Nonogirl Radio

La Frida del Pueblo raises funds for the Rivera Mural Project

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

End of the Road

I've been exploring the videos on Current.com and the work in their Vanguard Journalism section is impressive.

End of the Road is a solid piece of reporting by Jael de Pardo on the 60 mile break in the Pan American Highway. Although the tone is casual and verite, Jael conveys the danger in the area as well as the urgent challenges the people in the region face.

A brave, informative piece.

Sound Collage

I picked up a last minute teaching gig last week for the KPFA apprentices on sound collage, or a mix of sound effects, actualities, and ambiance to create a cohesive piece that tells a story.

I put the word out the AIRlist and received several inspiring responses. I asked the apprentices to think about what elements were used in the piece; what they identified as the beginning, middle, and end; and how the piece was scored. The following are the pieces I shared with the group of budding radio producers:

My Bike Had a Burger Bell: A Tragic Tale of Loss and Woe
3:00
By Mia Lobel
Submission to the Third Coast Audio Festival
* We talked about how sound collage can be in the background, how the layering of stolen bike bells created a climax, and how meaning can be placed into the choice of music.

Talia and the Anti-Warriors (search on “special”)
4:30
By David Goodman
Aired on Radio with a View, a hybrid talk, news, music, and public affairs radio program hosted by David Goodman and Marc Stern.

* We talked about the effect of repetition and altering sound on the message. Some folks wanted a better punch line for the end.

Preachin’
1:30
By Dave Gans
More of his "mutilaudio" pieces (digital audio art using existing materials of speech or music as raw materials) can be found here.

* Folks talked about techniques to make things funny including juxtaposition, completing a sentence from one source with a different source, and repeating phrases to highlight their ridiculousness.

Lift
3:18
By Sarah Peebles
More work from the Deep Wireless compilation can be found here.
* Folks talked about the different interpretations they found in this piece without words.

30
7:00
By Robynn Takayama
More of my audio work can be found here.
* We talked about how sound collage can be used in a piece to build to a climax.

What are examples of sound collages that you like?

Kinko's, Stinko's, or FedEx Office

I woke this morning to the news that Kinko’s has been put to rest.

Yes Kinko’s, that store with which I hold the most drastic love-hate relationship.

You are the one that takes 15 minutes just to place a color copy order, that keeps your self-service area in shambles, that goofed my grandfather’s memorial program while our family suffered from grief, that took 20 minutes to download my four days of email. Yes, you, Kinko’s, make me curse your name, Stinko’s, as I leave your establishment.

But I also remember my first days in San Francisco, where you offered me a $6 an hour job and a family of friends: the Buddy-Holly-look-a-like-turned-SF-hipster; the Filipina “cousins” that shared a bed; the punk who invited bands to play shows during the graveyard shift; and my best show buddy and zine partner.

You introduced me to Jon Moritsugu, my fave filmmaker at the time; his wild and crazy wife, illustrator Amy Davis; Judd from the Real World; and Keith Knight. You helped filmmaker Celine Salazar Parrenas fax in her application to grad school. You showed your support at the cash register for community projects like Mikal’s Kittum’s zine, Subterranean Records, and Tim’s friend who had AIDS.

Most importantly, you introduced me to technology. You taught me Pagemaker and Photoshop and the basics of graphic design and computer maintenance. You opened doors to the d.i.y. community after I made my zine, Static, introducing this shy girl as a punk rock do-er. 

Oh Kinko’s, for that brief moment while my ideas were still being shaped, you were my everything. I loathe the corporatized/monetized/uniformed/canned music being you’ve become. Good bye Kinko’s. FedEx Office is merely a store, while you were a cultural center.