A flourishing artist colony in a shipyard
The shipyard at Hunter’s Point dates back to 1870. At the beginning of World War II, the navy took it over and it was there, in July 1945, that key elements of the first atomic bomb were loaded on to the USS Indianapolis for delivery to Tinian Island, where, on August 6th, a B-29 bomber took off for Hiroshima. After the war, the navy’s Radiological Defense Laboratory was established at Hunter’s Point and it became the U.S. military’s center for applied nuclear research. The facility closed in 1969 and in 1994, the navy shut down the entire 638-acre base, which had been listed as a Superfund site because of radioactive contamination. That atomic legacy still endures, along with other pollutants.
Still, the shipyard has been resilient, so much so that in 1983, a group of local artists created a colony among the old buildings that has, with enormous struggle, blossomed into a thriving community of more than 350 musicians, sculptors, painters, printmakers, digital artists, and writers. “The Point” is one of the largest artist collectives in the country. Studios are scattered throughout the warehouses, all in various states of decay. Rent is paid to the city. Lack of comforts aside, most of the shipyard residents are drawn by the novelty of the place, as well as its expansiveness and light. Twice a year, usually the last weekend in October and the first weekend in May, the artists open their studios to the public. These tours are a great opportunity for collectors and fans to meet the artists and experience their creative environments firsthand.
Info
Address Horn Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94124, www.shipyardartists.com, +1 415.822.9675 | Public Transport Bus: 19 (Galvez Ave & Horne Ave stop) | Hours Open Studios, one weekend every spring and fall, check website for dates and times| Tip On the way to Hunter’s Point, note the medieval six-story stone tower of the Albion Castle at 881 Innes Street, the former home of the Albion Ale and Porter Brewery, founded in 1870 and closed in 1919. The castle’s two underground caves are filled with fresh spring water. From 1928 to 1947 Albion Water Company bottled the drinking water. It’s a private residence now.
Today, the entire area around Hunter’s Point is poised for redevelopment. When the renewal project is complete, hundreds of new houses will have been built, along with commercial ventures. Though most of the shipyard’s structures will eventually be demolished and replaced, a brand-new building offering inexpensive artists’ studios is planned.
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