Building The Iron Horse/ The Four Elements © Owen Smith 2009, hand-glazed ceramics, Lobby of the Pavilion, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre, San Francisco CA
Collection of the City and County of San Francisco; Commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission for Laguna Honda Hospital
Building the Iron Horse
Owen Smith’s Work Projects Administration- style mosaics depict the building of the Golden Gate Bridge, and provide a visual continuity between the old and new buildings by paying homage to the original mural series in the historic Laguna Honda lobby.
The themes represented relate to labour, and the four classic elements.
To Smith, the building of the Golden Gate Bridge represents human audacity, bravery, skill and artistic and engineering achievement.
The Four Elements: Fire (Glassblowers), 48″ x 48″
The Four Elements: Air (Falconer), 48″ x 48″
The Four Elements: Water (Woman with Jug), 48″ x 48″
The Four Elements: Earth (Farmer Plowing Landscape), 48″ x 72″
The Four Elements: Fire (Steel Worker), 48″ x 48″
The Four Elements: Air (Aeronautics – Female Pilot with Plane), 48″ x 48″
The Four Elements: Land (Farmers Gathering), 48″ x 48″
The Four Elements: Fire (Ceramicist), 48″ x 48″
