Sunnyside Menagerie

We’re thrilled with our Menagerie in the Conservatory garden. When the Friends asked for “inventive delights” and “wonder, whimsy, and the stubbornly quirky and daring,” Wowhaus understood us. It was a joy to work with Scott + Ene during the process. Visitors always comment on the “fabulous,” “wonderfully odd,” “weird and groovy” sculptures, and the “elegant” design choices.

Sunnyside Menagerie is a collection of 23 fantastical bronze creatures designed by the artist team of Wowhaus. Commissioned by the SFAC’s Public Art Program specifically for the 1898 Sunnyside Conservatory and Gardens, the suite of sculptures was inspired by the Victorian notion of a conservatory as a living cabinet of curiosities filled with rare flora and fauna that hint at the possibility of still unknown worlds. The textured artworks, each with an intricately carved skin, are nestled at various locations along the walkways and in the garden to be discovered and handled by visitors of all ages as they wander the grounds. Here’s an account of the Menagerie’s creation by artists Scott Constable + Ene Osteras-Constable.

Ene Osteras-Constable and Scott Constable at Grand Re-Opening.

Featured Post Photo of Menagerie Creature: Bobby Chin, photos below: Bill Wilson Photography