Filling the Emptiness With Local Art
Poet of the Beat Generation and literary son of San Francisco, Allen Ginsberg, said: “Fortunately art is a community effort—a small but select community living in a spiritualized world endeavoring to interpret the wars and the solitudes of the flesh.”
Walking down Central Market, Lower 24th Street, 3rd Street in Bayview, or through the Tenderloin, these “wars and solitudes” of life in 2009 are palpable in the abandoned and shuttered shops alone—obvious evidence of the economic hardships that San Francisco is enduring. But in the spirit of community and perhaps in a belief in the transformative power of creativity, the City is striving to shine a ray of optimism into these dark spaces. You could say that San Francisco is rallying to a cry put forth by another artist who’s no stranger to its streets—Shepard Fairey and his graphic work “Make Art, Not War.”
To that end, the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Community Arts and Education Program has partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development to create a pilot Art in Storefronts program to fill empty store windows with temporary installations by local artists. The hope is that, now, when the going is tough, local artists will get going to bring new energy into our struggling neighborhoods.
“These tough economic times have had an impact on our treasured neighborhoods, leaving storefronts empty or underutilized,” stated Mayor Newsom. “Art in Storefronts encourages a temporary alternative use of storefronts that will reinvigorate our neighborhoods and commercial corridors, improve streetscape conditions and safety, and support merchants by increasing foot traffic and instilling community pride. We also believe that the art installations will ultimately help get these spaces leased.”
The program will launch in Central Market in September, and will run through January 2010. Artists living or working in Bayview, Central Market, Mission, and Tenderloin will have priority in the selection process and, according to Art in Storefronts project partner Triple Base Gallery, art works of any genre that “respond to the history, unique character and positive qualities of [those] neighborhoods” will receive special consideration. In return for working to benefit their community “artists, who have also been affected by the economy, [will be provided with a] unique opportunity to showcase their creativity… and to garner public recognition for their work.” It’s a win-win.
The Art in Storefronts application deadline is August 14. Interested artists can learn more and get the application here.
–Sara
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Dear Tranny: Dykes and the City
Advice is a drag, unless you’re seeking guidance from Culturcosm’s campy counselor. Looking for insider know-how on making the best of the Bay? Dear Tranny has just what you need and she always gives it up. Penned by Sandra O. Noshi-Di’n't.
Vol. 12: Dykes and the City
Dear Tranny,
I recently moved to San Francisco from New York City. Having once been a NYC chick yourself, I’m sure you’re familiar with the lesbian nightlife there. But where do I find it here? Where can a dynamic dyke like me find some action in the Bay?
Looking for Lezzies
Dear Looking,
Gurrrl, I know what you mean. Looking for a lesbian hang out in San Francisco is almost as difficult as finding a straight man at an Exodus International retreat. But because I consider myself a tranny of all trades, I know where to find some girl-on-girl action. So I waved my curling iron and came up with this sumptuous selection of Sapphic hot spots.
The Lexington Club is considered to be the most popular girl bar in the city. This Mission District institution is teeming with hot babes and cheap booze. Another great bar, The WildSide West, located in the heart of Bernal Dykes [ahem] Heights, is also quite popular with the local lesbian community. Les Ladiez, every Thursday night at The Lookout, attracts a great mix of girls, from L Word lipsticks to softball dykes. With super drink specials, cute shot girls, and a rotating cast of girlicious DJs, Thursday nights might just become your must-she night of the week.
Interested in cutting a rug? No, no, honey. I mean, on the dance floor! If you’ve got rhythm and are looking for some pop chemistry, San Francisco’s most homolicious dance party Cockblock is for you. You can bust your best moves every second Saturday at The Rickshaw. And, for the discerning dyke who demands a more exclusive level of entertainment when she hits the town, there’s Ciel Salon at 41 Sutter Street in the Financial District. This monthly private social club is located in a penthouse suite with a rooftop deck and sweeping city views. Ciel Salon happens every third Saturday.
Now that you’re sufficiently equipped, your nights may never be lonely again. Happy hunting!
Remember, Tranny knows best.
xoxo
Sandra
Have a question about Bay-area life that’s fit for a queen? Email Sandra at deartranny@culturcosm.com.
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Secession Taps the Streets
Secession Art & Design is keeping it local and fresh in The Mission. The gallery/boutique/workspace opened its the doors in August 2007 and is thriving as a hip haven for emerging and established local artists and designers, and the go-to spot for peeps with a passion for San Francisco’s indie arts community.
Owner and curator Eden Stein refreshes her gallery’s walls and racks every couple of months with a rotating collection of handpicked, locally made fine art, jewelry, clothing, accessories, and home décor items. Alongside the work of four in-house designers—New Skool, Colleen Mauer, Heather Robinson, and Stein’s own Twelve Designs—this makes for a rich selection of very cool, unique, and high-quality art—hangable and wearable.
