The San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) | Fort Mason Campus presents the revival of U.S. composer and media artist  Bill Fontana‘s legendary 1981 soundscape installation, “Landscape Sculpture With Foghorns,” at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. The landmark sound installation is re-presented in its original 1981 location on the eastern outside wall of Pier 2, now home to the SFAI campus.

In 1981, Fontana set out to create a live acoustic map of San Francisco Bay by dropping microphones at eight strategic spots along the waterfront to broadcast and record multiple acoustic delays from the Golden Gate Bridge foghorns. The microphones farthest away from the bridge captured the most delayed horns sounds. Listeners at Pier 2 heard overlapping sounds from different locations simultaneously, which translated topography into sound. Waterfront sounds right at the pier also contribute resonance to the soundscape.

Fontana has earned international acclaim for his pioneering work in audio, acoustics, and sound installations. He has created sound art for many museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, London’s Tate Modern,  the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and many more. His sound art radio projects have been heard on the BBC, Radio France, and other broadcast organizations.

The “Landscape Sculpture With Foghorns” sound installation is active at Pier 2, East Wall daily from 9:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m. through March 1, 2019.

Free Admission