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Commission approves relocation of Pepe Ozan sculpture to Palaga Recreation Center
Summary
The Recreation and Park Commission unanimously approved an Arts Commission request to install Pepe Ozan’s Invocation at Palaga Recreation Center. The Arts Commission will fund restoration and installation; the department will coordinate placement on an existing robust footing and accept long‑term care commitments from the Arts Commission.
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission on March 20 unanimously approved a revocable permit allowing the Arts Commission to install the sculpture Invocation by artist Pepe Ozan at Palaga Recreation Center in the Portola neighborhood.
Marcus Davies, Arts Commission staff, told the commission Invocation “depicts a Mesoamerican eagle warrior honoring indigenous heritage and culture” and described a multi‑year outreach process that included two in‑person community meetings and a public survey. The Arts Commission reported more than 400 survey responses, with “over 80% of respondents supporting the presence of public art at Palaga and over 75% in agreement that Invocation is appropriate to the environment of the recreation center.”
Davies said a 2016 removal of a larger kinetic sculpture left an existing engineered footing—9.5 by 9.5 feet—at the proposed site behind the recreation center building. The Arts Commission hired a conservation contractor to repair damage the piece suffered in a 2023 windstorm; the commission said the restored sculpture and a precast pedestal will be anchored to the existing footing and engineered to withstand seismic and wind loading.
The total estimated project cost is $90,000, the Arts Commission said, and the Arts Commission will be responsible for funding, installation and ongoing care. The proposed combined height of pedestal and sculpture is 11.5 feet, oriented to optimize sight lines toward Silliman Street.
Public comments included expressions of support from the Portola Neighborhood Association and other residents who said the piece would restore public art to the rec center; other commenters objected that the sculpture is a relocated work and urged consideration of a new site-specific piece. Maggie Weiss, chair of the Portola Neighborhood Association, said neighborhood volunteers had worked for years and were “thrilled that we’re at this moment where we can get Invocation.” A caller in public comment described concerns about wind at the site and cautioned that earlier kinetic work had failed for structural reasons.
Commissioners noted the long outreach process and letters of support from neighborhood groups and the District 9 supervisor’s office. The commission recorded a unanimous aye vote on the motion to authorize the revocable permit for the sculpture.
Installation timing will be coordinated with Recreation and Park staff to avoid disruption to scheduled activities at Palaga Recreation Center.
