Technology related art in San Francisco

February 5, 2006 10:35 AM

I'm going to San Francisco for a week: 2/7-2/13. The theme for my activities will be "ingenuity." First, I'm looking for technology related art but I'm open anything that's cool and techy or even anything that makes you think, "Wow! ingenious!"

So, I'm starting a blog. It's tied to an arts festival (not in SF) with a technology theme. Yes, I will post the blog to Metafilter Projects when I have a little more meat on it. Hopefully shortly after I get back from SF.

Art about technology? Art that uses technology? Machines, crafts (iron, glass), computers, information visualization, computer generated, net-art... I'm far from expert on art so I don't want to limit your suggestions but those are some of the things that I could think of.

Tours of cool factories or public works?

heirloom technology?.... Don't feel restricted by anything that I've mentioned. What's the most ingenius thing in San Francisco?

There've obviously been a lot of SF AskMe posts. The closest one was about geeky consumer products. Consumer electronics could be cool but I'm looking for a deeper experience than shopping.

There are a couple obvious things. I keep hearing about some sort of bridge? That's great but I need something to differentiate my pictures from everyone else's tourist pictures. I went to the Exploratorium web site and couldn't really tell if it's worth checking out. I'm sure it's an amazing museum but are there specific exhibits that address my theme?

posted by stuart_s to travel & transportation (8 comments total)

Actually, two days ago at the Exploratorium the Reconsidered Materials exhibit opened. Haven't seen it. You might poke around Laughingsquid a bit & see what you turn up, especially the Robotics & Machine Art section. Such as SF venues & galleries, events & organizations, and art & culture.
posted by donpedro at 10:58 AM on February 5, 2006

I recommend the Artist in Residence program at the San Francisco Recycling & Disposal Solid Waste Transfer and Disposal station. There is a neat sculpture garden there and if you call in advance the AIR will give you a tour of the place. I took some pictures when I was there a few years ago.
posted by jessamyn at 11:36 AM on February 5, 2006

Everybody loves the Musee Mechanique.
posted by jjg at 12:22 PM on February 5, 2006 [1 favorite]

Laughingsquid seconded, check out the squidlist to view events by date. You might also want to check out the Upcoming listings. This event at the Rx Gallery sounds right up your alley, for example.
posted by cali at 12:42 PM on February 5, 2006

The Crucible in Oakland might meet your criteria -- shows I've seen there have included lots of machines moving, making fire, definitely a tech+art mix. Unfortunately their calendar doesn't include any shows during your visit but you might be able to arrange something if you talked to them.

There's also a tour at the Anchor Steam Brewery on the east side of SF.

curious which bridge ...
posted by olecranon at 4:09 PM on February 5, 2006

Survival Research Labs is having an event on 2/10.
posted by WestCoaster at 7:50 PM on February 5, 2006

The Exploratorium is well worth a visit, I think, since one of their themes is "science, art, and human perception". Sounds like the sort of thing you're after.

I once saw a guy on the waterfront between Crissy Field and the GG Bridge who balances rocks in a most amazing way. They're just rocks that he picks up in the area, but they are perched on each other in seemingly impossible piles. I think he's there fairly often, at least on weekends, because he had a sort of portfolio of previous "designs". It's about as low-tech as you can get (Stone Age, you might say) but ingenious - even seeing it with my own eyes it was hard to believe. (He doesn't use glue or fasteners - I saw him building a stack and he fussed and fiddled, nudging the rocks with knees and arms, until they balanced just right.)
posted by Quietgal at 9:27 PM on February 5, 2006

Wow. Great comments. Every single one. SLR, Rx gallery, Musee Mecanique and the artist in residence at the recycling center are all must-see as far as I'm concerned. I'll try to fit in the exploratorium, too.

Thanks everyone.
posted by stuart_s at 6:48 PM on February 6, 2006