Constructed in 1972, the remarkable 48-story Transamerica Pyramid Center has established itself as a quintessential symbol of San Francisco's skyline. Its modernist design features geometric forms, consistent window arrangements, and a distinctive pyramid shape, all while considering its environment by allowing sunlight to penetrate the ground level.
Within this iconic structure, the Annex Gallery currently showcases the impressive Stratagems series by artist Tara Donovan. These towering sculptures, crafted from thousands of recycled CDs wrapped around steel supports and displayed on concrete bases, evoke the essence of skyscraper architecture. Donovan states, "I am always fixated on the ways that sculptures transform space and experience, and in this context, an intention of these sculptures to engage the understanding of urban architecture can be fully realized."
Donovan is celebrated for her large-scale sculptures that take on architectural or geological forms, utilizing vast quantities of everyday materials like buttons and plastic cups. By assembling these commonplace items into freestanding sculptures and expansive installations, she creates ethereal interactions of light, texture, scale, and space.
The Stratagems pieces also elegantly explore the trajectory of technology. Once a dominant format for music in the 1990s, CDs have been overtaken by digital formats and streaming services. Set against the backdrop of the modernist Transamerica Pyramid Center--an emblematic structure of the past--viewers are encouraged to reflect on how our perceptions and values shift over time.
The skyscraper itself acts as a partner in Donovan's exhibition, which is presented by the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco (ICA SF). This exhibition initiative aims to enhance accessibility by showcasing artworks in diverse locations, providing unique contexts, and fostering direct engagement between artists and the city.
The Stratagems exhibition will be open for viewing until July 31.