Where to see Richard Serra's work in San Diego
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego commissioned the artist in 2004 to create a steel cube series at the Santa Fe Train depot in downtown San Diego Artist Richard Serra, who passed away at age 85, created several monumental sculptures in Southern California during his career. Most of these works are in Los Angeles, with the “T.E.C.L.A.” at UC Los Angeles and the 65-foot “Connector” tower in Costa Mesa. The 2004 “Santa Fe Depot” sculpture series was commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego for its downtown gallery in the former baggage building at the historic Santa Fe Train depot building. The museum is now looking for a buyer or a tenant to take over the property.
Published : a month ago by Pam Kragen in Entertainment
The 2004 “Santa Fe Depot” sculpture series by artist Richard Serra can be found at 1100 Kettner Blvd. in downtown San Diego. It was commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
Artist Richard Serra, who passed away March 26 at age 85, created several monumental sculptures in Southern California during his long career.
Most of them are in the Los Angeles area, including the massive shell-like “T.E.U.C.L.A.” at UC Los Angeles and the 65-foot “Connector” tower in Costa Mesa. But San Diego is also home to one Serra piece.
The 2004 work “Santa Fe Depot” was commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego for its downtown gallery in the former baggage building at the historic Santa Fe Train depot building at 1100 Kettner Blvd. in downtown San Diego. Six steel blocks run along two distinct “tracks,” each positioned to align with the center of the archway on the building’s covered patio.
Kathryn Kanjo, the museum’s director and CEO, said of Serra and this piece in a statement: “MCASD mourns the passing of artist Richard Serra whose monumental sculptures and installations are instantly recognizable for their imposing scale and attention to site. His legacy is immortalized here in San Diego by ‘Santa Fe Depot,’ a site-specific installation commissioned by MCASD. Crafted from COR-TEN steel, a material he mastered since the 1970s, the sculpture’s six massive cubes give the appearance of cargo that has arrived from the nearby trains or waterfront.”
The museum closed the depot gallery building earlier this month to focus its energies on its La Jolla home, and is now looking for a buyer or a tenant to take over the property. Museum officials said in a statement that they hope to keep the Serra installation in place.
“Richard Serra’s outdoor sculpture, ‘Santa Fe Depot,’ is a highlight of MCASD’s collection. The museum commissioned the monumental installation for its exact location, and we are thrilled to have it remain on public view at the train station under our ownership,” the statement read.