Oakland Art Murmur: Gallery hopping after hours
On the first Friday evening of each month, the galleries of downtown Oakland, from 65th and Stanford to 19th and Broadway, open their doors to the public, attracting bicyclists, BART riders, carpoolers, parents and singles from all over the Bay. Hundreds of visiting and local art enthusiasts fill the side streets, curious to see the latest works by talented emerging and established visual artists.
Some visitors don’t come for the art. They’re here to buy handmade jewelry, clothing and knick-knacks sold along the sidewalk. They’re here to support live up-and-coming bands that set up their instruments outdoors or watch musicians who sing while walking the strip. Still others are drawn to the energy of the evening, when a unique mix of people come together for a quintessentially Oakland event.
Every month, the artwork changes and the themes are always unpredictable. June 2010’s event showcased an installation piece by Rune Olsen at the Johansson Projects Gallery. Lines of string or rope spanned walls and ceilings of every room like a three-dimensional web that visitors had to crouch under, squeeze between, and step over. The lines turned out to be leashes, connected to sculptures of life-sized children in a statement about control and freedom.
At the Compound Gallery, Scott Reilly’s Textures of Light paintings were illuminated in a ghostly dance between light, shape, and color. Next door to Mama Buzz on Telegraph a “live” art piece drew a crowd to the window as a latex-covered man covered himself with black paint to the tunes of heavy metal.
While the mood of this particular evening was somewhat darker, other evenings feel dreamy, evocative, sensual, or a range of other energies depending on the combination of artwork on display and the viewers’ perspective.
Art walkers can also get creative, opting for a collaborative yet competitive game of “Abstract Chess,” when pairs take turns drawing on a canvas. A stranger determines the winner of the pair by choosing which perspective they’d hang the painting from. Whoever drew the work from that angle receives a free art chess kit to take home.
Of course, no event is complete without food. Here, street vendors are on hand with everything from hot dogs to tacos. Those opting for a restaurant meal have the emerging Oakland scene at their fingertips, with the likes of Pican, Ozumo, Luka’s, Mimosa, Mua and a range of other choices within walking distance.
HelloOakland tip: The Art Murmur only lasts from 6-9, but that’s when the nightlife scene in downtown Oakland is just getting started. Nearby bars and clubs include Era Art Bar, Van Kleef, The Easy Lounge, Kingman’s Lucky Lounge, the Trappist and much more.
Posted by Renee Rutledge
