SF is Getting a Giant Hopscotch Game at Pier 15
The Exploratorium today announced an installation of celebrated American artist Lawrence Weiner’s OUT OF SIGHT, a participatory, interactive, social artwork in its public plaza along the Embarcadero, beginning October 10, 2021. OUT OF SIGHT will be free to access and open to the public until January 9, 2022.
“Lawrence Weiner’s OUT OF SIGHT is an ideal artwork for inviting our visitors and public to play on our entry plaza on Pier 15,” said Kirstin Bach, interim director of arts, Exploratorium. “It sets the stage for the discovery and inspiration visitors can find while exploring our exhibits within the walls of the Exploratorium.”
OUT OF SIGHT is a two-dimensional, hopscotch-like interactive experience. Each medallion or “marelle” (French for hopscotch) in the piece contains text that engages people from all walks of life, creating a pathway that can be navigated both physically and intellectually. The work is meant to act as a metaphorical framework for a journey of self-discovery and empowerment for each person who encounters it. At the Exploratorium, OUT OF SIGHT will be presented in both English and Spanish.
“A person coming in with whatever situation they find it, young, old or indifferent, the minute they have any thoughts about themselves going FROM HERE TO THERE, will be able to stand still and realize they first have to imagine themselves doing it, that’s assuming a position,” said the artist, Lawrence Weiner.
In collaboration with Exploratorium, Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, and ODC, New York-based choreographer Catherine Galasso will create a performance activation in response to OUT OF SIGHT in the Exploratorium’s public plaza along the Embarcadero at Pier 15 on Sunday, October 10, 2021. Featuring dancers from ODC’s teen company, the Dance Jam, the piece, RECESS, will contrast hopscotch-inspired dance breaks with slow-motion tableaux vivant (French for “living picture”) to inspire feelings of resilience and determination. The activation will include runs of the 7-minute piece every hour on the hour, at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. The performances will be free and open to the public.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with choreographer Catherine Galasso and the dancers from ODC’s Dance Jam! for the opening of OUT OF SIGHT,” said Liz Keim, senior curator and director of cinema arts at the Exploratorium. “This exciting activation will allow people to engage with OUT OF SIGHT through contemplative play and open interpretation.”
OUT OF SIGHT is being presented at several locations around San Francisco this fall and winter, in partnership with Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture (FMCAC) and McEvoy Foundation for the Arts with the support of the Minnesota Street Project. It debuted on September 17 at FMCAC, and will open at 1275 Minnesota Street on October 16. OUT OF SIGHT has been described as a sculpture that can adapt itself to different institutions, distinct sites, and specific language communities, and has been shown in public spaces including the Chicago Park District; the downtown shopping district of Kortrijk, Belgium; the Pérez Art Museum in Miami; and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. For San Francisco, the artist has created a new color suite for the OUT OF SIGHT marelles that will be presented in English, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish languages.
OUT OF SIGHT is a project of See The Vision, Grab The Vision, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to producing innovative public art and programming designed to engage, inspire, and empower youth and participants of all ages.
