Art Murmur - 2008 Sept

This Friday is Oakland Art Murmur, the monthly art event occurring the first Friday of each month, when local galleries stay open until 9:00 or 10:00. The crowds are usually pretty thick, and with the warmer weather expected to continue through the weekend, will probably be even more so. Even if you hate art, Oakland Art Murmur is worth checking out because it activates Oakland, making it feel like a denser, livelier place - it is a kind of becoming.

From Oakbook via Future Oakland, I learned that Esteban Sabar Gallery has closed. I met Esteban and his husband Marty about a year ago at Art Murmur, and was immediately impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm both exhibited for Oakland and the local art scene. I haven't spoken with them recently, but I wish them well farming and painting in the Philippines, and hope they return before too long.

I'll be checking out Johansson Projects and Mercury 20, among others, as well as the Rock Paper Scissors collective, located in what is probably my favorite building in downtown Oakland.

Also on Friday from 7:00 to 9:30 is a benefit at the Nomad Cafe which was robbed in the recent crime wave in Oakland. Proceeds will be used to fund security enhancements as well as provide the employees who suffered through the takeover-style robbery some gift certificates to a spa or some such to rehabilitate their spirits. Don't know if I'll be able to make it, but I get over their often enough - it is my favorite building in the neighborhood.

Recent History in Oakland

If you've had trouble keeping up with all the shenanigans in Oakland this summer, V Smoothe offers a brief history of our "banner summer" - depressing stuff. Most of it you may be familiar with, but V's last link to the Trib editorial by Mayor Dellums new Public Safety Director Arnold Perkins just blew me away. I still cannot believe we sent all of our Council members back for another term in June.

Architecture + The City

The fifth annual Architecture + The City Festival started on Friday and runs the whole month of September. All this month there are tours, lectures, exhibitions, and a film series. Although most of the events are focused on San Francisco, there is a tour of Margarido House in Oakland, which is slated for LEED-H platinum certification. And don't forget to mark your calenders for Park(ing) Day on Friday Septermber 19.

West Oakland Farms

Just wanted to pass along this article from a few days ago in the Wall Street Journal regarding urban farming in West Oakland. There was not much in the article I didn't already know, but it's nice to see some positive news about Oakland in a national publication.

All Aboard

Speaking of Amtrak, it appears the Democrats' VP candidate, Joe Biden, is a daily commuter and big supporter of our country's passenger rail system. Given rising gas prices and all the problems with the airline industry, it really makes sense for us to fund and promote passenger rail much more than we have the last few decades. Amtrak should be a sterling alternative to the airlines for trips under 500 miles, especially because, unlike most airports, trains take you directly into the center of the region.

I grew up in a small town about 20 miles north of Milwaukee, and I always say that, were I in Italy, I would have been able to take a train back home during college and my years in Milwaukee afterwards. And Italy is a much poorer country than the United States. When it comes to transport, we truly do live in a third world country.

As a bonus, better funding and promotion of passenger rail would help Oakland. San Francisco has no direct Amtrak service, it is only through shuttles from the East Bay that passengers can get there. So any increases in the service and performance of Amtrak would directly benefit Oakland, since for Amtrak, it is the center of the region.

Big Fun

For those who like their food a little faster, this is the last weekend of the California State Fair. It's no big gig, but it is big fun. In addition to the animals, there are interesting garden displays, information on various counties in California, and, of course, beer, wine and every type of fast food imaginable.

If you go, I highly recommend taking Amtrak. The Capitol Corridor route takes you up along the San Francisco and San Pablo Bays before heading into the Central Valley to downtown Sacramento. It is a great way to see the back side of cities such as Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley and Richmond, as well as some beautiful vistas of the bays and the wide open spaces in the interior of California.

After you get to Sacramento, a short walk through the downtown leads you to the Sacramento Regional Transit blue line train, where there are free shuttles from the Arden/Del Paso station. The trip takes a little longer by rail, but is far more interesting.

Of if you'd just as soon stick around Oakland this weekend, there is always Art & Soul.

Slow

You've probably heard about the Slow Food Nation festival being held in San Francisco this weekend. But what you might not know about is the festival's design program, which has brought together many of the region's top architects to produce various pavillions. Unfortunately, there appears to be only one Oakland firm, envelope A+D, best known for the Mission restaurant Delfina and their winning scheme in the Octavia Boulevard competition for the San Francisco Prize a few years back.

The main complaint I have is that some of the firms are too established for this type of work. A small commission like this is the perfect opportunity for young firms to gain some work and experience, and it is too bad the likes of SMWM, BCV, and Roma Design Group are involved. And actually calling it a commission is incorrect, the architects and designers are working pro bono, which is perhaps why even the younger, smaller firms tapped are somewhat established; they are probably just using it as a marketing tool.

Still, it is hard to complain about good architecture, and all of the firms tapped are capable of producing it. It should be interesting to see. I am a bit concerned that many of the pavillions will be inaccessible, however, because it appears they have been sold out. I'll be checking into this tomorrow and let you know what I find out.

UPDATE: The taste pavillions have been sold out, and I was told there no access to those without tickets at any other times. Still, there is some work at the Civic Center that will be accessible the entire event. You can find a good run down of the architects and designers, and the focus and location of their work here.