In San Francisco’s Chinatown, Portsmouth Square’s renovation may be delayed, but the neighborhood’s artistic future is already in the works. Local residents are being asked to weigh in on the finalists for two planned public artworks — an entrance plaza sculpture and a clubhouse wall — that will eventually fill the revamped space.
This opportunity provides community members the chance to be seen and heard, ensuring that the public art chosen for Portsmouth Square truly reflects the people who live, work and gather in Chinatown.
“Providing public comments is an essential part of our public art selection process,” notes Coma Te, director of communications for the San Francisco Arts Commission. “We encourage all those who are interested, especially those that actively use the public space or who live nearby, to share their feedback.”
Community members can share feedback online through the SFAC website, in person at the Chinese Culture Center (the third floor of 750 Kearny St.) and during weekly tabling at the Chinatown Rose Pak Station. Public comments for the proposals will be accepted through July 21 until 5 p.m.
Entryway sculpture
Serving as a visual invitation to Portsmouth Square, the entryway sculpture will sit at the corner of Walter U Lum and Washington Streets.
Living Room/Living Gate by lee + boles faw
Designed to embody the message, “when you welcome a guest, you have found your home,” this sculpture highlights Chinatown’s spirit of hospitality and community. The sculpture features a bronze cast of a magnolia tree that stood in Portsmouth Square for over 60 years (and will be cut down during construction), paired with a gilded wooden beam and a living magnolia growing nearby. The artists propose to form a sculptural gateway that bridges generations.
鞋天鞋地 (xietian xiedi) by Bijun Liang
An interactive bronze sculpture of two boot-shaped guardian lions, 鞋天鞋地 (xietian xiedi) invites people to touch, engage with and make the sculpture their own, celebrating Chinatown’s spirit of movement, resilience and everyday joy. Rooted in Liang’s personal history as an immigrant raised in the neighborhood, the piece honors the past while looking boldly toward what’s next.
Nuwa’s Hand (Fruits of Chinatown) by Cathy Lu
This 11-foot-tall bronze and aluminum sculpture of a mythic tree is rooted in the hand of the Chinese creation goddess, Nuwa. With cast fruits from Chinatown markets growing from its branches, the piece blends ancient symbolism with everyday life to celebrate hybridity, resilience and cultural abundance. Drawing from Lu’s long-standing exploration of diasporic identity, the work reimagines Chinatown as a living, evolving space shaped by its people and their stories.
Clubhouse wall
Installed on the interior and exterior walls of the new Portsmouth Square clubhouse, this artwork will likely be made with mosaics or ceramic tile.
Rising Phoenix by Kayan Cheung-Miaw
Drawing from a comic-inspired art style, Cheung-Miaw’s design captures themes of struggle, resilience, renewal and individual acts of heroism rooted in the histories of Chinatown and Manilatown. At its center is a phoenix, symbolizing abundance, harmony and collective care, which rises as a tribute to the strength and interconnectedness of the community.
Community Treasures by Jenifer K Wofford
Referencing traditional Chinese cabinets, this wall will include illustrations of precious treasures (like festival lanterns and mahjong tiles, or food like dan tat, baos and zong) that reflect Chinatown’s historical, cultural and community values. Several shelves intentionally remain empty as they await objects that will be created in future community workshops.
Generations of Love and Care by Christine Wong Yap
Yap’s Generations of Love and Care features drawings of elderly and young lion dancers in a bold graphic style with warm tones of peachy pink and coral. Made with porcelain enamel on steel, the proposed artwork will include hand-lettered text in multiple languages and interactive features like rubbing plates and a photo-friendly silhouette.
