The earthy color palette of historic buildings lining Van Ness is about to see a burst of bright colors. Acclaimed ceramic artist Jun Kaneko will unveil his two 6-foot heads on Wednesday, June 6 at 11 a.m. in front of the War Memorial Opera House. The sculpture installation coincides with the premiere of SF Opera's run of Mozart's The Magic Flute (June 13–July 8), for which Kaneko designed the set.
Created as complements, the two sculptures face each other, one yellow and the other red and featureless. Kaneko's HEADS are part of a larger series made between 2004 and 2007. Check out the gallery above. Each piece was handmade and glazed in a beehive kiln at a terracotta pipe factory in Kansas, where Kaneko often works.
Thank the San Francisco Arts Commission—and Rena Bransten Gallery in this case—for this flurry of temporary public art (remember Zhang Huan's Three Heads Six Arms buddha from last year?) that's sprucing up the Civic Center area. HEADS are on view through November.
Bonus: Check out the Asian Art Museum's display of Choi Jeong Hwa's 24-foot red Breathing Flower in Civic Center Plaza.
