“Ecstasy” in San Francisco

The Black Rock Arts Foundation is proud to support the installation of Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito’s sculpture Ecstasy at Patricia’s Green in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, CA. This hopeful, figurative work will be on display, free to the public, from February 7, 2010 till June 18, 2010.

First displayed at the Burning Man festival in Nevada in 2008, Ecstasy is one of the eight monumental metal figures of the artists’ masterpiece, Crude Awakening. In Crude Awakening, these eight figures surrounded a 99-foot tall wooden oil derrick in gestures of prostration, worship and exaltation. Alone, Ecstasy embarks on a hopeful journey. Instead of throwing her head back in reverie to the oil derrick, she gazes wistfully into the open sky as she steps forward into an optimistic future, free of dependency on fossil fuel.

Through our Civic Arts Program, BRAF is pleased to further the evolution of this artwork’s message by exposing it to a new audience and community, and to return to the site of Patricia’s Green. In 2005, this location was the site of BRAF’s first public art project.

Working closely with the residents and business owners of the Hayes Valley neighborhood, BRAF established a model of community collaboration towards the curation and installation of public art. These community members continued to work on bringing art into their neighborhood, forming the Hayes Valley Art Coalition. The installation of Ecstasy at Patricia’s Green further affirms the success of this collaboration, and of the model of public, temporary art installation.

Join us in celebration of Ecstasy at the opening reception:

March 19, 2010
Patricia’s Green
at Octavia and Hayes Streets
San Francisco, CA
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

BRAF posts about Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito

photo: Michael Strickland

About the author: Affinity

Affinity

Affinity, a Burner since 2000, was legally married on the Playa in 2001, was wedding coordinator and then training coordinator at Burning Man, before becoming the Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) Social Media Coordinator and an Advisory Board Member. An attorney, she served on the Board of Directors of the Western Pension and Benefits Conference. She interned with the Human Awareness Institute for 10 years. She writes about how art is envisioned, produced, created, installed and its afterlife.

6 Comments on ““Ecstasy” in San Francisco

  • affinity says:

    Please note that the date for the “Opening Reception” has been moved to March 19th due to rain. Sorry for any inconvenience.

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  • Porter Venn says:

    I believe this was from 2007 (The Green Man) and not 2008.

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  • brea says:

    burning man is a fabulous venue and has been for years. what i’d like to see is a greater level of maturity and social responsibilty towards members and spectators alike. i don’t have an agenda per se, but…w/ such a broad base of support i think the Burning Man Group misses out on an opportunity to express the greater needs of society as a whole. this is thin ice for me and i realize the potential danger of politicizing the event. having said that i still believe Burning Man has great potential to voice grievances regarding the current and past abuses of citizens by the govt.. to wit, the 878BILLION dollar tax bailout of financial institutions, TWO(2) unfunded wars and potentially a third, complete lack of healthcare. i could go on w/ many examples. the point is you’ve already got a base from which to mobilize.
    i realize it’s a bout a good time and fun, but you may have noticed the govt. infringing on personal freedoms more and more every day!!

    it’s a fabulous opportunity to make a statement for and about the citizens of this country. we have fewer and fewer honest places to have this dialogue.

    thank you

    interested to hear responses!!

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  • mr beer says:

    re porter: this may have been present at 2007, but it was definitely there in 2008. one of our fave pieces!

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  • John says:

    Well I was hoping for an article about the quality of ectasy in San Francisco. Do they mix it with meth? Somebody call an ambulance, I feel unusual.

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  • Heather Lopez says:

    Was that company Great American Herbal at the rave this time?? The legal kush herbal incense dudes, greatamericanherbal.com ….the last rave I went to they were there and gave me a bunch of free shit, YES, it was so fun

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