Ongoing/Permanent | sculpture
Free and open to the public

Spire was presented through the partnership of the Presidio Trust and the FOR-SITE Foundation.

British artist Andy Goldsworthy brings his ethereal interactions of human creation and nature to the San Francisco with Spire. The piece towers 90 feet high in the Presidio, both a part of its surrounding elements and an entity of its own. Goldsworthy discovered the space as Monterey cypress trees were taken down to make room for the younger plantlings. After producing similar work in England decades before, he said of the grove in the Presidio: “I have not found another great location for this type of work until now.”

In 2008, Goldsworthy carefuly stitched together the trunks of 35 large cypress trees that were taken down. Spire encourages thoughts of renewal, the process of creating out of destruction, and the transformation of nature over time. The beautiful piece intercts nicely with his later work in the Presidio, Wood Line. Though this piece is permanent, change is an inevitable outcome of its location and materials. Over time, the surrounding plants and animals will make use of Spire and entertwine it further with the environment.

For more information about the artist, please visit his website: www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk