Our South City

Visitors that stroll along the 3-wall perimeter of the Gardiner Park Playlot basketball court encounter animated images that allude to South San Francisco’s storied past, from honoring the area’s first inhabitants on the hilltop marked Ohlone Lands, to featuring the prominent architecture of City Hall and Bank of SSF. A black and white snapshot captures the steel production industry of the early 20th century. South City’s biotech footprint is highlighted in the DNA imagery. The area’s rich biodiversity is also featured with colorful poppies and irises, the S.F. Bay waters, and the Mission Blue Butterfly. The mural was integrated as part of the 2020 renovation of Gardiner Park. The artistic concept was informed through a community outreach process that indicated the preference was for focus on neighborhood identity and local history. Wandering throughout the delightful mural are the enigmatic blue bears that are the signature character represented in works created by artist, Sirron Norris.

A Bay Area resident, Sirron’s creative inspiration for his blue bear was guided by his use of symbols to tell stories. The bear is a metaphor for love as it is expressed in the extremes of both positivity and darkness. He sees bears as having this duality, the potential for cuteness or ferocity. The color blue initially represented a difficult period for the artist. Over time, the bear’s blue color became his brand and remained in part due to its pleasant visual connection with the sky. In Sirron’s words, “The bear just started to be this character that went through all my murals and represented kind of love. And whatever he was doing he loved to do. And it was kind of like this metaphor, so if the bear was holding something, then he'd love doing that.”

The whimsical creation, appropriately titled, “Our South City,” truly encapsulates the deep affection residents have for their community.

Learn some fun facts about Sirron on this 12 minute You Tube video: https://youtu.be/2W0qvSpRz90

Location

137 Gardiner Avenue, South San Francisco 94080  View Map