Building on a long tradition of art in the park, Presidio Tunnel Tops is welcoming new audiences through the language of art. The program starts with Ancestral Futurism: Looking Back to Repair the Future, a temporary outdoor mural installation by Favianna Rodriguez. The installation honors the diversity and interconnectedness of all humans, land, flora, and fauna that have lived in this ecosystem for centuries.
Visitors can discover the murals outdoors on the pathways near Presidio Visitor Center and the Outpost nature play area, with breadcrumbs on the walkways leading to them. A banner at the Presidio Plaza welcomes visitors to the ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone.
In addition to creating this artwork, Favianna – an interdisciplinary artist, cultural strategist, and social activist who is also a Presidio Activator – is serving as a coach and mentor supporting other BIPOC artists in translating their ideas to temporary public art installations at Presidio Tunnel Tops that speak to diverse communities. “Art is a language that can bridge communities and perspectives,” she says. “This program will help spur conversations and ideas about how the Presidio can be a place of welcome, inclusion, and belonging for all people.”
Read the artist brief to learn more about Ancestral Futurism: Looking Back to Repair the Future.