Academy graduate creates a menagerie of whimsical creatures to encourage optimism

Sculptor and Academy of Art University alumnus Jihoon Choi's Giraffe in the heart of Union Square in San Francisco. Photo courtesy of Jihoon Choi.
Last summer, you might have spotted a bright yellow, nine-foot tall giraffe resembling a giant Lego toy at some well-known San Francisco locations. Made from sheets of metal by sculptor Jihoon Choi, the whimsical creature elicited plenty of double takes and smiles when the artist took it on a photoshoot around the city. He photographed the giraffe in places such as the Civic Center, Pier 7, the cable car turntable at Powell and Market Streets and Hunters Point.