Old and New Bridges Inspire Local Artists

OAKLAND, CA — The new East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is a work of art in and of itself – but the structure has also served as a muse for many local artists. Several current exhibits and installations throughout the Bay Area are celebrating the new East Span and commemorating the old span it replaced – or exploring the Bay underneath the bridge. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is host to six compelling shows that approach the bridge and Bay from a variety of perspectives and through an assortment of media. Stop by the MetroCenter at 101 8th Street in Oakland to catch one or all, free of charge, during weekday business hours:

Martin Chandrawinata worked on and behind the scenes at the East Span construction site. In “Through an Engineer’s Lens,” on view through December, 2013, the photographer documents the construction process he knows intimately.
Tom Paiva’s ongoing “Art of Steel” show explores the fabrication of the bridge pieces in Shanghai, China, via large format photographs shot at twilight.
Adding color to the lobby and Lunchstop Café until January 14, 2014, Lisa Levine and Peter Tonningsen’s “Crossing Over” focuses on both the old and new Bay Bridge East Spans in a collaborative photo-based project involving repetitive exposure and the exchange of film.
In “Walking the Bay Trail: A Photo Journal,” Kurt Schwabe documents his ambitious month-long trek around the entire Bay. The intensely colorful photographs, printed on aluminum, feature wildlife, stunning views and diverse infrastructure, on view through January 10, 2014.
“Bay Bliss: Bridges, Skylines and Animal Life” presents the multimedia artwork of the participants of Artful Steps, a program that serves East Bay adults with developmental disabilities.
Boilermaker-cum-artist Joseph Blum’s “The Bridge Builders” photography exhibit comes to MTC January 14, 2013. Sponsored by the San Francisco Arts Commission, the show highlights the brave men and women behind the new East Span — the engineers, the ironworkers, the welders.

Another current exhibit explores the East Span through objects as three-dimensional as the bridge itself. The Oakland Museum of California’s natural history exhibit, “Above and Below: Stories from Our Changing Bay,” features a piece of the original toll plaza sign and oral histories from construction workers. The exhibit, on view through February 23, 2014, is protected by the famous Bay Bridge troll, recently rescued from its guard post on the old East Span, as well as a replica troll. MTC is a co-sponsor of the exhibit.

And there’s a visual treat in store for those passing through SFO for Thanksgiving: The airport’s Terminal 3 is featuring “Aerial Artistry,” Barrie Rokeach’s breathtaking aerial panoramas and close-ups of the East Span construction, on display through the end of November.

For a complete, up-to-date list of Bay Bridge-related shows and installations, along with viewing days and hours, see mtc.ca.gov/exhibits.

Contact:

John Goodwin: (415) 778-5262