Title
To the Children of Assisi from the Children of San Francisco 1988
Alt-Text
This circular plaque, which depicts Francis of Assisi caring for his beloved birds under a sunny blue sky, is made of bakers clay made from flour, salt and water. Along the top edge of the circle, the dedication: "To the Children of Assisi from the Children of San Francisco 1988" and in smaller letters "Made by Rooftop School"
Description
This Baker's Clay Panel was created in 1988 by the students at
Rooftop School working with then Art Coordinator Aiko Cuneo at the
request of environmental activist Shimon
Schwarzchild, founder of the Assisi Bird
Campaign (ABC). This international campaign, led from San
Francisco by Schwarzchild, successfully established a moratorium on
hunting songbirds on Mount Subasio in Assisi, Italy in 1985.
This circular plaque, which depicts Francis of Assisi
caring for his beloved birds under a sunny blue sky, is made of
bakers clay, a mixture of flour, salt and water. Along the top
edge of the circle, the dedication: “To the Children of Assisi
from the Children of San Francisco 1988” and in smaller letters
“Made by Rooftop School” This work was gifted to Assisi,
delivered by Shimon, and hung in the Piazza del Comune, the
town’s City Hall for many years.
In 2011, Andi Wong had the the good fortune to meet
Shimon, who was in San Francisco as the founder of Action for Nature, an
environmental non-profit dedicated to empowering young people. Shimon
shared stories of his time as a former president of the Twin Peaks
School PTA, when San Francisco schools were integrated during the George
Moscone era. Shimon had fond memories of a “Dough-In” held at
Rooftop Alternative School when Nancy Mayeda was principal, and the
children had the good fortune to work with Aiko Cuneo to create this
special work of art, a gift for the children of Assisi, Italy.
Aiko Cuneo shared this photo “... a scan of the snapshot of the
baker's clay panel we sent to Assisi in 1988. The photo was taken
where the large redwood tree stood, outside Nancy's office when the
building was pink.”
San Francisco and Assisi, Italy have been sister cities since
1969, working together to promote peace and understanding in the
humanitarian tradition of St. Francis.
Copyright Notice
1988 Aiko Cuneo
Copyright Terms
None (All rights reserved)
Creator
Aiko Cuneo & the students at Rooftop Alternative School
Credit
Aiko Cuneo & the students at Rooftop Alternative School
Triples