Last Friday, June 5th, marked the opening for the current show, which explores a subculture of artists and designers who are documenting the Bay Area through a visual history, and bringing the streets of San Francisco into the home. The show features the work of artists FuryOne and Anna Simson as well as the wares of nine local designers.
FuryOne is an original San Francisco graffiti artist who has had art up on the streets of The City for the last 25 years. Now his gritty, yet soulful spray-paint stylings are obtainable on canvases of various shapes and sizes. Simson’s colorful monoprints are built layer-by-layer, creating eye-catching records of passing time and thought, and imparting impressions of our urban landscape.
There was a celebratory air to opening night as a steady stream of patrons arrived and groups of friends mingled while browsing the show. Wine was flowing, faces were smiling, and bodies were grooving to the beats provided by guest DJ ExtraLars. To make the Secession experience even more special, a portion of the proceeds will go to local non-profit Streetside Stories, a community-based literacy arts education organization.
Secession Art & Design is located at 3361 Mission Street (at 30th Street) in San Francisco. The current show is up through August 1. Go check it out Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 12-7pm.
Secession Art & Design will also be represented at The Indie Mart Street Fair, Sunday, June 21, 12-6pm at Thee Park Side, located at 1600 17th Street (at Wisconsin) in San Francisco.
If you like what you find, vote for Secession Art & Design in The Guardian’s Best of the Bay. Voting starts today, online or in this week’s Guardian, and continues for the next three weeks.
–Sara
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The Not-So-Real Housewives of Rectal, Texas
From the gated communities of Orange County to the strip malls of New Jersey, modern reality programming has offered us exclusive access into the lives of the spoiled, over-privileged American matriarch. Perhaps documenting the inevitable deterioration of the idealistic nuclear family of old, we are now being presented with the perfect guilty pleasure in family dynamic— the nuclear meltdown of tradition and culture. America is ready for its close-up and it ain’t that pretty a picture.
It is often said that Texas is like a whole other country. If this is to believed, then Rectal is its unequivocal, make-believe Gomorra. It is in just such a town that we find our newest guilty pleasure take shape. From the same twisted minds that brought you Attack of the Killer B-Movies and Wicker Man (a rock opera) comes a sordid tale of murder, mayhem and makeovers. The titular Stale Magnolias are a gaggle of Aquanet-loving, sweet tea-dependent women who are as much a product of their environment as they are a victim of it. CC Chesterfield (played by Julia Mitchell, the play’s only faux queen) is the proprietress of the Last Chance Salon, through which all of Rectal comes to live and dye.
Our hair-oines invite us on a lyrical and topsy-turvy ride equally rife with blow dries and blow outs. Will lifelong frienemies Spuvina (Arturo Galster) and Raven (Jef Valentine) survive the vitriol of their Dynasty-akin relationship? Will Rectal’s own roller girl Louisiana Morales (Rik Lopes) realize her dream of touring with the Ice Capades? Has old age taken all the dance out of Fanny’s (Sean Owens) step? And is the new bowl girl Sugar Sweetly (David Bicha) really to be trusted? It’s a bawdy, ballsy, and bald-faced farce that dares to expose America’s heartland for what it’s worth. And maybe that’s what makes it so fun to watch.
Stale Magnolias runs Saturdays and Sundays* at 8pm through June 14. Performances held at the Glama-Rama Salon, 417 South Van Ness in San Francisco. Buy tickets online here. *dark on Sunday May 31.
—Michael
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Fancy That: Vanessa Gade Jewelry
There’s nothing like your first crush. And if you’re anything like us, you crush hard and often. This is where we pay homage to all things worthy of lusting after.
Sara fancies elegant yet tough necklaces fashioned by San Francisco jewelry designer Vanessa Gade. Delicate 14K gold vermeil chain strung through a perfect circle of oxidized silver creates an asymmetrical pattern of negative space reminiscent of suspension bridges and power lines. Influenced by the minimalist aesthetic of Scandinavian and Japanese design, Vanessa launched her collection
in 2007.
You can find her work at several boutiques and galleries in San Francisco including The Mission Statement, a friendly local independent designer co-operative.
Culturcosm readers SAVE 20%! Contact Vanessa directly if you are interested in owning one of her gorgeous pieces, or a custom version, at an exclusive discount.
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Dear Tranny: Hooker In Training
Advice is a drag, unless you’re seeking guidance from Culturcosm’s campy counselor. Looking for insider know-how on making the best of the Bay? Dear Tranny has just what you need and she always gives it up. Penned by Sandra O. Noshi-Di’n't.
Vol. 5: Hooker In Training
Dear Tranny,
I’ve recently been invited to a costume party and have decided to go as a domestic entrepreneur aka hooker. Do you know where I can find a decent outfit and shoes to complete my ensemble?
