ART on STREETS: Flowers in the Tenderloin

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One of the most enjoyable things about living in the city of San Francisco is how visually dynamic it is. The city is becoming more and more colorful each year as more art pops up out of doors. There is simply art everywhere, but not in a way that inundates you. The most interesting pieces are hidden away in nooks and crannies that you may not even see. ART on STREETS highlights this city’s art through the lens of a “Polaroid” camera (except it’s various apps on the IPhone).

NEW for 2012. Each week we will feature a different soundtrack for your viewing pleasure: a single song from a Bay Area musical artist. So plug in your earbuds (or not) and have a listen while you check out the art.

This week’s mural is on the side of a language bookstore at the corner of Larkin Street and Cedar Alley, in the Tenderloin neighborhood. Bright and very floral, it provides a visual contrast with the surrounding gritty neighborhood-an area in which you really don’t want to look like a tourist. The repetitive brush strokes of each flower are mesmerizing; the colors conjure up the flavor of Latin America. This piece is part of “StreetSmARTS,” a San Francisco Arts Commission and Department of Public Works project that pairs up established graffiti artists and property owners. Property owners provide a space for the art. The intention of the project is to curb vandalism, showcase urban artists and broaden the scope of the city’s murals. This week’s featured mural is by Jet Martinez.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/8666437″]

Musical Artist: Kcinsu
Title: Refraction