Who knew that hidden inside of a theater sat one of Diego Rivera's most important frescos?! This is just one of the many things I learn by volunteering with El Tecolote. Below is the article I whipped up for tonight's fundraiser at the Women's Building to benefit the Mural Project. Hope to see you there!
La Frida del Pueblo raises funds for the Rivera Mural Project
by Robynn Takayama
June 12, 2008
Many tourists flock to San Francisco for its
vibrant arts and culture scene, including the legendary Beat poets’
hang out in North Beach and the colorful murals in the Mission
District. But one of the most prized pieces of art in the city’s
collection, Diego Rivera’s 1940 mural called Marriage of the Artistic
Expression of the North and of the South on this Continent, is locked
inside a theater at City College of San Francisco’s Ocean Avenue campus
and is only viewable for portions of the day.
“To provide
better public access, we’ve initiated a training program for students
interested in being docents,” said Julia Bergman, chair of the Works of
Art Committee at City College of San Francisco. “These docents are paid
staff who explain the history and symbolism of the mural. But as
successful as this program is, limited funds exclude public viewing
during evenings and weekends.”
These limited viewing hours
are minor compared to the history of the mural. Rivera celebrated the
unveiling of the mural in 1940 with more than 25,000 people on Treasure
Island. Unfortunately the architect who planned on installing the mural
in to a new City College library died and then World War II halted all
civilian construction. The ten panels comprising the mural sat in
storage for over 20 years.
Eventually the mural was installed into the new theater building at City College in 1961, but it “languished for years without attention,” lamented Bergman.
In 1997, Bergman and others formed the Diego Rivera Mural Project to maximize public accessibility and understanding of the mural and return it to the public prominence it held during its creation.
The
project builds on the special Rivera Collection at the City College
library, sponsors the Diego Rivera Art and Social Change in Latin
America class, and trains student docents to create informed
presentations about the mural in both English and Spanish.
“This
project provides an opportunity for young people to be involved with a
major work of art,” said Adalberto Castellon, Jr., a student in the
spring Art and Social Change class. “Anyone can take the class, explore
the symbolism, and give tours to the public.”
The mural,
which is also known by its theme, Pan American Unity, celebrates the
vibrant cultures throughout North American through historical figures
and scenes. Rivera said it represents “the fusion between the great
past of the Latin American lands, as it is deeply rooted in the soil,
and the high mechanical developments of the United States.”
The
mural and class evoked an emotional response out of Castellon who said
he felt a greater sense of pride in his Mexican heritage. Bergman said
almost all the students who have taken the class, which just completed
its third year, are similarly moved. But Castellon took it one step
further and told her, “This is so important to me that I want to do
something to help you.”
Castellon and his classmate Ariana
Gil-Nafarrate are organizing a fundraiser for the Mural Project, Frida
del Pueblo, or Frida of the People. Timed to be the community’s
response to the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of
Modern Art, the event includes an art auction; a Friday Kahlo
impersonator; and an altar by Las Tres Flores, which was part of the
Mexico City centennial celebration of Kahlo’s birth.
Funds
will be used for a feasibility study to determine if the mural could
withstand a move into a more prominent location. La Frida del Pueblo
will be on Weds., June 18 from 6-9 p.m. at the Women’s Building
auditorium, 3543 18th St., SF Admission is free. Tel. (415) 431-1180

