San Francisco approves removal of Vaillancourt Fountain
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Bono from U2 famously spray-painted the sculpture in 1987, to the dismay of then-mayor Dianne Feinstein. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
San Francisco supervisors Tuesday cleared the way for the city to begin dismantling the long-embattled Vaillancourt Fountain, ending a long-running fight over its future.
Why it matters: The controversial 710-ton sculpture, designed by Québécois artist Armand Vaillancourt in 1971, has defined the waterfront plaza for more than five decades.
- It's been loved and loathed since its inception, recognized as a bold piece of public art and cultural landmark by some and reviled by others for its stark Brutalist form and dilapidated condition.
Driving the news: The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 to move forward with the $4.4 million disassembly after hours of public comment and debate. District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder voted against.
The big picture: The artwork is a remnant of the city's freeway era and symbol of its anti-establishment spirit, serving for decades as a hub for protests, performances and skateboarding culture.
- That history recently deemed it eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, a status preservationists contested affirms its significance despite its polarizing design.
Catch up quick: The city's Arts Commission last fall voted to remove the tangled web of concrete as part of a $32.5 million redesign of Embarcadero Plaza, with plans to store it for up to three years while the city decides whether to restore, relocate or permanently retire it.
State of play: City officials said the fountain's severe deterioration poses a public health risk, allowing its removal to move forward at an expedited pace without a state environmental review — a decision the majority of the board ultimately agreed with but that preservationists, who blame the city for the fountain's decline, disputed.
- In an effort to recognize the fountain's historical significance and fight for its preservation, its supporters — including historians, architects, skateboarders and others — urged the board to require a full review where the public could weigh in before its removal could move forward.
- "Alternatives to removal of the fountain — a historic work of public art — have not been adequately investigated and a true public process exploring preservation alternatives is imperative," Katherine Petrin, chair of the nonprofit San Francisco Heritage, said.
- Charles A. Birnbaum, president & CEO of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, told Axios the board's decision represents "part of a broader trend of threats to site-specific art in the public realm across the country."
The other side: John Loftus, a former police officer and the director of safety and security for BXP — the real estate developer partnering with the city on the plaza's redevelopment — said the site has attracted recurring problems, from homeless encampments and crime to medical calls and vandalism.
- "Although it's unfortunate, the 55-year-old fountain has become somewhat of an attractive nuisance and does represent a safety risk," he added.
What's next: The city could begin removing the fountain as soon as next month, with the process taking about two months to complete.