Meet our Grantees - Language of the Birds Dedication

I told you that Language of the Birds by Brian Goggin and Dorka Keehn was coming to the NW corner of Broadway where Grant and Columbus Streets intersect in San Francisco.

I am writing to let you know that the Dedication will be:

November 23 at Dusk
Is that the same as sunset (4:54)? The SF Weekly lists the dedication time as 4pm. (Watch the sky, not the time.)

Hope to see you there.

http://www.7x7sf.com/arts_entertainment/art/33493914.html
http://www.sfweekly.com/events/language-of-the-birds-1241058/

digital illustration Brian Goggin

More Music at the Mangrove - Sunday November 2

It was a brisk day but we had a good crowd in the Mangrove, sipping coffee and eating soup, while enjoying three really fun bands. The afternoon started out with Freaks of Nurture featuring Doyle Stewart and Jill Snyder... these two met when their teenage cello playing kids, Emily and Gabe, were dating each other. Doyle and Jill realized that they shared an affinity for American folk music... started playing and came up with a list of over 25 songs they could play immediately... harmonies included.... WAY too much time spent with the record player in the 60s and 70s!

The Celtic band, 317 features Jill Snyder, a mom of three and a classically trained vocalist with lots of experience performing producing and recording, she has some Irish blood and an Irish soul. Gabriel Plank works in the Geology Dept at UNR and plays a wide variety of instruments including the accordion and the washtub bass. He has played in classical music organizations (viola and violin) but specializes in sea chanties!!!! AND Kevin Lyons, a real Irish tenor originally from Ireland, he owns a computer company by day and by night (and on the weekends!) and spreads his Irish charm and heritage through music. He has travelled all over the world sharing Irish music. Alan Lyons, Kevin's son, on violin, currently attends UNR,plays all kind of music but with two parents from across the pond, his Celtic roots are strong.

Alan and Daniel Lyon who along with Kent Irwin performed with their folk/punk band ³bo deens². This group featured three talented young men ages 15 - 18, playing guitar, violin and mandolin plus the traditional bodhran, a unique Irish hand held drum.

Great Sunday afternoon music!

Maria Partridge

Meet our Grantees - 'Language of the Birds' Brian Goggin with Dorka Keehn

Installation Site photo Anna FitchBrian and Dorka photo Anna Fitch

Digital Illustration of completed installation by Brian Goggin

I was in a car a couple of days ago, and guess what I saw, Brian Goggin and Dorka Keehn in a boom lift installing 'Language of the Birds'.

Language of the Birds is one of BRAF's 2007 Grants-to-Artists recipients. It is a permanent site-specific public art installation on the threshold of North Beach and Chinatown in San Francisco, at a new public plaza where the NW corner of Broadway, Grant and Columbus Streets intersect.

'Language of the Birds’ is a sculpted, illuminated flock of twenty-three translucent, suspended open books positioned to give the impression of birds in flight. Phrases, taken from books written by neighborhood authors or written about the local communities, are scattered and embedded in the pavement as if the words had fallen from the books as they took flight. These suspended bird-books blink light patterns are modulated to interpret music gathered from the community. The lights are also intended to evoke flight, giving the flock the appearance of being in constant motion.

The Black Rock Arts Foundation is pleased to join the City of San Francisco, artists and local patrons in supporting this permanent art installation designed to unite area neighborhoods and impart some magic in ‘a language of birds’ (sometimes considered in antiquity to be the secret key to perfect knowledge) to all who encounter it.

Look for your updates to the project right here!!

Here is some of the buzz about the installation:

http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=26229

http://www.witchvox.com/wren/wn_detail.html?id=20057

http://www.thebaumfoundation.org/birds.html

Why Public Art?

The Black Rock Arts Foundation believes public art helps engage a community and define themselves in unique and creative ways, help strengthen pride in the community, connects individuals and communities across boundaries of geography and points of view and enhances the opportunity for the community to interact with artists and art as a means to connect with each other.

