Arts and Culture

2013 SF Day of the Dead Exhibit Dedicated to Lives Impacted by Cancer

Published

11 years ago

October 10, 2013

By Sally Douglas Arce

Day of the Dead celebrations have their origin in this country in Mexican and Mexican American traditions. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, African Americans and people of other ethnicities participate in the Day of the Dead.

They have found the holiday to be an important way to celebrate and be grateful to life and to honor the spirits of the dead.

Bay Area African American artists have participated in Day of the Dead exhibits for almost two decades.

The Day of the Dead 2013 exhibition at SOMArts Cultural Center includes traditional altars and multi-dimensional art installations by more than 80 Bay Area artists.

The “Imagining Time, Gathering Memory” exhibition is on view Saturday, Oct. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 9 at SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St., San Francisco.

There is free admission during gallery hours Tuesday–Friday, 12 p.m. –7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. The exhibit is dedicated to those whose lives have been affected by cancer.

Rashida James-Saadiya, an African American artist who lives in Oakland, has created an installation in homage to Trayvon Martin and particularly his parents and family.

The installation includes child’s chair on which a photo of Trayvon when he graduated from kindergarten is placed. A handmade frame with beads and fabric from Ghana holds Trayvon’s photo. The ” Golden Stool” is a sacred symbol of the Ashanti nation, believed to possess the memory and spirit of its owner.

In front of the chair, she has placed a Ndebele doll, which in Africa is often used to teach and is for remembrance and ritual purposes. Dolls are handmade and traditionally handed down through generations.

“The doll represents Trayvon’s mother guarding his spirit, guarding his chair,” says James-Saadiya of her hand-made doll. “I want to address the fact that children are being removed from society far too soon. The impact on the family and the community was seldom addressed.”

She wants people seeing her piece to ask, “What are the conversations we need to have in the community so that senseless deaths don’t happen?”

Michael Ross and sculptural furniture artist William Rhodes have worked collaboratively with about 75 youth (ages 5-13) attending art classes at three San Francisco schools.

Rhodes is an art instructor employed by the “Dare to Dream” program at the Bayview Opera House. “I wanted to build an altar inspired by home and a sense of place that represents the memories over time of each student’s family and larger community,” Rhodes says.

Each student has created small houses of varying sizes, painting and decorating them, as well as placing personal items inside the mini-house. One girl, who is Chinese American and attends Portola School, has included her baby blanket, favorite toys, and family photos in her home.

Oakland based conceptual and installation artist Candi Farlice has created a large flower using beeswax, copper wire, paper and scent. “It represents a flower that has been picked and is beginning to deteriorate,” Farlice, who is African American, says.

“The flower represents the process of death. We are all alive, but at the same time, we are dying some each day. Each stage of that is beautiful in its own way.”

The “Imagining Time, Gathering Memory” exhibit includes special events. The opening reception takes place from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11 and features the all women’s band Las Bomberas de la Bahia and dancer Paloma McFly.

Gathering the Embers: A Día de los Muertos Tribute Show, from 7 p.m.–9:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25, features multi-disciplinary performers presenting an evening of story and performance.

The closing reception, which is from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, will include live music, a Day of the Dead artists’ market and an opportunity to interact with the exhibit for the last time.

When there is no special event, there is no charge for admission to the gallery. For more information, visit www.somarts.org or call (415) 863-1414.

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Arts and Culture

Richmond Preps for Full Weekend of Cinco de Mayo Festivities

Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival. The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Scene from the 2023 Cinco de Mayo parade from Richmond to San Pablo. Photo courtesy The Richmond Standard.

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival.

The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.

The parade’s Grand Marshall this year will be community organizer Diego Garcia, owner of Leftside Printing.

The festivities continue Sunday with the Cinco de Mayo Festival along 23rd Street, which last year drew over 100,000 people, according to the 23rd Street Merchants Association. This year’s festival will again run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between the intersections of Rheem Avenue and Clinton Avenue. It will feature two entertainment stages, one sponsored by La Raza 93.3 FM at 23rd and Rheem, and another sponsored by Radio Lazer FM at 23rd and Clinton.

