Phoenix Sculpture

My first blog post highlighted the importance of the Tower of the Sun as the central and emblematic structure of Treasure Island. I mentioned the fact that this iconic tower was adorned with a phoenix statue that sat atop the tower. This statue is one that is interesting in its symbolism and in its relationship to the Golden Gate International Exhibition.

Designed by Malmquist, the sculpture is quite gigantic – twenty feet high. The phoenix itself is an intricate form, and the artistic genius required is thus quite admirable. Given its large size, the detail in the head, neck, and wings confirms the level of complexity encompassed by this structure.

In addition to its artistic merit, this structure plays a significant representative role. A phoenix is said to be an imaginary creature, and in this nature, this opens up the discussion of the symbolism of this statue. There are a variety of theories regarding the iconographic choice of the phoenix. One of these theories is that the phoenix represents victory, and in this way, the Golden Gate International Exposition represents a sustained triumph over the 1906 earthquake and fire. The fact that the fair celebrated the East Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge reaffirms this notion of perseverance and ultimate achievement over hardships that faced the city of San Francisco. Others say that the proportion of the sculpture alone suggests a certain power and dominance representative of the exhibition. At a time where political turmoil plagued the globe vis-à-vis World War II, this phoenix structure celebrated accomplishments in various fields and stood as an optimistic image at the top of the entire island. In a way, it was a symbol for imagining and creating a better future, an implied goal of the Golden Gate International Exposition.

Neuhaus, Eugen. The Art of Treasure Island. Berkley, CA: University of California Press, 1939. Print.

The Women's Board

The Golden Gate International Exhibition was notorious for its introduction of a Women’s Board. Comprised of nine women, the Women’s Board was concerned with publicity, buildings, and events related to women’s activities. The Board collaborated with a n Advisory Board in addition to having representatives that each woman was responsible for contacting and representing. This infrastructure allowed the Board to be in contact with over a quarter of a million women whose ideas and opinions were considered. Some of the notable contributions of the Board include the Hall of Flowers, special radio shows, the Yerba Buena Club, the Hostess House, and Woman’s Day.

Of these important components of the exhibition, the radio shows and Woman’s Day are of utmost interest. The Women’s Board coordinated and sponsored twenty-one weekly radio programs. As mentioned in the Technology post below, the radio was one of the most critical innovations that was utilized at the exhibition. The fact that the Women’s Board took this important aspect of the expo and was able to include programming targeted at women is truly remarkable and quite creative. The radio was a vehicle for those women who could not physically be at the fair to listen in on developments and news from the fair from the comforts of their home.

Another interesting bridge between the home and the fair for women was vis-à-vis Woman’s Day. The Women’s Board organized a special day at the Expo, which attracted the most visitors during a week day for the entire fair. On October 25^th, women from everywhere came to Treasure Island to celebrate the achievements and impact of the Women’s Board on the Golden Gate International Exposition. The Board arranged for San Francisco schools to be closed so that every mom could attend the exposition. Home economics and radio commentators held food shows and the Yerba Buena Club held an open house. The Day was capped off with a gala and fireworks show – quite fitting given the aforementioned emphasis on lighting at this fair. It can therefore be said that the Women’s Board of the Golden Gate International Exhibition orchestrated the connection between women and the home.

Works Cited:

James, Jack, and Earle Weller. Treasure Island : "The Magic City". San Francisco, CA:

Pisani Printing and Publishing Company, 1941. Print.

Science : The Cyclotron

By no means was the primary purpose of The Golden Gate International Exposition to showcase advances in science. The expo was far more concerned with creating a reason and venue for people from around the world to come together and celebrate diverse cultures and backgrounds. Nonetheless, the exposition highlighted a few scientific achievements.

The headlining act in the realm of science was the University of California’s miniature cyclotron. Cal invested $300,000 total in putting together their science exhibition and they built a 225-ton Berkley engine model for the Golden Gate International Expo.

This cyclotron model afforded visitors the opportunity to smash atoms with the touch of a button. Pressing the button released an electrical impulse that set a number of small spheres in motion in the circular imitation vacuum chamber. These spheres surfaced in order to release a shower of other atomic particles from an elemental target. This model clearly displayed the bombardment that occurs in the real cyclotron. In the actual engine, such a collision is detected and analyzed in order for scientists to better understand the particles that comprise the atom and the forces that hold them together.

The actual atom smashing cyclotron developed by the University of California was likely a contributing factor in developing the technology that led to the creation of the atomic bomb that the United States dropped five years later at the end of World War II. In this vein, it is almost a bit ironic that the main event at the science exhibition at this International Exposition later led to much conflict.

James, Jack, and Earle Weller. Treasure Island : "The Magic City". San Francisco, CA: Pisani Printing and Publishing Company, 1941. Print.

Week 4: Technological Advances

As with most World Fairs, the Golden Gate International Exposition sought to showcase the latest technological advances, especially at this time in which the world needed reasons to celebrate. This expo featured a variety of technological achievements. Among these, a miniature cyclotron (which enabled visitors to push a button and smash atoms on a small scale), Hoover vacuum cleaners, Remington-Rand typewriters, and Addressograph-Multigraph business machines were displayed. The mechanics exhibit showed a bullet and ball meeting without fail, which revealed some insight on muzzle velocities of guns and the math exhibit highlighted the new idea that curved surfaces might be generated by a system of straight lines. While the aforementioned components were indeed revolutionary, there are two very notable contributions to the Golden Gate International Exposition in terms of technology.

The first one is General Electric Company’s powerful international broadcasting system that was originally known as W6XBE and later changed to KGEI to stand for GE International. This was a high frequency, short wave station that had a profound impact on the world fair; this transmitter allowed unprecedented international interactions. Millions of people across the world – from Latin America to Asia to South Africa – were able to tune in to the fair and listen to different bands, shows, and comments from world dignitaries. This device was thus very much aligned with the goal of universally uniting people and trying to promote world peace during this turbulent time.

The second major element that distinguished the Golden Gate International Expo was that of light. The expo housed the largest light in the world, which was used to showcase a “phantom house” built of plate glass and part of the General Electric exhibit. Additionally, the advanced lighting fixtures on the exterior of the buildings made Treasure Island look as if it were an “iridescent jewel” as they lighted it up in a manner that made it look like quite the spectacle.

Works Cited:

Bowman, Jim . "International Broadcast Station KGEI." San Francisco Radio - KGEI History. Bay Area Radio Museum , n.d. Web. 2 Oct 2011. .

Dickerson, A.F., and H.E. Mahan. "Painting the Golden Gate International Exposition with Light." Transactions of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. 59.12 (1940): 738-746. Web. 2 Oct. 2011.

James, Jack, and Earle Weller. Treasure Island : "The Magic City". San Francisco, CA: Pisani Printing and Publishing Company, 1941. Print.