This is what Janet Kagen, the vice-chair of the Public Art Network (PAN) of Americans for the Arts and a founding principal of the Percent for Art Collaborative has to say about public Art. “An average of 55 million viewers experience public art firsthand everyday, approximately 1,000 times the audience experiencing art galleries, museums, and theaters combined; artworks at airports and subways are seen everyday by over 5 million travelers. An average public art project provides 50 times the economic impact of arts events in traditional venues, yet the cost to the public for public art is less than 50-cents per taxpayer per year (based on the amount of public funding [in 2002] used to fund public art.) More money is spent cleaning up unwanted graffiti than is spent on all the public art in most major American cities. Public art receives ten times the media attention other art forms receive.”

So I have seen this in action. I remember when David Best and his crew built the Temple on Hayes' Green, as part of BRAF's Civic Arts Program. The community began to own the Temple, and write on the Temple about their losses and hopes and joys. I remember when a friend of mine talked about having a whole new point of view after the Temple came to her neighborhood.

So do you have a story about public art, and it's impact on us? We would love to hear from you!!

photo: Steve Williams

Meet our Grantees - Mavis Muller's Burning Baskets Project

The Black Rock Arts Foundation was pleased to fund the Burning Basket Project as part of our 2007 Grants-to-Artists Program, to travel to Hawaii, connecting the geographically disparate communities across the Pacific through a common, temporal event.

The ‘Burning Basket Project’, developed in Homer, Alaska by Mavis Muller, is designed to unite geographically disparate communities through recognition and celebration of the connecting elements that span the Pacific Ocean between Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. The project involves a series of free workshops in communities in Alaska, and Oahu and the Big Island of Hawaii. The workshops invite participants from diverse areas of the community to participate in the construction of a large (8 to 10 foot) intricately woven basket sculpture using natural indigenous materials such as grasses and a variety of plant and tree fibers. Volunteers participate in all elements of fabrication, including gathering, design and weaving.
During a short exhibition community members are encouraged to add mementos to the baskets through the addition of written thoughts, sentiments, or objects; in this way the sculpture becomes civic property, woven with personal relevance. Each project culminates when the community is invited to gather for a potluck dinner, artist talk, and performances; then at sundown, the torch is lit and the basket ignited. In an effort to serve her community Mavis has worked to draw together a wide cross section of participating groups and individuals. In Homer, Alaska, the Native Alaskan community includes the burning ritual as part of their Healing Alcoholism seminar, and local mental health services offer a workshop on ‘letting go’.

Mavis has completed 12 basket burns in Alaska and California over the past four years and our grant the Black Rock Arts Foundation is proud to help extend her work to new communities.

Meet our Grantees - EMERGENCE

EMERGENCE is having a Catalogue Launch Party tomorrow in New York. If you are out that way, check it out.

CATALOGUE LAUNCH PARTY
WED, OCT 29TH 2008
7PM to 9PM
BARRAMUNDI
Second Floor, 67 Clinton St,
New York (Rivington and Stanton) - Cash Bar

From the Playa to City Parks...BRAF Paves the Way

Passage by Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito Homouroboros by Peter Hudson
The Temple by David Best

Flock by Michael Christian

The biggest little city in the world, Reno, Nevada, has two Black Rock Arts Foundation projects right now. We have been blogging about the happenings at the The Mangrove, and now there is a photography exhibit of Burning Man/Black Rock Arts Foundation art on display at McKinley Art Gallery, West from October 23 – December 11.

The exhibition is funded by Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) and shows sculptures as they were displayed at Burning Man and then placed in civic environments as temporary public art. The photography captures the installations as they were experienced on the playa juxtaposed to their city locations.

Check it out if you have a chance:

McKinley Art Gallery, West

925 Riverside Drive

Reno, NV

October 23 - December 11, 2008

photos of photos Maria Partridge

The Black Rock Arts Foundation Booth @ San Francisco Decompression

We had a great time meeting some of you at San Francisco Decompression. We got to talk about our Grants to Artists Program, our upcoming ARTumnal Gathering, and whatever you wanted to know about the Black Rock Arts Foundation.

Thanks for coming by, it was good to see you!

