Sad Francisco
where have you cried in san francisco?
2015, laser cut wood & acrylic
Sad Francisco is a laser cut map based on crowd-sourced research of where people have cried publicly in San Francisco.
Accompanying the map is a book containing the stories of the users who have submitted to the map.
How does sharing intimate stories about death, heartbreak, frustration, and panic transform spaces within a city? This piece maps personal stories to specific places and creates a more human understanding of space.
"After busting my knee while riding a bike and doing a scavenger hunt that had lost all its fun, I just lost it. I was so tired, both physically and mentally from so many job rejections and a feeling that I wouldn't have any writing jobs again anytime soon. I cried all the way up to Powell, at which point, my friends/teammates just said, "It's okay - let it all out." I couldn't have been more grateful that they just let me keep crying."
-California and Grant
"It was the tail end of New Year's Eve, and the 28 was packed shoulder-to-shoulder. A person I never saw stuck their hand up my skirt and tried to finger me. I got off the bus and sobbed."
-19th and Judah 28 stop
"I was really overwhelmed by the beauty of the trees that I had to try to hold back tears in front of all the tourists."
-Muir Woods
"Sometimes after a bad day at work you just need to cry it out over a burrito bowl with $2 guacamole."
-Chipotle Mexican Grill
Call for Submission
The UBC Art Gallery put out a call for submission for a show called Absolute Space. It was to explore, through art, the role that technology plays in the understanding of space. It sought to explore how we understand ourselves, and the world around us, in the context of an increasingly connected world.
As a geography student studying social theories of space and place, and as someone obsessed with both art and technology, I was immediately drawn to the topic. I had always wanted to create some type of installation art piece, and this was a perfect opportunity.
"I was on my way home from a Qi Gong class where I had gone hoping for some relief from chronic pain, but instead it triggered a horrible pain attack and I had to walk out. I would later be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but at that point I couldn't hold in the tears until I got home, so I was crying as I waited for the K. I'll always remember it - It was the first time I cried in public. "
-Van Ness Muni Station
Process
First, I sourced a vector file of the city streets, then I created bathymetric laters, and a frame. I laser cut the layers, then hand painted them.
I traced out where the points of the map were across the city, and cut those onto a sheet of acrylic that would fit behind the frame. Next, a strip of LEDs and a case for them were attached the base. I wasn't sure how well the light would catch the etched marks, but it turned out to be incredible.
"Ending an affair abruptly, for all the right reasons, still hurts. Sushi, no matter how good, tastes awful when you're sobbing."
-Maruya
Exhibition
It was important to me that my piece be interactive and engaging, and not just to look at.
I installed a dimmer switch, so people could watch as the collective tears of the city filled the room with more light.
The book at the front of the display was left open, and showed only one story per page, encouraging visitors to take some time to flip through and read.
"Watching a movie after a night of doing ecstasy."
-Willow Park
"Watched a particularly beautiful moonrise over the Bay. Imagined that in 1000 years San Francisco will be ruins, and that new generations will try to imagine what we saw and experienced when the city was vibrant. I cried thinking that all the precious details of our lives will be lost over time."
-Twin Peaks Summit
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