The Art of being San Francisco (part 2)

July 15th, 2007

Not long ago, our friend Ana Neto, was sent us an article with her first impressions after arriving to San Francisco during her world tour. Now, we finally have the chance to know what else she found in that amazing city before coming back to good old Europe.

Text by Ana Neto

Os gemeos piece at Market street

Living in a big city can be a truly difficult test. The struggle to survive is endless, as it is the amazement of being in such a place. Each day is a brand new day, and that’s what keeps us floating. Maybe, that’s why cities are full of people who look out for that special opportunity, the one that’s going to change their lives completely. The American dream can be bought in every corner, but strangely enough only a few walk the streets with a happy look on their faces. Like in any big city and San Francisco is no different. After the predictable love affair, the insatiable curiosity tends to end fast and a ruff lonely morning is what you’re most likely to find. The wind, unforgettably cold, wakes you up for a reality that doesn’t seem exactly the expected one. To have the ability to see through a work of art and ask yourself what are they really trying to say can be the answer to so many broken hearts. Maybe it’s time to start paying attention and look closer. Art can tell us many things but maybe just not what we’re expecting.

Robert Crumb at The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

The true anti- hero when talking about the good old american ideals, Robert Crumb doesn’t exactly defend the land of the free and the home of the brave. Father of the underground comics movement, he revolutionized the illustration world and never doubted to put his finger where it hurted the most. Totally ignored by the comic book publishing industry he decided to take matters into his own hands creating a whole new language, an unforeseen universe. Satire, politics and a lot of sex made Crumb a problem for the institutions. After more than 30 years the creator of Fritz the Cat has, finally, decided to cooperate and lets the mainstream peek into his world filled with strange “dangerous” characters that will fill everyone’s mind with bad intentions. Robert Crumb makes us see that there are many ways to fight the power, he teaches us to, simply, say no to an elitist society, a corrupt reality. Once again The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is to blame for making good curatorial choices and so for having the honor of presenting the work of a master that feeds himself on the underground world, a reality that always seems to be just around the corner.

Margaret Kilgallen at The Luggage Store Gallery, Market street

Jessie street

“People say that we hate the city. We don’t hate the city. We love the city. It’s our city”. This is what a graffiti artist says in the documentary “Piece by Piece”, where, in 78 minutes, Graffiti art in San Francisco is tracked and explained, literally, piece by piece. A love for the city, that, only another Graffiti artist is willing to recognize. An art dangerous for it’s double face, an art that saves and at the same time needs to be saved. The will to create a new style, different from New York or Los Angeles, was what made these artists struggle with bravery. The need to defend their territory and by that making San Francisco a city with the ultimate style was what made them fight against everything the society was in favor of. What’s this love about then? Why people choose to see it as hate? Graffiti, like a species almost reaching extinction, still fights for it’s life searching new ways of breathing, adapting to a reality that has never, really, appreciated what was being given to her. Call it old school, new school, muralist art etc the so-called love for the city remains the same and finds its way trough the newer generations.

Andrew Schoultz

Two different artists, two different exhibitions, one same gallery; White Walls Gallery is, decidedly, a name to remember. March was time for Andrew Schoultz, an artist well known for his large and thoroughly detailed murals. He has his style all right! Something clearly has to be said here, and you better be prepared because he does ask for your attention. So you should stop and listen because the effort and the energy that comes out from his work are well worth it. Releasing his first book: “Ulysses: Departures, Journeys & Returns”, Schoultz shows that he’s not here to decorate. His work is strong in its meanings, where politics and social issues hide behind “innocent” birds. One month latter the talk is on Caleb Neelon and Ben Woodward’s show “Child’s Prey”. For someone who only knows Neelon for his writings (Swindle Magazine, Juxtapoz etc) this was a good surprise. A curious world, full of color and strange furry characters makes us, strangely enough, feel at ease. It seems quite obvious that there’s no fear, at all, in experimenting and in trying new ways of showing art. There’s humor and imagination. No chance of getting bored.

Ben Woodward

At the end of the day what does the city, really, gives us back? Why do we continue to fight for it? There are no more opportunities; the dream has been sold out. And now what? Well, stop looking for something that doesn’t exist and start giving value to what’s being done now. Instead of asking for one more chance we have to be the ones that actually give that chance. We have to allow ourselves to listen to what the others have to say. It can be a comic book, an exhibition or a mural. It’s time to stop and make time to see what’s on the other side of the mirror. In the big cities each day is a brand new day full of surprises, full of endless opportunities. At the end of the day it’s on us to make that choice.

San Francisco you won’t be forgotten.

Entry Filed under: Miscellaneous