South FIRST FRIDAYS presents ArtwalkSJ + STREET MRKT
First Friday, August 2nd from 7–11pm
SoFA District (& beyond) downtown San Jose
RSVP on our event page here.
The South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk is a self-guided, nighttime tour through galleries, museums, and independent creative businesses featuring eclectic art exhibitions and special performances.
All Art Walk venues are FREE admission & great for all ages.
EXHIBITION SCHEDULE at PARTICIPATING VENUES…
Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design – 366 South First St. map
Artist Reception: Walking Blue by Zezão (São Paulo, Brazil)
Zezão (José Augusto Amaro Handa) began his quest to conquer the underworld with graffiti in São Paulo in the 90s. Inspired and motivated by the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Zezão believed it his right to depart from the well-trodden paths with his art and to explore new avenues. He worked in sewerage systems, in drains, in the rubble of abandoned ruined buildings, in dilapidated blind alleys and dark spaces below viaducts, and so drew attention to a cityscape whose existence many people could barely credit.
Some time later he broadened his activities: he took everyday objects from the trash and created a new existence for them by inventively assembling and painting them. Even now, for his wood collages he uses objects found in the street such as pieces of lumber used for barricades in São Paulo, or he creates a foundation using old “treasures” like mirrors, trays, car doors, and bedsteads.
He always leaves his trademark on the dilapidated, isolated surfaces, his blue, abstract signature derived from the word “vício”, meaning “addiction”, and thus delves into what appears to be true life, and brings to light what without his art would remain ignored, what nobody wants to see. In this way he uses delicate tints and shapes to descend into a chaotic underworld, invading the subterranean space, and by contrast he revives its raw walls in a subtle, quintessentially blue presence.
Art close to trash, dead dogs and broken pieces of furniture, at the margins of society – Zezão inspires dialogue between the underworld and the surface, to get talked about. Wherever trash (Brazilian: lixo) needs to be turned into luxury (Brazilian: luxo) – this is where Zezão’s work comes into its own.
It contains political and social messages and ones which relate to the environment. Because its connection with dilapidated neighborhood, derelict buildings, contaminated water, smog and filth, violence, or the recycling of discarded objects, all this is a way of making a critical statement about these diverse problems of the city. At the same time important debates on issues such as sustainability and recycling are kindled.
Zezão’s graffiti adorns walls, sewerage systems and viaducts around the world and his art work has been exhibited in Barcelona, Brighton, Florenz, Frankfurt, Hamburg, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Prague, Wuppertal and in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in his home country of Brazil.
The First Friday reception features El Otro Mundo spinning vinyl throughout the evening in the gallery.
Art Ark Gallery – 1035 South Sixth St. map
Artist reception: Nauatl Cuicuilco by Victor Zaballa
“Nahuatl Cuicuilco” means: “Place where songs and dances that sound good are made.” It is an exhibit and altar installation of paintings, papel picado, sculptures and performances using traditional indigenous musical wind and percussion instruments in combination with the electro/acoustic musical instruments created during the Art Ark residency.
The performance and the altar installations are inspired by the Toltec concept of how the earth element in their conflict sand interactions have created life on this earth.
Gallery Suha Suha – 45 E. Williams St. map
Artist reception: “@ South Bay 2” by Suha Suha
Come and see our funny digital photography featuring South Bay neighborhoods “@ South Bay 2” show. Share your San Josean/South Bay pride!
KALEID gallery – 88 South Fourth St. map
Artist reception: FINNISH FANTASIES: cross-connections by Dotti Cichon
Suspicions of Sami heritage yield an innate connection with Finland. Abundant nature, primordial landscapes, absence of light pollution, endless light in summer and darkness in winter provide overwhelming inspirations for my art done in Finland on artist residencies over the past few years.
In this exhibition, I want to show the pathways from capturing the essence of the natural landscape in lumen prints, eco prints, assemblages, and photographs to my interpretations of Finnish design and mixed media works that transcend reality and speak to us on a different level.
I also want to show how my simple photograph of a dragonfly inspired my Finnish collaborator, Anitta Toivio, to make dragonflies, mosquitoes and flies with the 3D pen and filament that I brought to Finland on my recent trip. Although she sees dragonflies on the lake on her property every day, cross-connections and collaboration made this work (and a lot of other work over the past 10 years) possible.
