Skip to content
Bill Dane
San Francisco, 1973

Since the late 1960s Bill Dane has been chronicling the life before our eyes, pursuing what curator and critic John Szarkowski called "the discovery of classical measure in the heart of God’s own junkyard." By framing his shots to include just enough information to surprise or disorient the viewer, Dane offers a new perspective or, as he has put it, "a new reality." San Francisco (1973) is typical of the accepting distance and engaged humor with which he approaches his subjects. A sunbather seemingly attempts to block out the world, but the world goes by nonetheless (in three modes of transport) on the beach below. Movement and stasis exist on different planes and in opposite directions. The photographer’s shadow at the bottom of the frame acts like a signature, a good natured sign of his complicity in the scene.

Artwork Info

Artwork title
San Francisco
Artist name
Bill Dane
Date created
1973
Classification
photograph
Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
6 3/4 in. × 4 1/2 in. (17.15 cm × 11.43 cm)
Date acquired
1997
Credit
Collection SFMOMA
Gift of the artist
Copyright
© Bill Dane
Permanent URL
https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/97.149
Artwork status
Not on view at this time.

Other Works by Bill Dane

See other works by Bill Dane

Please note that artwork locations are subject to change, and not all works are on view at all times. If you are planning a visit to SFMOMA to see a specific work of art, we suggest you contact us at collections@sfmoma.org to confirm it will be on view.

Only a portion of SFMOMA's collection is currently online, and the information presented here is subject to revision. Please contact us at collections@sfmoma.org to verify collection holdings and artwork information. If you are interested in receiving a high resolution image of an artwork for educational, scholarly, or publication purposes, please contact us at copyright@sfmoma.org.

This resource is for educational use and its contents may not be reproduced without permission. Please review our Terms of Use for more information.