Installation of the gigantic icon of Venus at Trinity Place Apartments at Market and Eighth Street is complete. From head to toe, it's the largest statue in San Francisco, clocking in at 92 feet.
For perspective, the Statue of Liberty is roughly 109 feet from foot to crown (i.e., not counting the nine-story pedestal or 42-foot length of her arm and torch), making this nine story divinity a work of literally colossal proportions.
The catch, of course, is that you can’t really see it. The work by contemporary sculptor Lawrence Argent (who also teaches at the University of Denver) is public art, but it is presently available only to residents of the nearby towers. That’s because of a scheduling snafu—the spot the work is resting on is indeed public space, but the plaza won’t be completed and open to the public until 2017.
Until then, Venus is on default private display at Trinity Place, or whatever glimpse you manage to get at an odd angle from surrounding streets. The Chronicle reports that you can spot a little bit of this burnished belle from Eighth Street.
Perhaps with experimentation (or some helpful drones?), other viewing corridors will be discovered. Until then, she’s something of a recluse, a fairy tale figure locked away in not one but multiple towers.
The gigantic, swirling deity was commissioned by late developer Angelo Sangiacomo, who was obligated by city law to have at least $5 million worth of public art in Trinity Place. It’s meant to resemble a modernist Venus de Milo, with King Kong’s proportions and a chrome complexion.
- Venus Unveiled [Chronicle]
- Massive, Shiny Sculpture Coming to SF [Curbed SF]
- How Tall is the Statue of Liberty?
- Lawrence Argent [Sculptor.org]
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