Hard Bop

This commission has enabled me to research the historical prerequisites of the site in San Francisco, allowing me to discreetly infuse work with ideas resonant of the identity of the site and particularly West Coast Jazz.

The regeneration of Fillmore Plaza will become increasingly popular with the existing community and it is important that this new artwork analogues with sight lines and existing structures, which amplify the positive aspects of the site as a whole, integrating a space into a place where friends and the community can meet and socialise.

The aim is to create a strong thematically linked space, in terms of design and public art that becomes a sustainable focal point for the community and a landmark for visitors, reinforcing the notion of Fillmore Plaza as a landmark site, celebrating its unique identity relating to Jazz music. The surrounding architecture is significant in terms of its form, reflective qualities and materials, which in turn have influenced the concepts for the sculpture.

The materials I have proposed for this artwork is robust and low maintenance, capitalising on notions of sustainability and recycling. The materials have beautiful optical qualities that capitalise on the vitality of the space and at the same time stimulate memories associated with the heritage factors of the locale, evoking concepts of identity through the use of forms, materials, colour, lighting and historical context.

The plaza will also incorporate seating designs based on the established forms of the sculpture.

The regeneration of Fillmore Plaza through its new architecture and new sculpture meshed with my deep-rooted interest in the benefits that art within the community can offer people outside of the rarefied atmosphere of the gallery or museum. My main interest is in integrating a space into a place where friends and the community can meet and socialise, reinforcing the notion of Fillmore Plaza as a signature site in San Francisco, while celebrating Fillmore’s unique identity as the home of West Coast Jazz.

Researching the historical prerequisites of the site and experiencing the neighbourhood’s diverse population and vibrancy first-hand during two visits allowed me to discreetly infuse the sculpture with ideas resonant of the identity of the locale, particularly West Coast Jazz, as well as the cadence of pedestrian traffic associated with the passage of time.

The concept of movement in Hard Bop was derived from the notion of musical rhythm and in particular the movement of a conductor’s baton, as it slices its way rhythmically through the air. Initial studies also suggested that these “shapes” were evocative of written musical notes, a codification of sound. These “shapes” were then connected by five vertical poles, which were metaphors for the structure of written music (stave), as well as the strings of several musical instruments. The concept of musical instruments became more significant and the overall form evolved in such a way that it became a blend of several intrinsically linked factors: a non-specific instrument, rhythm, printed music structure, and essence of human interaction, (as expressed through the use of garment template shapes). Later on, I used specific imagery, such as machine head keys, elegant forms used to correct the sound generated from instruments