Andy Goldsworthy's site-specific work has been nearby me in the Presidio since last October, but I finally got around to viewing it on Friday morning. The Spire is aptly named & made me think immediately of a church steeple. It's currently surrounded by a small clearing with a panoramic view of the Presidio & the Bay. Saplings have been planted all around it, & eventually it will hidden in a grove, but for now it stands out starkly in the landscape. It seems like a stern & mysterious visitor from another era.
There's a quiet visitor's center in Building 49 next to the Officers' Club, containing a small collection of related photos & sketches. It houses a couple of models of the Spire, which appear surreal in this homey setting. The work & the visitor center were funded privately by the For-Site Foundation.I got to the Spire by hiking along the Ecology Trail from the Presidio Officers' Club to it's location near the Presidio Golf Course. It's all up hill, but even at my leisurely pace it only took 18 minutes. For the truly lazy, I suggest replacing the hike with brunch at the Presidio Cafe, followed by a very short walk to the Spire.
2 comments:
Now I know where I'm biking today.
I can't believe I was unaware of this installation. And also unaware of the Presidio Archaeology Lab.
Thanks AF!
It's easy to miss the Spire, since it looks so much like the trees anyway. I guess that's part of the point.
There's lots of stuff in the Presidio that I don't take advantage of either, which is a shame since I'm so close.
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