San Francisco’s foremost chromatic rock is a mood ring for the city, as well as the greater world, itself.
Every San Franciscan has been fixated on the city’s horizon come sundown as of late. (Anecdotally, I can’t remember a time in the past year or two when residents of the seven-by-seven have waxed so glowingly about the sunsets enveloping San Francisco — dotings followed by Instagram posts and like-hearted captions.) Granted, the glorious and gorgeous and grand sunsets we saw last month were, in part, also driven by above-average air pollution levels. But the postcard-worthy views were still jaw-dropping.
Well, the Bernal Hill rock, a sedimentary barometer on the pulse of San Francisco, is known for wearing many paint jobs throughout the year. Not unlike a panther chameleon’s chromatophores — the clumpings of cellular pigment bodies found on the lizard species’s epidermis, allowing it to recast all manner of colors and patterns — the Bernal Hill Rock has a particular affinity for changing hues, albeit aided by human hands attached to a rotating collection of SF Bay Area artists.
There’s an unofficial-official Instagram account dedicated to the rock. Last year, the rock had modeled a more yuletide stain; it was done up to look like a Santa Claus hat — styrofoam ball tip and all — for the Christmas holiday. But after it was washed off and its canvasses thoroughly cleaned, local artist/artists took it upon themself/themselves to transform the rock into a sunset-kissed piece of public art. (With clear skies and gorgeous sunsets and sunrises punctuation last week, it’s a good reminder that it’s always a great time to trudge up to the 475-foot-above-sea-level peak to sponge up San Francisco sunsets… backdropped by this iconic stone, no less.)
As of late, the rock has doubled as a canvass for Cookie Monster; a nod to baseball season; an igneous example of solidarity with the Ukrainian people; and, most notably since the Hamas and Israeli conflict, a clear stance against IDF’s ceige on Palestine — calling for a ceasefire and end to its genocidal acts.
Earlier this summer, the Bernal Hill rock mirrored a traffic caution sign. However instead of warning against imminent dangers, the rock, instead, signaled that gorgeous-gorgeous views were near. And tbh, that notice couldn’t be any closer to the truth.
It would be great if you included photos of the topics you are speaking of. Many thanks, Peter