Long before Banksy created political pieces in the Gaza Strip, there was Rigo.
A lot of great things in San Francisco are created by people who move here and really fall in love with the city. San Francisco is a haven for muralists. Works by Diego Rivera are are almost sacred. Ricardo Gouveia, aka Rigo, created some of the best modern works of public art.
As an artsy urban kid, I really appreciated his use of mundane, everyday images, like a one way street sign, to convey subtle and powerful messages. The first time I saw Birds and Cars, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I still like it a lot.
You can find most of his work in the Tenderloin and SOMA.
Other great pieces around the city include:
- Inner City Home on 4th Street at Clementina;
- One Tree at 10th and Bryant Streets
- Truth at 7th and Market is dedicated to Robert King Wilkerson, a former Black Panther who was exonerated after being held in prison for almost 30 years.
He's represented by Anglim Gilbert Gallery on Geary Street near Union Square.
16th street at Bryant
US$
free
Find your way with 156 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
When I can hear the sound of spare coins jingling, I get an itch for a real pinball fix and head to the Haight and Free Gold Watch in San Francisco...
by
When I want to know if the fog is coming in under the GG bridge in SF, I walk over to the public deck at UCSF's Helen Diller Medical Center...
by
When I am in Golden Gate Park in SF, I almost always stop for a few minutes at the 6th avenue skate park to watch the skaters dance to the music...
by
I love coming to the Golden Gate Parks Golf Course in SF in the morning, where it's almost 100% guaranteed to be foggy...
by
The SF Columbarium is one of the only cemeteries within San Francisco city limits. Pair a diorama with a dash of biography & you have me hooked...
by
"Green Apple Books" in San Francisco is one of my favorite places to get lost for an afternoon. Unmatched levels of discovery await...
by
"Zazie" in SF is my perfect local French bistro, whether I'm up at 8 am, peckish at lunch or in the mood for the greatest pork chop in town...
by
"The Turrell Skyspace" in San Francisco is a hidden oculus buried underground that provides a moment of either meditation or social overload...
by
"Ushi Taro" is a tiny ramen house that specializes in beef ramen. A personal favorite is their spicy tomato beef ramen that never fails to warm my core...
by
The "Corbin Steps" represent everything delightful & quirky about San Francisco. It's an art project composed of fantasy creatures built of found objects!
by
"Ferry Plaza Wine" in the San Francisco Ferry building is, perhaps surprisingly, one of the best wine bars in the Bay Area...
by
156 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 156 Insider Tips