I've been a big fan of artist Stephanie Syjuco since she created the Shadowshop at SFMOMA last year. When I ran into her at an art opening a few months ago, I asked what she'd been working on, and her answer did not disappoint: she was collecting & creating hundreds of objects in International Orange for a Golden Gate Bridge gift shop...

To create the International Orange Commemorative Store at Fort Point in San Francisco, Stephanie and a few assistants hand-painted and -labelled hundreds of products in the iconic orangey-red hue of the Golden Gate Bridge- a color I am crazy about. She also worked with local fashion designers and screen printers, and even collaborated with Sausalito's beloved Heath Ceramics (especially beloved by me- see here & here). The Heath pieces are killer, like classic pottery crossed with the ultimate red lipstick. The fact that they're not for sale might be frustrating to some, but it allows me to relax, and just appreciate them. I can't afford Heath anyway!

Stephanie's not-for-sale shop is an elaborate and awesome chance to just experience something, rather than try to possess it. But as the press release reveals, she's not made of stone: "Although the installation thwarts the purchasing impulse, visitors are invited to take home a bridge-colored postcard -- a free keepsake, and a reminder that there are many experiences money can't buy." If you're in San Francisco between now and October 28, 2012, stop by the International Orange Commemorative Store and bask in the glow of that glorious color, in the shadow of that glorious bridge.

(Image from Stephanie Syjuco via Wired)