Dr. Really, Jewel and Josie grace the BRAF Booth

See previously: http://blackrockarts.blogspot.com/2008/10/artumnal-gathering-tribes-and-treasures.html

http://blackrockarts.blogspot.com/2008/10/san-francisco-decompression-this-sunday.html

photo affinity

Reno Decompression at the Mangrove

Our very own Maria Partridge manned the Mangrove/Black Rock Arts Foundation booth at Reno Decompression this weekend. It looks like even the little ones had a great time.

Spider Ball to Benefit the Black Rock Arts Foundation

Spider Ball is an annual fundraising Halloween extravaganza hosted in tandem by the Bently Reserve and Playa Love, a Burning Man camp dedicated to promoting local organizations and communities both on the playa and at home. The historic Bently Reserve in San Francisco hosts this Halloween celebration, mixing an underground approach of decadence with the elegance and style of this amazing venue to create a party that is all freak and funk. The proceeds from this year's Spider Ball will benefit BRAF and giveback.net. Europe's Freq Nasty headlines a new host of entertainment and freak show delights! October 31st. Click here to buy tickets.

ARTumnal Gathering: Tribes and Treasures

Join Us!
Join us in support of the Black Rock Arts Foundation's mission to inspire art, community and civic participation worldwide. Revel in the richness of human expression, generosity of spirit and camaraderie of artists and visionaries.

You are invited to our ARTumnal Gathering, an opulent gathering of tribes in celebration of our artistic treasures and vital community spirit! Partake in an evening of abundant visual delights, auditory pleasures, delectable fare, beguiling libations, and a cornucopia of spectacular people and performances.
Saturday,
November 22, 2008
The Bently Reserve
400 Sansome St.
San Francisco, CA 94111

Performances By
Laird
Clark Hamon (Deep End)
Majitope (Symbiosis/Lowpro)
Dragn'fly
Tamo (Angels of bAss)
Copper Lantern Fire Theater
Vau De Vire Society
Loyd Family Players
… and very special guest performers

For more information or to buy tickets:
http://www.blackrockarts.org/events/artumnal

artwork by Andrew Jones

Photos from the 2007 ARTumnal Gathering:









To see more photos:
http://www.photosbycameragirl.com/artumnal/gathering4.html
http://furtographer.smugmug.com/gallery/3884528_uyTiB
photos Heather Gallagher (CameraGirl)

San Francisco Decompression This Sunday

Visitors dropping by the Black Rock Arts Foundation booth at Decompression 2007

Come on by and say Hi, find out what we are up to, pick up a flyer for our fabulous 2nd Annual ARTumnal Gathering in November.

The 9th Annual SF Decompression HEAT THE STREET FaIRE!

Sunday,

October 12, 2008

Noon SHARP till 12am

Public Entrance: 19th Street & Minnesota Street, SF

$10 donation in Black Rock Couture/Costume; $20 in streetwear

All ages outdoors; kids under 12 absolutely free!

Age 21+ inside Cocomo (club closes 1:30am)

Outdoor sound ends at Mariposa Stage at 11pm; 10pm other outside areas

Food available, and sales help support the Black Rock Arts Foundation's public art and grants programs, so have a little bite to eat while you are there.

This just in...the Beignet booth will also be donating their proceeds to BRAF, so now you have an excuse to indulge even a little more!

Come at noon SHARP for a full twelve hours of art, performance, fire, dance, theme camps, circus arts, marching bands, DJs, Burning Man 2008 imagery, and more, more, MORE!!!

The entire street is mapped and it's looking EPIC!

This year, we're bringing our collective American Dream to the streets of SF and greening our operations with biodiesel and composting, in addition to recycling.

Help us Leave No Trace!

All six blocks, the park, and the stages will be PACKED with all the creative expression that is US! So, bring your dusty American Dream to share too!!!

Full event info, including confirmed participants and stage schedules are posted at: www.burningman.com/special_events

And even more - Music in the Mangrove

Sundays have brought Music to the Mangrove. On a beautiful Fall day, October 5, we had World Grooves by DJSource (of Ecstatic Dance Reno) Steve Bollinger played music from all over the world; Brazilian Jazz, African Drum Rhythms, Celtic Flute, happy Caribbean tunes, Indian Pop, Middle Eastern grooves, and more. The concert featured a huge variety of sounds from indigenous to modern, from acoustic to electric, pop, jazz, R&B, rock, native chants and songs and expressed the joy of music from every corner of the globe. Burners brought a level of high energy to the Mangrove with hula hooping, dancing and spinning. Reno participants joined in and/or enjoyed the performances!

