Art

Using the imagery of flight to evoke the tension between freedom and confinement, this monumental installation—weighing more than five tons—is modeled after a bird’s wing. 

In this installation, the viewer is confronted with a field of 176 colorful portraits laid out across an expanse of the floor. Each portrait—intricately constructed from LEGO® bricks—represents an individual who has been imprisoned or exiled because of his or her beliefs, actions, or affiliations. 

This large-scale installation, located in the building once used for prison labor, is based on the traditional Chinese "dragon kite" and features multiple kites strung together to create a single, large multipart kite. 

Visitors can now revisit—or view for the first time—this once-in-a-lifetime installation of art within the confines of Alcatraz.

Take a look at how creative expression has been an integral part of the Golden Gate National Parks since 2006.

Explore Art in the Parks today with any of these creative works now open for visitors. Come back soon to see more current exhibitions and programs—new opportunities and creative works are always making their way to to the national parks!

From foggy Sutro Baths to Alcatraz, Art in the Parks showcases site-specific works within national park settings that provide opportunities for reflection about nature and the unique culture of the San Francisco Bay Area. Proposals are accepted on a quarterly basis.

Art in the Parks works with with a variety of community partners to bring the arts to park settings to provide new ways of experiencing and learning about place.

A life-sized, 82-foot blue whale art installation sculpture was exhibited at the west end of Crissy Field. Made from recycled plastic collected in California, the sculpture sought to address the serious issue of plastic pollution threatening our oceans.

This exhibition presented by the FOR-SITE Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service, the Presidio Trust and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, can now be seen online.