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Perhaps the center of the SFAI universe is the courtyard and fountain, beneath the 99-foot tower…..an entrance, gathering place, an architectural gem designed by Arthur Brown who also designed Temple Emanu-El in SF (and Coit Tower, Pasadena City Hall, Hoover Tower, SF City Hall, etc., etc.). A place where students gather for their first orientation (where Joan Brown arrived to find a bearded beatnik wearing water buffalo sandals playing bongos and figured this was the place for her); where commencements have been held, art receptions, punk weddings, plein-air drawing classes, where Sun Ra played two concerts, where Carlos Villa would have a cup of coffee, and where the turtles Walcott and Karen float along…. For more on the SFAI Courtyard see Sherwin Rio’s piece in the online exhibition, Orbits of Known and Unknown Objects: SFAI Histories: Matrix 277
With permission, SFAA is re-posting the emails Jeff Gunderson Librarian/Archivist Anne Bremer Memorial Library has been sending out since March 2020. Please enjoy this magnificent archive.