The Presidio to Unveil SUPERBLOOMS, an Art Installation on July14
By Tosha Stimage
Tosha Stimage stood on the new Presidio Tunnel Tops and took a breath. She inhaled the salty air, and her eyes wandered over the sparkling waters of the San Francisco Bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge, shrouded in mist. She delicately explored the nearby plants, their touch and their smell bringing a sense of connection to nature, she said, that resonated deep within her.
Tosha, a multimedia artist and floral designer, has translated those sensations into her new work, SUPERBLOOMS — a colorful ground mural installation on view to Presidio National Park Site visitors starting in mid-June. Shapes referencing the delicate tendrils of the Chilean strawberry, the pink Checkerbloom and the fiery California poppy all express the resilience and beauty of these native plant treasures.
SUPERBLOOMS is the third installation of the Ancestral Futurism Public Art Mentorship program, a project led by Oakland-based artist and environmental justice activist, Favianna Rodriguez. It invites emerging and mid-career BIPOC artists to develop temporary installations at the Presidio Tunnel Tops.
“The model of indigenous/community-led, environmentally informed practices in our public spaces is one example of how we might create more equity and inclusion in our world,” Tosha said. “Art can express the inseparable connection that requires us to consider not only ourselves but our fellow person and planet.”
There’s more to enjoy this summer at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, which opened in July 2022, and has since welcomed some 3 million visitors since. There are outdoor spots for family gatherings, the Outpost playground, views like no other, Presidio Pop Up food trucks, and plenty of free events.
Come to the free SUPERBLOOMS art launch party to enjoy hands-on artmaking, DJ music, plant starters, and more. Sunday, July 14, 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm at Presidio Tunnel Tops, 210 Lincoln Blvd. presidio.gov
