Passage

At first glance the human figures appear to spring from woody vines. As one moves nearer, one notices the dirty pipes and corroded metal parts, their rough rusty texture clashing against the clean white walkways of the Embarcadero. One could be forgiven for thinking that Passage is another uninspired, discordant work of “art” funded by a patron with too much money and time on his hands.

The massive work towers over the observer, who steps back to view its entirety. The sculpture’s graceful form takes shape against the blue of the Bay. He catches a glimmer of the artists’ vision. The overarching design is best appreciated from a distance; up close it appears to be a mess. The observer thinks of himself, a miasma of undistinguished dust particles and chemicals temporarily organized into a state that some may call beautiful. After the Passage of time, he will revert to dust and be forgotten. He looks again at the sculpture: the ingredients are ordinary; their container is anything but. The sacred and the profane. © 2006 Stephen Yuen




[For more on Embarcadero art, see Cupid's Span, Arneson's Eggheads, and Vaillancourt Fountain.]