presented by the Hispanic Society of America in 1930.El Cid, with Balboa Park’s House of Hospitality in the background.East side of El Cid. The Mingei Museum is in background.Balboa Park’s free shuttle passes the El Cid statue on a sunny day.
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Cool San Diego Sights! 