Destination Downtown Photo Exhibition
Now through October 13 (Daily 9am – 9pm, with best visibility from dusk onward)
Union Square San Francisco, with its vibrant history and iconic locales, comes alive in an engaging digital installation showcasing Union Square photographs from the Selle Collection. Curated from a treasure trove of over 1.3 million candid snapshots never exhibited in San Francisco, this site-specific public art project offers a unique glimpse into the city’s dynamic past, a time when going downtown was a special event, an adventure.
“We celebrate Union Square’s rich past while embracing the future through initiatives like the Downtown Destination project,” said Marisa Rodriguez, CEO of the Union Square Alliance. “These snapshots showcase downtown as the thriving heart of social and cultural life, inspiring us to continue modernizing our traditions through initiatives like Union Square in Bloom and the innovative redesign proposal for Powell Street both of which seek to invite visitors to return to rediscover the Square and forge new heartwarming memories.”
From families leisurely shopping to couples enjoying a night out, the photographs capture the essence of 20th century life in downtown San Francisco. These commercial snapshots were the work of freelance photographers, led by Joseph Selle, who captured everyday moments at vibrant/lively intersections such as the Flood Building, Market Street, Powell Street, and Union Square itself.
“Joseph Selle and his team of photographers documented a transformation in downtown San Francisco,” said Michael Lerner, Creative Director of the exhibition. “These remarkable images have languished unseen for almost 50 years. As San Francisco contemplates its future, the installation invites us to imagine the lives of the people who lived here decades ago.”
Taken between 1955 and 1986, these photographs were sold as souvenirs to passersby, a testament to the downtown’s vibrant street culture. Many of these images, unseen for decades, are now displayed for the first time at the very location where they were taken, offering viewers a journey through time.
Visitors to the exhibition, located in the window of the Flood Building at Powell and Market Streets, will recognize familiar landmarks that have shaped the city over the decades—ornate lamp posts, and iconic cable and street cars.
“As San Francisco evolves, these forgotten photographs documented its storied past.”
“The Flood Building stands as a testament to San Francisco’s enduring spirit and resilience. It’s a privilege to see these archival photographs alongside the building that has been a cornerstone of Union Square’s history.”
For more information on Destination Downtown, visit https://community-arts.org/projects/destination-downtown/
The installation is free of charge and operates every day from 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM opposite the Cable Car Turnaround in the windows of the Flood Building at 1 Powell Street. It runs until October 13, 2024.
Exhibition Credits:
● Michael Lerner, Creative Director
● Elsa Cameron, Program Consultant
● David Suurballe, Photo Curation
● Hugh Livingston, Media Consultant and FX Programming
● Andrew Eskind, Photographer and Director, PhotographyDatabase.org
● Mary Panzer, Historian and Curator
● Christopher DeWinter, Graphics
● Kim Ireland, Web Services
● Karin Flood, President, Flood Corporation