Some public parks are about to get artsy: The City of San Diego has commissioned local artists to create 18 thought-provoking projects across the parks system — each meant to activate the spaces, drive community engagement + give people new ways to experience art.
The city-led initiative is known as Park Social. Artists will begin installing their pop-up pieces at some parks this weekend — staggering the works throughout 28 city parks over the next six months. Let’s peek at what will be on display through Sun., Nov. 20 + where.
“Walking the Wall” will make its way to three communities over the next six months. | Photo + art via Timothy Murdoch
🧱 “Walking the Wall” | Artist: Timothy Murdoch
This performative, participatory piece is staged on shipping pallets that will be moved by dancers — and speaks to the meaning of walls + borders. According to the city, the artist “sees this wall as a drawn line defining a connection rather than a separation barrier.” It’ll be on display this Saturday at Fault Line Park on Island Avenue in the East Village. On Sat., July 16, it’ll move to North Park Community Park + on Sat., Nov. 12, over to Balboa Park.
ind this “musical playground” in Rancho Peñasquitos, Sabre Springs + Scripps Ranch. | Rendering via Keenan Hartsten
🐝 “The Honeycomb Harmonies” | Artist: Keenan Hartsten
This “roving musical playground” will hit six parks from May-October — starting with South Creek Neighborhood Park in Sabre Spring this Sunday. The piece is about the importance of collective action + unity during these tough times, and inspired by how bees work together in a colony. The hexagon-shaped “stage” features salvaged, painted tires and a participatory chalk mural.
🌆 “Essential San Diego” | Artist: David White
This installation features a pair of scenic overlook-style binoculars — the kind you tend to see in super touristy areas. When you look into them though, instead of seeing landmarks and landscapes, a VR device shows video vignettes of everyday workers who keep our city running. This piece will pop-up at Kate Sessions Park in Pacific Beach beginning on Sat., July 16.
A close-up of “Barely Touching.” | Rendering via Trevor Amery
⛰️ “Barely Touching” | Artist: Trevor Amery
The city says this interactive sculpture made of locally-sourced timber is “inspired by San Diego’s geologic elements of change, like erosion, the ocean, and its ecosystems.” Visitors will be able to lay paper across the piece + make rubbings with crayons. This artwork will be on display at Kensington Park on Adams Avenue from Sat. July 30-Sun., Nov. 20.
Park-goers will be able to see reflections of both themselves + their surroundings in this installation. | Rendering via Art Builds
🪞 “Reflexion” | Artist collective: Art Builds
This piece features three periaktoi with rotating, mirrored sections that’ll reveal reflections. The city says this concept “acts as a way to help park-goers experience the park in new and unexpected ways.” This will be on display at Ellen Scripps Browning Park in La Jolla from Sat., June 11-Sun., June 26, and then at Kellogg Park from Sat., July 9-Sun., July 24.
A community picnic with a deep purpose. | Rendering via Sheena Rae Dowling + Yvette Roman
⛺ “Collective Memory” | Artists: Sheena Rae Dowling + Yvette Roman
This “event-based installation” invites the public to sit on picnic blankets (created from fabric + clothing donated by community members) and share their experiences of living through the past two years of the pandemic. The city says a dome at the center “becomes an intimate space for individuals to process collective experiences and the range of emotions accompanying them.” This piece will pop-up at San Ysidro Community Park, with workshops to collect the materials being held on Sat., May 21 + Sat., June 18, and the picnic and installation viewing on Sat., July 16.
There are many other local artists participating in Park Social projects across the city. Special events — including drop-ins from the artists themselves — will be held at various parks now through November, too.
According to the city, this public art initiative is also meant to encourage people to visit city parks — especially after years of pandemic-era isolation.