Hooker In Training (H.I.T.)
Dear H.I.T.,
This is an assignment right up Tranny’s alley. Not that I work there anymore, but I got that look down pat. After all, they don’t call me the Rice Cooker Hooker for nuttin’.
For the gal with more dates than time, the Foxy Lady Boutique in the Mission is an ideal one-stop shop. In addition to their magnum selection of erotic and fetish wear, they’ve got shoes for every kind of working girl. I even got my first pair of hooker heels from Foxy Lady. Don’t be afraid to make a statement. Nothing screams hooker to me more than good ole Lucite.
Another favorite of mine that always delivers the big payoff— New York Apparel in the Haight. This is the place to get your hose cheap. Hosiery, that is, lest you thought I was talking ‘bout the other kind.
If you’re still a little bashful about your newfound passion, you may prefer to shop online. Both Electrique Boutique and Trashy Lingerie carry either the same or similar items found in our neighborhood treasure troves. Just keep in mind, shipping and handling your package will cost extra.
Now, go shop that heart of gold to your inner hooker’s content. Unleash that Pretty Woman! But if you happen to run into Richard Gere, send him my way.
And remember, Tranny knows best.
xoxo
Sandra
Have a question about Bay-area life that’s fit for a queen? Email Sandra at deartranny@culturcosm.com.
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Coffee, unplugged
“The best part of wakin’ up” —and other Folgers-in-your-cup pop culture archetypes— has always suggested the importance of company while enjoying that fresh-brewed cuppa joe. Although many might deject the notion of having their coffee delivered in bed by a decaffeinated but still perky as punch Scott Bakula, the tradition of drinking coffee has always been an intimate affair.
In today’s drive-through mocha-choca-frappa-latte coffee culture, we seem to be singing a much different commercial jingle. With everyone more concerned with where to plug in, the laptop-friendly lifestyle of our coffee houses have gradually put a moratorium on mingling. As Linda Richman might bemoan, what ever happened to coffee talk? And more importantly, what ever happened to a no-nonsense brew?
Enter Four Barrel Coffee, a new no-frills hub for coffee fanatics that strikes a cool balance of style and substance. Just how “no-frills” are we talking? Well, there’s no pesky Internet to speak of here. Chatting is encouraged, just not the kind that involves your keyboard. The look is a clever mix of industrial chic meets country lodge. Heavy twisted-rope light fixtures and trophy boar heads add a touch of whimsy to the converted warehouse space. Favorite design element: don’t miss the bucolic mural on the floor of the chandelier-lit restroom. The menu is simple and the beans, courtesy of the Portland start-up Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Despite a smart blend of hip design and an expert brew, Four Barrel’s greatest accomplishment yet may be reminding the city what goes best with their coffee— conversation.
Four Barrel is located at 375 Valencia St. (415) 252-0800. Open seven days a week (Mon–Thurs. from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
—Michael
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Just Maybe, We’re Gonna Make It
While some people are finding the president-elect’s stimulus plans less than stimulating, I’m feeling pretty slick and happy myself. My past week’s vacation of sand, sun, and sensational food with a heavy side of wine notwithstanding, I simply can’t argue with Obama’s line of thinking: If we want to revive our standing, economically and globally speaking, we have to start making things again. And by making things,
my friends, the man does not mean a fuss.
Granted, one SF-based designer is making things that make me very much ado,
but only in the most adoring sense. Enter Liz Saintsing and her Vintage Untamed collection, which consists of vintage handbags and accessories that she rescues
and revives by hand. What’s more, each colorful piece features quirky yet lovely one-of-a-kind silk-screen prints inspired by Bay Area nature.
Not only is Ms. Liz upcycling discarded trash into coveted treasures, she’s keeping the environment free of nasty chemicals like, y’know, cyanide, which we felt like taking during the Bush Administration but now, with Obama on deck and bags, gloves, etc., like these at our service, there’s plenty more having and living to be had.
Liz Saintsing’s Vintage Untamed collection can be desired online and acquired at Candy Store, 3153 16th St., and Queen of the Meadow, 351 Divisadero,
in San Francisco.
— Kay
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About
Culturcosm is your online authority on the climate of trend throughout the Bay Area. Your roving reporters are taking to the streets and chasing down the real story. Be it stormy or serene, torrid or just plain tragic, we will break it down before you hit it up. Stay tuned. There's a new trend breaking every minute.
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Michael, founder / editor-in-chiefmichael@culturcosm.com
Kay, founder / contributing editorkay@culturcosm.com
Sara, trendcaster / managing editorsara@culturcosm.com
Heather, social commentatorheather@culturcosm.com
Taylor, music trendcastertaylor@culturcosm.com
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