My writings will further illuminate the intricacies of amazing cross-connections that eradicate boundaries between people. In the vast Cosmos, our time on Earth and place in the Universe is just a speck and we are all connected. We need to treat each other and our Earth with the respect deserved to preserve the amazing things we have for future generations.
Artist reception: Living Ghosts by Brittni Paul
This series features flora and fauna on the brink of extinction: some iconic, some lesser known. Brittni’s intention of ‘Living Ghosts’ is to evoke an emotional connection with the animal and conjure up images of these diverse species thriving in their respective ecosystems. Her hope is that these works will inspire, challenge and inform, so that we might use this experience (and upcoming book) as a springboard for positive action. “It has never been so incredibly important to connect humans with the natural world. Our future depends on it,” says the artist.
Brittni Paul is a self-taught artist originally from San Diego, California. She and her partner moved to San Jose 6 years ago to further excel their professional careers. She was a pastry chef at the time but had “fallen out of love with the medium.” Brittni is the happiest in nature, hiking, backpacking and spending time with their dog Jack. In October 2019 upon turning 30; Brittni realized that there is so much more to life than a retirement plan. She ditched the corporate 9-5 to pursue art and began to develop her unique artistic talents full time. “I have been drawing my entire life, but I never thought being an artist was a career option. I want to squash that twisted notion that you can’t survive doing what you love. I’m not surviving, I’m thriving! And I hope to share my experiences with the world through my art.” ~Brittni Paul
MACLA Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana – 510 South First St. map
Unicorns, Aliens and Futuristic Cities
Participating artists: Claudia Blanco, Veronica Rojas, Michael Menchaca, Javier Martinez, Stephany Sanchez, Jorge Gonzalez, and James Canales
“Unicorns, Aliens, and Futuristic Cities”—the exhibition explores the work of artists: Claudia Blanco, Veronica Rojas, Michael Menchaca, Javier Martinez, Stephany Sanchez, Jorge Gonzalez, and James Canales all of whom use science fiction and fantasy to reveal the nuances of history, culture, and the Latino identity.
Live music by Jahny Wallz
Phantom Galleries at Culinary Corner Bistro – 321 South First St. map
Artist reception: Dreamscapes by Kushlani Jayasinha
“This is the newest series I am working on. It’s a series of acrylic on canvas. This series evolved after taking a weeklong meditation retreat and a refreshing seaside holiday with family.”
“My art comes from a place of meditation and inner search. It’s my path to freedom. It comes from a place larger than life that brings in a sense of awe. When people respond to my Art I believe they respond to a visceral part of themselves longing to be free. My wish is to empower them to the possibilities.
Art sets me free. I fiercely guard my art to be authentic with no compromises. It is a place where I boldly express myself, where real Kushlani comes through. It unravels me, clarifies me, just the way meditation does. Coming from a Buddhist background, Nirvana is the blessed state to be. My hunch is, it is acutely being in the present moment with awareness. Like meditation, Art takes me closest to this state.”
Jayasinha Kushlani was born and raised in Sri Lanka and has been painting almost all her life. She obtained her PhD in Physics from The University of Oklahoma, where she continued as a post doctoral fellow. She worked as a software engineer in silicon valley. Throughout it all and raising her children she found time take art courses and workshops, and is now a full time artist. She has won awards for her paintings and her jewelry, and had been represented in many galleries.
This Phantom Galleries exhibit is curated by Robertino Ragazza.
PhantomGalleries at The Pierce – 2 Pierce Ave. map
Artist reception: Nothing But Miracles by Roy Dahan
I have always been interested in the human experience and our perception of the reality around us. Every day we exist in a world with so many small details that go unnoticed due to our tendency to be focused on our individual wants and needs.
These details can include patterns, shapes, gestures or scenes between people, animals, structures or objects.
“Nothing But Miracles” features a series of photographs that seeks to pull back the focus of our individual lives by exploring and questioning our perception and relationship with the natural world and its other non-human inhabitants, our interactions with other people, and our experiences within our inner thoughts.
Roy Dahan is an Israeli singer-songwriter and photographer born and raised in the village of Korazim. From an early age he was influenced by the musical likes of Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, and many classic Israeli singer-songwriters.
