(New Titles and Artists To Come Soon)
Clarion Alley has been an enchanted site of bohemian culture at least as far back as the early sixties when artists like the Cockettes and Terry Riley performed in the same warehouse that the Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP) was based in until its demolition in 2001. CAMP was established in October 1992 by a volunteer collective of six North Mission residents: Aaron Noble, Michael O'Connor, Sebastiana Pastor, Rigo 92, Mary Gail Snyder, and Aracely Soriano. Photographer Fiona O'Connor documented CAMP from the beginning. Other members of CAMP over the years include Carolyn Castano, Diego Diaz, Kate Ellis, Permi Gill, Maya Hayuk and Vincent Oresman. From 2000 to 2004 I served as co-director with Aaron Noble. Today CAMP is run by a loosely-knit group of volunteers that includes founding members Rigo 23 and Pastor, Megan Wilson, and artists Brad K. Alder, Antonio, Andrew Schoultz, Ricardo Richey, Jet Martinez, Alvaro, Mary Scott, Erin Ruch,
Tauba Auerbach,
Daniel Doherty,
Ethan Allen Davis,
Chad Savage.
CAMP was directly inspired by the mural cluster in Balmy Alley focused on Central American social struggles. CAMP did not choose a single theme however, instead focusing on the two goals of social inclusiveness and aesthetic variety. As a result CAMP has produced more than 100 murals on and around Clarion Alley by Latino, Caucasian, African-American, Native American, Asian, Indian, Queer and disabled artists of all ages and all levels of experience, with an emphasis on emerging artists and new styles. CAMP has contributed to the tradition of labor muralism with offsite projects at ILWU Local 6, at 9th and Clementina, and inside the Redstone Building at 16th and Capp (the latter, a cluster of its own, includes twelve murals). CAMP has also presented major gallery installations at the San Francisco Art Institute, New Langton Arts, and Intersection for the Arts. In 2003 CAMP completed an international exchange project, Sama-sama/Together with artists from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the catalogue is currently available at Intersection for the Arts.
Over the years CAMP has worked with many talented artists, most of whom are just starting their careers and looking for opportunities to publicly display their work – some would identify themselves as primarily muralists or public artists, for others it's a chance to create public work for the first time. The styles have ranged from folk influenced to spray-can works to conceptual projects. In addition, CAMP has provided space for collaborative youth initiatives, such as Oasis For Girls, Horizons Unlimited and the American Indian Movement Youth Council. Many of the artists who CAMP has worked with have gone on to become highly regarded locally, nationally, and internationally.
This impressive
list includes:
Brad K. Alder,
Rene Amini; AQUA; ATOM; Tauba Auerbach BIGFOOT; BLIS; Vichian
Boonmeemak; Chuy Jesús Campusano; Carolyn Castaño; Scott Cowgill; Carolyn Ryder Cooley; Andy Cox;
Diana Cristales-David;
Ethan Allen Davis; Bryan Dawson & Rogelio Martinez & Sayaka Tagawa; Matt Day; Eric Derail; DX; Arie Dyanto; Emily (Butterfly); ESA; ESPO; John Fadeff; Julio Flores and Luis Lule; Amilca Fuentes/American Indian Movement Youth Council; J Garcia, GIANT; Susan Greene; Maya Hayuk; Heart 101; Cliff Hengst; Ron Hennegler; Marisa Hernandez; Scott Hewicker; Horizons Unlimited (class taught by Carolyn Castaño and Amy Berk); Mia Houlberg; Kenneth Huerta; Victor Hugo; Samuel Indratama; IVY; Marisa Jahn; Xylor Jane; Mario Joel; Chris Johansen; Keith Knight; Mari Kono; Vatos Revere Life; Michael Loggins and Jamie Morgan; LUCHA; LUNO; Chris Lux; Scott MacLeod; Carlos Madriz; Jet Martinez; Alicia McCarthy; Barry McGee (TWIST); Jessica Miller; Julie Murray; Ruby Neri (Reminisce); Aaron Noble; Sirron Norris; Oasis For Girls (Sierra Bloomer, Micaiah Caplong, Su Mei Mai, Sunum Mobin, Nancy Salcedo, Amber Sanchez, Jennifer Tse, Lily Zhen); Arya Panjalu; Sebastiana Pastor/La Casa de las Madres; Michaela Pavlatova; Ray Patlán/Eduardo Pineda (Fresco); Jesús Angel Perez; Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center/Susan Cervantes; Rigo; Clarence Robbs (Cuba); Isis Rodriguez; Cynthia Rojas; Ron Salmeron; San Francisco Art Institute (class taught by Kristin Calabrese); Andrew J. Schoultz; Mary Scott, Daniel Segoria; Steve Shada; Christine Shields; Greta Snider; Spie; Alfonso Texidor; Gabriel Thormann; Sara Thustra; Brian and Jasper Tripp; Lucena Valle; Josh Wallace; WARNED; Nano Warsono; Scott Williams; Megan Wilson, and Lena Wolff.
In addition to a direct community, CAMP also draws thousands of visitors annually to the Alley to view the works of its highly acclaimed artists. CAMP also hosts an annual Block Party (2006 was the 8th annual) that has consistently brought over 1,000 people to the celebration, which features new murals, live and DJ music, film and video projections, and more.
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