Andy Goldsworthy, Sprire (2008) in the Presidio of San Francisco
"The Presidio forest was planted by the U.S. Army over a short period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries based on a vision by Major William A. Jones in his Plan for the Cultivation of Trees upon the Presidio Reservation... The forest is comprised of long-lived eucalyptus as well as Monterey cypress and pine trees that are now reaching the end of their natural lifespans."
"Aging Monterey cypress trees taken down to allow for young plantings were given new purpose in Goldsworthy’s Spire. The sculpture was constructed in 2008 in a beloved grove near the Arguello Gate. It is comprised of 35 large cypress trunks, fastened meticulously together. At its zenith, Spire reaches more than 90 feet to the sky. Even this great height will not keep Spire from experiencing the changes of time. Young trees growing at its base will slowly obscure the sculpture." - predidio.gov
"This work for me is a very powerful image of growth, the determination of the tree to push upward. It feels as if it’s coming from deep in the ground… when the new trees grow up around it, this will be a very intimate, internal place." - Andy Goldsworthy, from the San Francisco Chronicle
More on Spire can be found here.
The view from Inspiration Point, just across the road from Spire.
Andy Goldsworthy, Wood Line (2010)
"Goldsworthy fills this empty space with a quiet and graceful sculpture. Where Spire reaches for the stars, Wood Line flows elegantly into the valley of the Tennessee Hollow Watershed. To create the piece, Goldsworthy laid eucalyptus branches on the ground to form a sinuous line that, in his words, “draws the place.” The wood was sourced from various Presidio projects that required tree removal, including Doyle Drive reconstruction, environmental remediation, and habitat restoration." - predidio.gov
More on Wood Line can be found here.
Wood Line is about a mile hike from Spire.
I recommend cutting up into the adjacent neighborhood, onto Jackson St., for the walk back.
