Defenestration Building

If you're driving around in San Francisco you might come across this odd looking abandoned building with furniture hanging out of its open windows and walls. It is located at the intersection of Howard St and Sixth St. It's called the defenestration building. It was created in 1997 by Brain Goggin and a team of artists (read below for more info).




Eastern side of the building



Northern side of the building



Here I quote the passage from http://www.defenestration.org/press.html

DEFENESTRATION
1997-present

(Site-specific installation on the corner of 6th and Howard St. in San Francisco)

This multi-disciplinary sculptural mural involves seemingly animated furniture; tables, chairs, lamps, grandfather clocks, a refrigerator, and couches, their bodies bent like centipedes, fastened to the walls and window-sills, their insect-like legs seeming to grasp the surfaces. Against society's expectations, these everyday objects flood out of windows like escapees, out onto available ledges, up and down the walls, onto the fire escapes and off the roof. "DEFENESTRATION" was created with the help of over 100 volunteers.

The concept of "DEFENESTRATION", a word literally meaning "to throw out of a window," is embodied by the both the site and staging of this installation. Located at the corner of Sixth and Howard Streets in San Francisco in an abandoned four-story tenement building, the site is part of a neighborhood that historically has faced economic challenge and has often endured the stigma of skid row status. Reflecting the harsh experience of many members of the community, the furniture is also of the streets, cast-off and unappreciated. The simple, unpretentious beauty and humanity of these downtrodden objects is reawakened through the action of the piece. The act of "throwing out" becomes an uplifting gesture of release, inviting reflection on the spirit of the people we live with, the objects we encounter, and the places in which we live.

More defenestration photos

Flickr defenestration photos

Location of the building:

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Palace of Fine Arts

Palace of Fine Arts - a must visit place if you're visiting San Francisco. It was built more than some 90 years.

The aura of the place is very attractive. It's fun to just sit and relax on one of those benches on the side of the lagoon. It's serene.


While walking around the lagoon you almost always can encounter some birds around. The ducks, sea-gulls and pigeons are quite common ones.


These swans have almost made a permanent home at this place.


When I visited the place last year, I actually took time to see the artwork in more details as the company I was with had quite a lot of insight to share with me. That made it a fabulous visit. For example, these ones I found out were actually women and not men like I had first understood them to be. :P ok ok fine, I just thought that no shirt meant they were men, but sadly enough, when it comes to understanding art, the general principles don't always work. It turns out they are women and this you can tell from the way their bodies are sculpted in that stone.


More artwork on these extra large pillars around the main dome.

Tiny sloped hills covered with lawn surround the walk way around the lake.


The lagoon and surrounding pillars.


I think this would be one of the first places I'd shoot when I buy my first wide angle camera lens for better quality photos than this.


The palace at night. The lighting makes it look just out of the world. You gotta look at it in person to feel it.


And by the way, it is one of those special places in San Francisco where newly weds go to get their professional photos taken with beautiful studio-like backgrounds such as this one.


Click here for more photos of Palace of Fine Arts.

The Bay Bridge

The San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge is a double-decker bridge - you drive at the lower level to go towards the East into Oakland and on top if you're coming West towards San Francisco. This is also Interstate-80 (aka I-80), which goes cross-country, all the way up to New Jersey!

The bridge has two spans that are connected at the Treasure island.

This is the same bridge that got damanged during the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.

The Bay Bridge on a bright clear day.

The bridge and Treasure island (on left) on a cloudy day.

Art work on the Embarcadero and the bridge and Treasure island in the background.

Driving on the upper level of the bridge. San Francisco skyline is seen on the right hand side.

The Western span (between San Francisco and Treasure island) of the bridge has higher towers than the Eastern span.

San Francisco skyline at sunset from the bridge.

The bridge at night.

Cupid's Span

The Cupid's Span is located in Rincon Park in San Francisco on the Embarcadero.

While strolling Northwards towards the Port of San Francisco and the Ferry building on the Embarcadero, we can see the tall SF skyscrappers on the left and bay bridge to the right.

The sidewalk at the Embarcadero.

The Bay Bridge

The Ferry Building on the far right and the skyscrapers.

The sign

Cupid's Span

Yet another view of Cupid's Span with the Ferry Building in background.

The top of the arrow


The sculpture symbolizes the place where Tony Bennett "left his heart".

More photos of Cupid's Span

Motorbikes in San Francisco

Motorbike riders having fun at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

The Magnificent and Majestic!

The Golden Gate Bridge - I never get tired of shooting this bridge on film. So beautiful it is!

Golden Gate Bridge & Alcatraz

Those are actually four different seagulls! With Alcatraz island in background.

You think I asked them to pose for me, don't you?! :)

Pictures taken January 14, 2007.