Welcome to the quarterly Creative Currents series! Public art, cultural programming, and artistic design enhancements express what is authentic about today’s culture and explore the historical significance of area waterways through a contemporary art lens. This series provides an inside look at the many ways artists are incorporated into the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority) projects, including the growing San Pedro Creek Culture Park.
The installation of two new public art projects at SPCCP is underway! Located between Houston and Dolorosa Streets, these projects showcase what is unique about San Antonio’s history and cast an eye toward the future of our city.
The Projects
Between Houston and Commerce Streets, right across from the new Texas Public Radio headquarters, STREAM by Adam Frank has begun to take shape. On April 21, a full-scale mockup was tested to ensure the programmable LED lights and flow of water worked in tandem to produce a cohesive and consistent light display. The artwork, a cast bronze 1950s-style microphone equipped with a live microphone inside, will connect to the programmable LED lights through a custom software system designed by the artist. The software system converts the sound captured by the microphone into a visual light display along the waterfall, giving visitors the ability to change the light patterns in real-time. The installation will be complete this July. Head to the project page to read more.
Image of the mockup test on April 21. The conduit for the microscope sculpture can be seen in the foreground.
In the next block, between Commerce and Dolorosa Streets, two of the five panels that make up the ceramic tile mural by Kathy and Lionel Sosa have been installed. The mural, titled Historia de San Pedro Creek on My Mind: A Story in Five Panels, will be the park’s largest artwork, covering approximately 1800 square feet. Installers must climb down a 20-foot ladder from the upper paseo (plaza) and utilize scaffolding to access the site to properly install each 12-inch tile. The larger-than-life central figure in each panel will be animated through the park’s mobile app, providing added detail about the stories depicted. Installation is ongoing through June. Head to the project page to read more.
Two panels of the Historia de San Pedro Creek on My Mind: A Story in Five Panels mural have been installed.
Stay tuned for new artwork opportunities at San Pedro Creek Culture Park and other Bexar County Creeks & Trails projects. Project updates and opportunities for artists will be posted at www.spcculturepark.com.
The River Reach is back!
River Reach is a quarterly, 12-page newsletter that is designed to inform the San Antonio River Authority’s constituents about the agency’s many projects, serve as a communication vehicle for the board of directors and foster a sense of unity and identity among the residents of Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties.
If you wish to be placed on the mailing list for River Reach, please contact us or complete the form here.
