A Site-Based Art Exhibition
Celebrating Presidio Nature and Wildlife
May 16, 2010 to May 15, 2011
(See Below for Special Exhibit Programs)
Organized by the FOR-SITE Foundation in partnership with the Presidio Trust. Visit the FOR-SITE Foundation website for information about the art and the artists.
Questions? (415) 561-5418
Presidio Habitats is a site-based art exhibition celebrating the wild Presidio. It began with an invitation to an international group of artists, architects, and designers to submit a proposal for a temporary habitat sculpture serving a Presidio “animal client.”
From 25 submissions, eleven were selected to be created in the landscape. The projects—diverse in their approach, material, and purpose—are featured along trails, paths, and roadways around the Presidio’s Fort Scott District. An accompanying audio narrative, accessible by cell phone, an indoor Exhibition Pavilion, and an array of events invite the community to engage with the art and the park. Plan for return visits to watch the transformation of Presidio Habitat art through the seasons. View the Presidio Habitats catalogue.
How Do I Experience Presidio Habitats?
Presidio Habitats can be experienced through chance discovery, a self-guided tour, a visit to the Exhibition Pavilion, or via activities introducing visitors to the Presidio’s natural world.
Exhibition Pavilion and Self-Guided Tours
The starting point for the Presidio Habitats experience is an indoor exhibition space created from repurposed shipping containers. Here visitors can view all 25 proposals submitted for the exhibition, scale models, and other artist material, as well as video about the Presidio’s plants and wildlife. An Exhibition Map will lead you on a self-guided journey encompassing all installation sites. The Exhibition Pavilion hours through October 31, 2010: 11 am - 5 pm, Wednesday-Sunday. It is located at the corner of Storey Avenue and Ralston Avenue in the Fort Scott District.
Log Cabin Series
The Presidio Trust presents a year-long series of talks, multimedia presentations, and performances at the historic Log Cabin. Inspired by the Presidio, its wildlife, and Habitats art, the Log Cabin Series will host events on the second Thursday of each month. The Exhibition Pavilion will be open until 7 pm on these evenings.
Animal Estates and Edible Estates: An Evening with Fritz Haeg
Thursday, June 10, 7–8:30 pm
Author, designer, and artist Fritz Haeg created Snag Tower, a vertical dwelling for native species and currently an installation of Presidio Habitats. Learn about his project Animal Estates, proposing the re-introduction of native animals into cities, and his book Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn.
Triskelion: The Story of the Presidio Habitats Exhibition Pavilion
Thursday, July 8, 7–8 pm
San Francisco Architects Zoe Prillinger and Luke Ogrydziak, known for their progressive, modern designs that include new media technologies, discuss their creation of the Presidio Habitats Exhibit Pavilion from repurposed shipping containers arranged at 120 degree angles around a central atrium.
The Birds and the Bees: A Presidio Experience
Thursday, August 12, 7–8 pm
About 200 bird species and 57 bee species buzz and fly through the Presidio. Gain a new perspective on the different shapes and sizes of wildlife homes within the Presidio from Presidio Trust natural resource experts.
The Art of Patience: Meet Architect Mark Jensen
Thursday, September 9, 7–8 pm
Architect Mark Jensen will discuss his Habitats installation Patience, featuring dramatically austere yellow chairs that afford visitors a unique perspective on the Presidio’s Great Blue Herons.
Family Program: Create with Nature
Saturday, June 12, 10 am to 2 pm
Saturday, August 7, 10 am to 2 pm
Kids and grown-ups alike will get creative with natural materials in an outdoor Presidio setting. The ingredients for the day include wood, leaves, stone, pine cones, bark, branches, water, and imagination. Bring a picnic lunch or snack. Meet at the Exhibition Pavilion.
Guided Adventures
Presidio staff, friends, and FOR-SITE Foundation representatives will lead visitors on guided walks. Meet at the Exhibition Pavilion. RSVP is required to (415) 561-5418 or presidio@presidiotrust.gov.
Presidio Butterflies 101 Walk
RSVP to (415) 561-5418 or presidio@presidiotrust.gov
Sunday, July 18, 10 am to Noon
Sunday, August 29, 10 am to Noon
Presidio Habitats Curatorial Walk
RSVP to (415) 561-5418 or presidio@presidiotrust.gov
Saturday, July 24, 10 am to Noon
Saturday, August 7, 10 am to Noon
Saturday, September 11, 10 am to Noon
Photos by Monique Deschaines / FOR-SITE Foundation