In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, the city of San Francisco embarked on a journey of reckoning and transformation, reshaping its public spaces and monuments. This movement, fueled by righteous energy and a desire for change, has given rise to new, more inclusive monuments that reflect the city's diverse history and the experiences of its residents. The story of San Francisco's monuments is one of both destruction and creation, where the toppling of statues has paved the way for innovative and thought-provoking artistic interventions.
One of the most intriguing projects is Kaleb Duarte's 'Embassy of the Refugee' at the Pioneer Monument in Civic Center. Duarte, an artist with a keen eye for social commentary, has transformed the scaffolding surrounding the monument into a powerful statement. By covering the metal poles with gold mylar, he creates a shimmering effect that references emergency blankets used at detention centers. This act of gilding is a metaphor for the transformation of a symbol of potential trauma into something beautiful and hopeful. The project, which involves a team of 'artist ambassadors' from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico, is a testament to the power of art in documenting and celebrating the histories of immigrant and refugee communities.
Duarte's work is a response to the contentious history of the Pioneer Monument, which has long been criticized for its glorification of white American conquerors and its depiction of Indigenous people as passive subjects. The removal of the statue 'Early Days' in 2018, which showed Junípero Serra 'converting' an Indigenous man, was a significant step towards rectifying this historical imbalance. However, the Pioneer Monument remains one of the city's least-liked monuments, according to a 2023 community survey. Duarte's intervention is a bold statement that challenges the monument's traditional narrative and invites a new, more inclusive perspective.
The 'Embassy of the Refugee' is not just a static installation; it is a living, breathing monument that will host performances by Guatemala-based artists Regina José Galindo and Marilyn Boror Bor (Maya-Kaqchikel), along with Duarte's frequent collaborator Mia Eve Rollow. These performances will further emphasize the idea of a monument as a dynamic space for community engagement and artistic expression. The scaffolding, with its ghostly mesh tent, serves as a reminder that home and memory are not defined by architecture but by the body and the mind.
The toppling of statues in 2020 was a pivotal moment that prompted the city to reevaluate its monuments and the values they represent. Mayor London Breed called for changes in the guidelines around monuments, and the Monuments and Memorials Advisory Committee (MMAC) made recommendations for evaluating the city's collection. However, it is the Mellon Foundation grant that has enabled the city to implement some of these recommendations, leading to the creation of the Shaping Legacy project.
Shaping Legacy's first step was to audit the city's 105 monuments, examining their historical context, the people and events they commemorate, and the artists who created them. The audit revealed that 77% of the city's monuments were made by male artists, highlighting the need for a more diverse and inclusive approach to public art. The project has since funded artist-led film screenings, walking tours, discussions, and performances across the city, engaging with community organizations and addressing some of the city's most contentious sites.
One of the key findings from the Shaping Legacy audit is that the public is far more interested in the creation of new work than the removal of existing statues. New monuments have the opportunity to tell the complete story of San Francisco by memorializing stories previously untold and marginalized. They can also be a catalyst for community empowerment, celebration, and joy. This is evident in the work of Adrián Arias, a Shaping Legacy grantee who has created a roving, multifaceted homage to the paleteros and paleteras who trace a 'sweet route' through the Mission District.
Arias' 'A Sweet Route' project, which kicked off during Carnaval with a small army of paleteros handing out free treats, is a joyful celebration of immigrant workers. The project continued on June 20 with a music- and dance-fueled walk, culminating in a performance by the Oakland band LoCura and Anaís Azul. A painted wooden monument to two local paleteros now stands in the park, watching over playing children. Arias' work is a testament to the power of art in recognizing and celebrating the everyday heroes of the community.
The Shaping Legacy project aims to leave the city with real recommendations about the future of its monuments, especially those that have been removed from view in recent years. However, it may take another infusion of non-taxpayer money for these recommendations to be turned into action. The desire for more monuments to everyday life and ordinary people is palpable, and the project's many aspects fill a timeline that stretches well into October. As the grant period comes to a close at the end of 2026, the city is poised to embark on a new chapter in its relationship with public art, one that is inclusive, diverse, and responsive to the needs and desires of its residents.
