So much goes on in the Mission that we can’t do separate stories on every change or event so we’ve decided to start an occasional column, Neighborhood Notes. If you have something you think we should add, let us know at info@missionlocal.com
The Heart of the Mission, Latino Art and Politics in San Francisco is University of Texas Professor Cary Cordova’s recently published book on the Mission District art scene, an excellent, highly readable history of the confluence of the Mission’s art and political scenes. It reaches back into the 1930s when the Latin Quarter was in North Beach and takes us through the formation of the neighborhood’s cultural institutions as well as the development of its art scene. Many of players were in the backroom of ChaChaCha’s on Tuesday night to celebrate the book’s publication.
Just how close was art and politics? Writer and former SF Poet Laureate Alejandro Murguía spent time in Nicaragua fighting with the Sandinistas and artist Romeo Gilberto Osorio, who was also a gallery director and publisher spent nine years fighting with the left in El Salvador. (For more read When the Mission Ran with Rebels.)
René Yañez, an artist and one of the founders of the Galería de la Raza and the Mission Cultural Center and his son Rio, an artist, were both at the book party. “Thank you for the art supplies,” the older Yañez said to his son. Rio, it turned out had given his father a set of Japanese felt pens for Father’s Day. “Excellent saturation,” said Rio.
Cordova will be giving a reading at Alley Cat Books on Sunday, August 13 from 6-8 p.m. and I will be doing an author’s conversation with Cordova at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts on Thursday, August 17th at 6:30 p.m. LC
The muralist Chavi (Chavi1906 on instagram) is putting up a new mural with Eli on Florida at 24th Street. We’ll check in again next week to see how it has progressed. LC
The Discolandia sign at 2962 24th St. remains but there are no more records. There is a pig over the door but Pig and Pie is no longer there. The locale’s windows are now covered in posters announcing that Chef Driven Fast Food is coming soon.
After a record shop owner retired and a restaurant had trouble surviving, time will tell if beef sandwiches and curly fries will thrive. CE
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The Colin Kaepernick mural at 1885 Mission is all but gone. Only one foot of Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling figure remains on the wall of 1899 Mission Street.
The mural that went up last fall has been moved inside the building, according to Impact Hub, the current tenant, which has occupied the space since May 15.
Susan Cervantes, founding director of Precita Eyes Murals, said the work was never meant to be permanent. Most of it wasn’t actually painted on the building’s facade but on the wooden board protecting a smashed window.
Now that the window has been fixed, Impact Hub said they haven’t yet decided what to do with it.
The painting celebrates the former 49ers quarterback, who chose to kneel, rather than stand, during the national anthem last summer, in protest of racial discrimination and police brutality. It was a message that inspired others in the neighborhood; in September, the Mission High School football team knelt during the anthem in solidarity with Kaepernick. FS
Foxglove, at 3043 24th St, a store selling local and socially responsible clothing, jewelry, and gifts, closed on May 10th and has permanently moved to its Berkeley location. The reason: declining sales. CE
ResolutionSF at 2976 24th Street, a mysterious corner locale at 24th street and Harrison is a private, by-appointment-only, tattoo parlor. Resolution is Kevin Horikema Marr’s new studio. Marr, according to the website, is a master of Japanese style tattooing and has been tattooing since 1999. CE
And, it looks like there will be a new traffic stop on Dolores at 19th Street.
If you have any notes that should go up, let us know at info@missionlocal.com