Both events are important for the city and the region’s Latino community.

San Pablo Mayor Genoveva Calloway, who co-chairs the parade alongside John Marquez, president of the Contra Costa Community College District Board of Trustees, says Saturday’s festivities are about bringing the Richmond and San Pablo communities together in unity.

“This truly connects the spectators and people in the parade as one,” Calloway said. “The parade showcases the real communities of Richmond and San Pablo – our nonprofits, schools, horse riders, classic cars and trucks, our local businesses. All of these people represent the heartbeat of our community.”

Rigo Mendoza, vice president of the 23rd Street Merchants Association, said that at its heart, Richmond’s Cinco de Mayo Festival celebrates the date the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

But John Marquez started up the popular festival to bring the community together and also to exhibit the community’s businesses and culture to visitors, Mendoza said. The gathering was also a way to promote peace in the community.

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Art

Mario Van Peebles’ ‘Outlaw Posse’ Screened at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Film director Mario Van Peebles, who also stars in “Outlaw Posse,” appeared at a press conference held at RBA Creative on MacArthur Boulevard hosted by the Oakland International Film Festival. Photo By Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Oakland International Film Festival hosted a screening of “Outlaw Posse” at the Grand Lake Theatre on Monday. Special guests included director/actor Mario Van Peebles and his co-star, Oakland native Scytorya Rhodes. The film is Peebles’ second western, the first being ‘Posse,’ 13 years ago. Filmmaker Van Peebles shared his passion for independent artistry and producing projects with his son, Mandela, who also starred in the film, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Cedric the Entertainer. Next week, The Post will publish an in-depth interview featuring Peebles’ reflections on his work, future projects, and continuing his father’s legacy and Rhodes on her grandfather, a real-life cowboy.

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Arts and Culture

Kedrick Armstrong: New Music Director for the Oakland Symphony

The Oakland Symphony Announced Kedrick Armstrong as its Next Music Director. In addition to conducting the orchestra’s public concerts, Armstrong will also actively participate in the Oakland Symphony’s many education and community engagement programs, designed to inspire a love of music in people of all ages.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Kedrick Armstrong is the new music director for the Oakland Symphony. Photo credit Scott Chernis.

By Post Staff

The Oakland Symphony Announced Kedrick Armstrong as its Next Music Director.
In addition to conducting the orchestra’s public concerts, Armstrong will also actively participate in the Oakland Symphony’s many education and community engagement programs, designed to inspire a love of music in people of all ages.

Armstrong is the successor to previous music director and Conductor Michael Morgan, who passed away in 2021 after a 30-year tenure at the Symphony.

Armstrong will open the Oakland Symphony 2024-2025 season on October 18.

Armstrong, who is 29 and hails from Georgetown, South Carolina, is currently the creative partner and principal conductor of the Knox-Galesburg Symphony.

The Chicago Tribune has praised Armstrong for his ability to “simply let the score speak for itself.” He enjoys a wide range of repertoire, spanning early music to premiering new works, using his joy and curiosity for all music to cultivate understanding and collaboration within diverse communities.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the new music director of the Oakland Symphony,” Armstrong said. “As a Black conductor, I find it humbling to stand on the shoulders of both Michael Morgan and Calvin Simmons,” the most recent and the first African American music directors of the Symphony, respectively.

Armstrong led three programs at the Symphony between 2022 and early 2024, which showcased his broad knowledge of the classical repertoire and enthusiasm for spotlighting diverse voices.
On his Oakland Symphony subscription debut on Feb. 16, Armstrong led the world premiere of “Here I Stand: Paul Robeson,” an oratorio by Carlos Simon on a libretto by Dan Harder, commissioned by the Oakland Symphony.

Armstrong was selected unanimously by the Oakland Symphony’s board of directors and musicians after an extensive two-year search. “The search committee was overwhelmed by Kedrick’s scholarship and curiosity about all kinds of music, from classical and jazz to gospel and hip-hop,” said. Dr. Mieko Hatano, executive director of the Oakland Symphony. “We are thrilled to have him join us at the Oakland Symphony.”