Archives 2018

COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS & COLLABORATIONS

Clarion Alley Mural Project regularly hosts community events to celebrate new CAMP murals by artists who share CAMP’s vision for social and economic justice. These works are often created in conjunction with community-based organizations partnering with CAMP to provide a platform in support of social, economic, racial, and environmental justice. CAMP also collaborates with community organizations to host events and performances.

Community Gatherings, Celebrations and Events in 2018 included:

Justice 4 Luis Demetrio Gongora Pat, killed by SFPD 4-7-16
Community blessing of the mural in honor of Luis Gongora Pat for his 2nd year commemoration

Luis D Gongora Pat was executed by the San Francisco police on April 7th, 2016 after two plan clothes cops responded to a 911 call. Marina Perez-Wong and Elaine Chu (TwinWialls Mural Company) then worked with the Gongora Family to develop Patrick Piazza’s poster into a mural design. The six ex-votos surrounding the center image tell the story of Luis’ life, from being born in the Yucatan, to moving to San Francisco to find work, though his eviction and execution while living in a tent encampment on the streets. CAMP, with assistance from Adriana Camarena, help facilitate the painting of this mural in solidarity with the Gongora Family.

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ARISE: The Power of Political Art

On May 1 – 30, 2018 Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP), Art Forces, and AROC (Arab Resource and Organizing Center) presented ARISE! Power of Political Art, featuring political artworks from artists, collectives, and movements locally and globally over the past 50+ years, addressing the social/political crises of our times. The exhibit makes links between local, national and international struggles and 70 years of the occupation of Palestine.

In a city that is rapidly changing to cater to the one-percent at every level, Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP) is one of the last remaining truly punk venues in San Francisco. The exhibition was part of CAMP’s work to be a force for those who are marginalized and a place where culture and dignity speak louder than the rules of private property or a lifestyle that puts profit before compassion, respect, and social /economic / racial/environmental justice.

Art Forces uses community public art and technology art to inspire critical thinking and action–including murals, websites, social and new media. From the streets of San Francisco Bay Area to Olympia Washington, to refugee camps of Palestine and Lebanon, the projects make visible histories and relationships that have been obliterated and forgotten, making connections to national and global issues of social justice, borders, precarity, migrations and decolonization.

AROC (Arab Resource and Organizing Center) envisions powerful and liberated Arab communities living with dignity from here to our homelands. We see the  liberation of Arab people inextricably tied to the liberation of all people of color. AROC  is a grassroots membership-based organization that organizes our community towards justice and self-determination for all. AROC members build community power in the Bay Area by participating in leadership development, political education, and campaigns that challenge  militarism, repression and racism.

Artists/Collectives/Movements featured in the exhibition included:

• Al Nakba – Commemorating 69 years of Resistance – Photo exhibit by NorCal Friends of Sabeel. On loan from the Palestine Action Network (PAN) • Al Nakba: 1948 expulsion of over 750,000 Palestinian, in formation of state of Israel • Posters from struggle to save I-Hotel, courtesy of Manilatown Heritage Foundation • Representations of mural works from Clarion Alley Mural Project • Representations of community mural works in Palestine and Lebanese refugee camps by Art Forces and others • The San Francisco Poster Syndicate • South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN) • Together We Can Defeat Capitalism (TWCDC) • CAPITALISM IS OVER! If You Want it • Zapatistas • Political Posters from the American/Vietnamese War • Emory Douglas • Nicholas Ganz (Germany) • Chip Thomas • Shaghayegh Cyrous • Keyvan Shovir • Nancy Hom • David Petrelli • Ucup / Taring Padi (Indonesia) • Subandi Giyanto (Indonesia) • England Hidalgo • Susan Greene • Megan Wilson

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International Solidarity w/ Palestine – Celebration of 3 Murals and Our Communities

On Sunday, October 14th our communities celebrated three new murals by Art Forces, AROC (Arab Resource Organizing Center), and CAMP’s international exchange/residency with Yogyakarta Indonesia Bangkit/Arise on Clarion Alley, the murals include: 1) The Will To Live, 2) Bangkit Palestina, and 3) End Apartheid BDS.

The event was a beautiful expression of our communities coming together to celebrate and share our creativity, victories, and words of power in support of our work for justice and peace throughout the world.

The event was emceed by Sharif Zakout of AROC (Arab Resource Organizing Center) and Nadya Tannous from PYM (Palestinian Youth Movement). Spoken word performances were given by: Genny Lim, and Sharif Zakout. Speakers included: Lara Kiswani, Executive Director of AROC; Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi, professor of Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas/Race and Resistance Studies, College of Ethnic Studies, San Francisco State University; Chris Gazaleh, artist, and Zeiad Abbas Shamrouch, Executive Director Middle East Children’s Alliance. In addition, Al Juthoor of the Arab Shatat performed the traditional dance, dabke, representing the indigenous of Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and portions of Jordan and Iraq.

BANGKIT/ARISE PALESTINE! POSTERS

In addition Bangkit/Arise artists Megan Wilson and Christopher Statton and Nano Warsono made silkscreen posters to give away at the event.

Clarion Alley – INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINE -San Francisco – Bay Area
by KEYVAN SHOVIR

The event was covered by Jonathan Curiel in the SF Weekly.