Friday night Wonderland SF was a menagerie. We stopped by for the opening of "La Jungla" only to be bombarded by octopuses, owls, horses, a giant bear, and, yes, a peacock.
The fashionable crowd poured out of the store/gallery and oozed between the rows of indie designer clothing, jewelry, and accessories that fill the front part of the space. It's hard to get to the back gallery without finding a new addition to your wardrobe or a spectacularly unique pair of earrings. Irene Hernandez-Feiks, owner and curator, greets all who enter, making sure everyone feels welcome and gets information on the featured artists and designers.
The work played on a clear theme -- animals -- but the installation highlighted the variety of color, size, detail, and media, which created a harmonious environment more like a sanctuary than a zoo.
The center sculpture, Bear Gone Homeless by Melanie Alves, was the most delightful to view and discuss. It stands more than six feet tall and is Alves' first sculpture, made out of packing paper Alves used on her recent move from London.
Alves said she was inspired by the lack of a (visual) homeless population in Europe and her pondering about how most homeless individuals cherish their items, while the rest of us continuously consume and want more. The black over the bear's head represents oil -- and greed, the dirt of the world -- while the golden items in the shopping cart display one's precious possessions, however small and unwanted by others.
An oasis of color and talent, stop by Wonderland SF (2929 24th St. at Florida, S.F.) for a little play time for your eyes and shop therapy. Just don't try to feed the animals.
