It’s the time of year for top ten lists and while The Oakbook doesn’t have one of its own, we’ve got the next best thing -- Artopic’s listing of the “10 Best Oakland Gallery Shows of 2009.” Of those ten shows, seven were featured in this column. Improvised Branches, my first show as gallery director with The Oakbook’s new gallery, art@theOakBook, is holding down a nice, comfy perch at number three. That is but the icing on the cake. The next year promises so much more from our local art community.
This first Friday falls on the first day of a new decade. Here are some picks for the month that offer up evidence of what Artopic’s Obi Kaufmann saw in Improvised Branches as a “…multitude of voices across the scene and the Bay.”
Along with potential accolades, our new year will bring changes less welcome. Shala Davaoodi, infamous landlord/owner of much of the commercial property at Grand and Broadway across from popular nightclub Luka’s, will by the end of January have evicted two longtime members of the Oakland Art Murmur: the critically acclaimed Front Gallery and the well liked artist’s collective Mercury 20. Like the oft quoted first line of Disney’s Peter Pan, “All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again.” First it was the longest-lived member of the Art Murmur, 21 Grand, and then 33 Grand and eventually Industrielle. Who knows what will fill these dead spaces. Is it too much to hope that the smart and conscious development around 23rd St, and Telegraph be repeated elsewhere? I should hope not. Let’s see what this month holds.
“The Graff Show”
Opening reception: Friday, Jan 1, 6 p.m.
2443 Telegraph Ave Oakland, CA 94612
http://www.terminal22.com/
terminal22.com/
Dan Rowley and Jessie Wusthoff endeavored last year to create a gallery unlike any other in Oakland’s emerging art community. With an online art sales component similar to that of Fecalface Dot Gallery in San Francisco and a particularly accessible urban art aesthetic that recalls Upper Playground, paired with a willingness to experiment – as evident at their last show, one of artworks illuminated in a darkened gallery space -- they are quickly becoming a must see on the first Friday circuit, just mere blocks from the epicenter of 23rd and Telegraph.
In November, Art@The Oakbook featured the work of Marcos LaFarga, a multitalented artist and graphic designer whose art draws inspiration from a study of typography, art history and his background as graffiti writer. That background will come to the forefront here in his first time out as a curator. “The Graff Show” features a mix of artists from three graffiti crews: UM (Marin), CBS (Los Angeles) and Lords (A Bay Area based crew founded in San Jose of which curator LaFarga is a member).The lineup is too long to fully list, but if any of LaFarga’s cohorts are even half as talented as he is, this one should be a ‘can’t miss.’ It “ …will showcase a range of talent and Graffiti styles on surfaces ranging from miniature trains to large wall installations.” DJ Eugene will be holding it down on the 1’s and 2’s as well. What better way to cure a New Year’s hangover than with art, music and good company?
“Juried Annual 2010
Selections by Sherman Sam, Independent Curator, London”
Artists' Talk: Thursday, January 14, 6 p.m.
150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612
proartsgallery.org/
ProArts recently opened its latest edition of its Juried Annual show in which artists submit their work to be selected -- sans biographical info. I profiled a past edition of the show for The Oakbook almost a year ago. Such shows can provide a bridge towards gallery representation or perhaps even museum inclusion. This year’s show features work from an artist we’ve previously highlighted, Steven Barich, and prolific artist/blogger Timothy Buckwalter. It’s a solid and wildly diverse selection and one that’s very engaging. Towards that aim, I highly recommend hearing the artists break it all down themselves at the artist’s talk. I’ll be there. Will you?
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