Chinese Recreation Center
Exterior Artwork Proposal
COLETTE CRUTCHER
In speaking with members of the Chinatown community about their hopes for the new recreation
center, the message I received was paradoxical: a group of people fiercely proud of their
cultural uniqueness, rooted in their history and traditions, yet equally firm in their identity as
Americans and their desire to look forward, not back. The ancient Chinese philosophy of the I
Ching centers on the idea of the dynamic balance of opposites, the evolution of events as a
process, and acceptance of the inevitability of change. This struck me as an apt symbol for
Chinatown in the twenty-first century.
PROPOSED ARTWORK
This handmade tile mural represents the patterns of the I Ching, using black and white to
symbolize the forces of yin and yang. The sixty-four hexagrams progress from solid white,
through mixed black and white to solid black, and back again to white, demonstrating the infinite
variability in the universe, and recurring cycles of change. Each of the modular tiles would be
stamped with the Chinese symbol for “change”, half of them black on white, and half white on
black, configured as shown in my drawing.
LI QING LIANG
壁畫創意
世界因为有文字而精彩，人类因为有文字而文明。我以另一種中國的民間生肖圖騰與中國書法藝
術結合，以此喻示生存理想中吉祥、圓融、美好、高尚等抽象概念，試圖詮釋我們這個文明古国
的灿烂的文化。
這幅壁畫旨在美化中國城城市環境，提高城市的文化生活品質，拓展公眾的審美情趣、在壁畫里
每個人都能找到自我，探索前程、啟迪思考、把握命運。
藝術家 梁禮清 8-20-09
Proposal of Mural for Chinese Recreation Center in Chinatown San Francisco
Written forms of various human languages are great representations of our civilization. Here I
combine the images of traditional Chinese zodiac animals with their corresponding Chinese
characters in several calligraphical styles, as an attempt to convey our shared aspirations for
harmony, beauty, and good fortune, and to showcase Chinaʼs splendid cultural traditions.
This mural serves several functional purposes as well. It can help beautify the environment of
Chinatown, enhance the cultural ambience of local communities, and expand public exposure to
art. It is my hope that in this mural everyone can find something to relate to and to contemplate
on.
Li Qing Liang
August 20, 2009
Day light Effect
MARGUARITA SOYFERTIS AND VADIM GORETSKY
CONCEPT:
When the day is done, do dragons shoot hoops? In and out of the clouds, they reach and pass
and soar. Finally, the ball hangs in mid-air, just before it goes in. Historically, San Francisco
Chinese Recreation Center hosted many generations of basketball enthusiasts. Our goal is to
appeal to the neighborhood’s youth and visitors. Attractive color and energy of the mosaic
reflects the activities and cultural life of the recreation center. Located on the Washington St.
side of the building, in the place suggested by the architect. The size is a 6’x36’ vertical.
Proposed location of the mosaic (Washington St.)
‘Slam-Dunk!’ (detail) mosaic mural, 6’x36’
preliminary concept and composition
‘Slam-Dunk!’ (detail) mosaic mural, 6’x36’
preliminary concept and composition
Scale of the mosaic and installation layout.
Sample of mosaic texture and color scheme
Shannon Community Center Fountain(detail) Dublin, CA
Chinese Recreation Center
Interior Artwork Proposal
JULIE CHANG
CONCEPT AND DESIGN
The proposed design reflects the rich cultural history of one of San Franciscoʼs oldest and most
loved recreation centers, while simultaneously embracing the energy and vibrancy of a diverse
and evolving community. The design is comprised of three main iconic elements, two of which
represent Longevity, one of the most auspicious and valued symbols in Chinese culture. In its
emblematic form (the larger of the circular shapes), the symbol is used to create a pattern that
will tie each floor of the main stairwell together while simultaneously taking on the spirit of
bouncing basketballs, a subtle nod to one of the most popular activities the center will offer.
In its natural form (the bamboo elements), the symbol not only mimics the proposed
landscaping framing each entryway of the recreation center, but is used by Feng Shui
practitioners in homes to assure a long life for all those who dwell there. Here, it is intended to
bring an organic element to the design and will welcome visitors “home.”
Finally, the “Thank You Have a Nice Day” graphic is used to playfully punctuate an otherwise
classic integration of images. A recognizable signifier of Chinatown marketplaces across the
country, it announces a sentiment of hospitality and encourages a feeling of good will.
4 Elevations
Exterior Detail
PAUL HAYES
The sculpture I propose for the Chinese Recreation Center takes the form of an
enormous and somewhat abstract tree. I see a tree as appropriate in this space for a number of
reasons. The tree is a universal symbol for unity, family, growth, strength, and life itself. In the
traditional Chinese aesthetic, beauty is not subjective but reflects the innermost essence of
nature in its pure state, and as an artist I relate strongly to this perspective. A teacher of mine
once said, “If youʼre looking for inspiration, look to nature and you will never be disappointed.”
That idea continues to stick with me and influences everything I make.
I experimented with a number of shapes when considering what the “leaf” or “flower”
pieces that compose the foliage would look like, and discovered a simple and elegant shape
that can be cut from sheet aluminum without the result of any extra scrap metal. When properly
curled and crimped on a strand, this shape creates a beautiful balance between the sharp leaf
shapes of bamboo and the delicate round shapes of a cherry blossom. I was also excited to
discover that when hung in a sequence on vertical strands, the shapes seem reminiscent of the
brushwork used in columns of traditionally written Chinese characters.
SHAN SHAN SHENG
CALLIGRAPHY AS ICON
My proposed work, a suspension sculpture composed of blown glass calligraphy, emphasizes
transparency, language, and memory. The chandelier form, with its gently mobile elements of
glass words, is a frame of poetic memory, offering a mutable window into time and place. Each
character can be read individually, but also as part of a fluid whole, like the nature of immigrant's
experience, which is both a singular and collective experience, building an independent life and
eventual prosperity in a new land. A powerful stream of language distill the history of Chinese
American experience into vivid threads; the blown glass characters project out legible
metaphors. Words such as Mist, Mountain, Ocean, Gold, Railroad, and Dream reflect the
narrative of San Francisco history and Chinese American experience in the West.
LANTERN BY NIGHT
The Calligraphy/Cascade installation reflects the luminosity of natural light by day. At night, the
work is illuminated by colored light with environmentally-friendly LED fixtures. The colored light
connects the building's installation to the surrounding neighborhood. Calligraphy/Cascade forms
a lantern for the city each evening, offering an iconic interval in the urban fabric of Chinatown.