Reported by Maria Partridge

EARTH - Elemental Interactions

"Off-Leash Art" a Film by Tomas McCabe Osha Neumann & Jason DeAntonis

Shawn, Josie, Kelly and Kevin. Kevin is gifting Kelly a new and improved compost bin from Europe. It allows the air to flow more freely.

"Earth" was a huge hit last week. Larry Harvery opened the evening by telling us how earth helped manifest some of the earliest art at Burning Man.

Andrew Johnstone told us about Burning Man Earth, where the development of the project is going and how participants at Burning Man are going to provide data to populate the project using a "wiki" approach. "A wiki is a page or collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki

And then Kevin Drew and Shawn Rosenmoss from the San Francisco Department of the Environment told us about the state of recycling, what we could do to make a difference and where "waste" is going in the future. There were lots of questions from the audience and I know I learned a lot and am recommitting to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Then Osha Neumann spoke regarding the impact that being an attorney for the homeless and an artist using Albany landfill materials has made on his life. Then we saw the fabulous short film above from Osha, our very own interim managing director, Tomas McCabe and Jason DeAntonius.

It was an inspiring evening and we hope you will be able to join us next time.

More - Music in the Mangrove

World Grooves by DJSource (of Ecstatic Dance Reno)

• Sunday, October 5 from 2-5pm in the Mangrove


• Mangrove park at Sierra St and the Truckee River, south of the river between Virginia and Sierra, next to Dreamers

Enjoy music from all over the world. Brazilian Jazz, African Drum Rhythms,Celtic Flute, happy Caribbean tunes, Indian Pop Middle Eastern grooves, etc. This concert will be a huge variety of sounds from indigenous tomodern, from acoustic to electric, pop, jazz, R&B, rock, native chants and songs, anything that expresses the joy of music of many different cultures from every corner of the globe.

Sit and listen to the tunes or move to the groove. Location is. This is atemporary park in an empty lot filled with Burning Man sculptures. This space is created by the efforts of the Black Rock Arts Foundation Civic Arts program.

Please come and enjoy with us.

http://www.blackrockarts.org/projects/mangrove/mangrove

other blogs on this subject:
http://blackrockarts.blogspot.com/2008/09/music-in-mangrove.html

photo Maria Partridge

Elemental Interactions - Earth

Don't miss the third event in our new lecture series, Elemental Interactions. In appreciation of our members and donors, we've designed these informal evenings to explore topics of art, science and civic participation. Enjoy demos, talks and performances at the eclectic Burning Man headquarters. Our first events, FIRE! and AIR!, were incredibly enjoyable evenings for all, full of captivating speakers and entertaining demonstrations, as well as opportunities to meet and connect with our members and donors. Join us for Elemental Interactions: EARTH!
Thursday,
October 2, at 6:30 pm
Burning Man/BRAF Headquarters
1900 3rd StreetSan Francisco, Ca 94158

And if you cannot attend, jjoin us on the webcast!
Click this link:
http://tinyurl.com/4j5kvq

Elemental Interactions: EARTH! will explore the qualities of the earth as inspiration for art and action.
The event will feature these exciting guests:

Hosted by Larry Harvey
In 1986, Larry organized the first Burning Man at a local beach, and the event was born. Larry is currently executive director of the Burning Man Project and the President of the Board of the Black Rock Arts Foundation. He also serves as chairman of Burning Man's senior staff and Black Rock City LLC, its executive committee, co-chairs the organization's Art Department, scripts and co-curates Burning Man's annual art theme, and collaborates with artists in creating aspects of the art theme and the design of Black Rock City.

Screen shot from Burning Man Earth

Artist and Burning Man Earth Developer, Andrew Johnstone, http://www.adjohnstone.com/ At Burning Man, we strive to 'leave no trace" upon the playa, but when it comes to leaving our historical record, we owe history an accurate record as possible of the event that has come to mean so much to us. Burning Man Earth will attempt to archive the event "in amber" by employing a banquet of various geo tagged media and information, from maps, photos and video, to exotics such as gigapan, gps tracks, 3d models, hi res aerial and even soundscapes. It can further be employed as a framework to a geo referenced social network and participant planning tool.

Kevin Drew and Shawn Rosenmoss, Compost Gurus from the San Francisco Department of the Environment.

Kevin Drew has been working in resource conservation and community organizing in SF for 3 decades. He helped start the Red Vic Movie House, Building Resources and the Presidio Recycling Center, managed HANC Recycling in Golden Gate Park and coordinated the deconstruction and salvage of 200,000 board feet of old growth lumber from Army buildings at Crissy Field in the Presidio. He is currently Residential and Special Projects Zero Waste Coordinator at San Francisco's Department of Environment.

Shawn Rosenmoss has a degree in engineering from LSU and has extensive background in circus arts, engineering, street performance and grant writing and making. She has displayed her peculiar brand of snarky attitude and waxes pedantic at numerous workplaces, cafes, schools and public spaces in San Francisco for 2 dozen years. Shawn is currently Manager of Grants and Fundraising at the EcoCenter at the San Francisco's Department of Environment.

The SF Department of the Environment is a major funder of BRAF's Scrapeden program.

Sculpture by Osha Neumann
Attorney and Artist, Osha Neumann
Osha Neumann is a sculptor, muralist, writer and a lawyer. In the 1960's, Osha was a key player in the New York's famous anarchist affinity group, 'Up Against the Wall Motherf**kers'. His memoir of this time of his life, 'Up Against the Wall otherf**ker' was published by Seven Story Press.Later he moved to San Francisco was inspired by the city's many murals. Osha painted murals practiced law in the East Bay for the next 30 years. He became well-known for his 'Lawyer in a Box' booth at Berkeley's weekly Ashby Flea Market, where he offers very cheap 30 minute consultations.He focused much of his legal work on advocating for the homeless, and through the representation of one of his clients, Jimbow the Hobo, he became acquainted with the many residents of the Albany Landfill, or 'The Bulb', where Jimbow lived for 8 years before he faced eviction. Over the years the Albany Landfill, essentially a dump, has become the home of many who cannot or choose not to live in traditional housing. The land has also transformed into a haven for artists, as well as into a venue for their artwork, who use found-object and reclaimed materials in their art. Since 1999, Osha has worked alongside the 'SNIFF' artists, a collective responsible for much of the art at the Bulb, in the creation of numerous sculptures using only materials he's found at the landfill. Osha has written numerous articles about the landfill, its art, and the continuing struggle to shape its future.

BRAF members and donors come for free! We want to meet you again and show our appreciation for your support. Stay tuned for our next Elemental Interaction in February: WATER!Feel free to spread the word as anyone is welcome to attend. A donation of $10.00 is suggested for non-members.

If you know anyone who wants to become a BRAF member, this is a great opportunity to make this event the first of many enjoyable benefits. Please ask them to contact info@blackrockarts.org, call (415) 626-1248, or visit Memberships at BRAF for details about joining our community.

The Mangrove - more photos

Here are some more fabulous photos from the Mangrove installation.

The night photos are courtesy of Rob Simpson and the close up of Refoliation by Jessica Reeder and Jennifer Forbes is a photo from our very own pokiedot.

Music in the Mangrove

This Sunday Lenny Raymond from "Lenny Camp" sang songs, played the guitar and generally entertained a crowd in downtown Reno hanging out at the Mangrove.

It was a beautiful day along the Truckee River. This was the first gathering and we're hoping to get musicians and entertainers to perform on Sundays while the Mangrove is installed.

Contact me if you are an individual or group interested in performing on Sundays between 2-5. Thanks!

Maria Partridge
http://www.partridgedesign.net/
Studio 775.742.1602
Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) ~ Civic Art
http://www.blackrockarts.org/

The Mangrove Opening #2

Here are some great photos of the Mangrove Reception from Mark Hammon!

photos Mark Hammon

http://www.truckeerivergallery.com/

Thanks Mark for generourly sharing them with the blog.