His first studio album, Some of This Life, was released in 2011 to critical and public praise and was named best album that year by Time Out Tel Aviv. The debut album features his recognizable songs “Does Anyone Know” and “State of Mind.” Dahan followed with the release of two more albums: The Man in My Head (2013) and Through The Woods (2016).
Dahan’s interest in photography stemmed from his many travels and interactions with people, animals, and locations around the world. His first photography exhibition, Illusions, was held in May 2018 at the Kritzel Fabrik gallery in Luxembourg.
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles – 520 South First St. map
New Artist-in-Residence
Welcome our new artist-in-residence, Amber Imrie who’s work explores the culture and politics around rural living, with a special focus on how this forms our relationship with nature. Amber will be having a hands-on sculptural craft for artists of all ages during South First Friday ArtWalkSJ!
Mayan Traje: A Tradition in Transition
The Maya of Guatemala are known worldwide for their excellent weaving and distinctive trajes (traditional clothing). These were once 100% village-specific, and people could be recognized as being from a specific place. Over time, many and diverse influences have caused significant change — but even so, visitors are struck by the ubiquitous nature of indigenous weaving and the persistence of their “wearable art”. This exhibit will show outstanding examples of clothing from the early 20th century to contemporary fashion, highlight key differences, and explore some of the reasons for these changes. On view will be individual pieces as well as full trajes – none created for tourist markets. These will be drawn from the rarely-displayed collection of the Friends of the Ixchel Museum.
Opera San Jose: La Vie de Bohème
La Vie De Bohème celebrates the collaboration between two San Jose cultural institutions, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles and Opera San José. Showcasing costumes, illustrations, and props from Opera San José’s 2017 production of Puccini’s timeless La bohème, the costumes, created by costume designer Alina Bokovikova and costume director Alyssa Oania, illuminate the story of a group of bohemians, and how their lives become intertwined. Although the novel was set in Paris in the 1840s, the costumes in this exhibition represent the 1920s.
Adia Millett: The Privilege To Breathe
This thematic exhibition of work by Adia Millett explores privilege through a series of abstracted textile pieces. Can privileges be universal? What are the privileges that inform who we are? And what is our role in creating change? The artist’s exploration of these questions initially resulted into symbols for reconstructing her own relationship to economic disparity, white fragility, and male privilege. Using a combination of recycled and discarded fabrics, Millett pieces together images of hope. Through this process of investigation, she discovered something we all have… the privilege to breathe.
Borders: Selected Works from San Francisco School of Needlework & Design
Explore selected works from San Francisco School of Needlework & Design’s Stitch-at-Home Challenge: Borders. A border is a moat between a castle and its kingdom. A border runs along the hem of our jeans. A boundary, a selvage, a crease, an end and a beginning, a divider and a unifier: a border is all of these at once. Borders are both metaphorical and literal––some are fixed while others have fluidity and movement. Our internal boundaries serve to protect us from real or perceived dangers and help to delineate the furthest reaches of our moods and feelings. Externally, borders are both visual and physical structures that serve to define lands, politics, cultures and linguistic variations. They shift like the high tide line, results of geopolitical incidents, and within each of us as we learn, grow and develop. Sawtooth borders, hemstitched borders, open borders, white picket fences, brick walls, arched openings, drawnwork, or tiny dashed running stitch lines. Visible and invisible, comforting and discomforting, fixed and fluid….all around us.
Works San Jose – 365 South Market St. map
Indivisible: Works member exhibition 2019
Works’ 2019 member exhibition celebrates 42 years of democratic, community access art. This exhibit of artists who have donated to support the community concept of Works will reveal the broad range of messages, experiences, methods, and styles of our multifaceted community. Artist members of Works/San José range from widely exhibited and collected artists to emerging artists and even a few newcomers exhibiting for the first time. Celebrate Works’ ideal of liberty and justice for all our visual arts community!
Caffé Frascati – 315 South First St. map
Artist reception: A collection of framed original hand cut analog collages by Jordan McKenzie also known as AllDayDirt.
In my art i am in love with the idea of creating something new and original by utilizing strong images and text found in print medias. My favorite materials includes vintage playboy, old and new comic books and fashion magazines. I enjoy sharp angles paired balance by soft lines or with circles, emotional portraits, and using words to suggest emotion in my work which are all reoccurring themes that can be found in my art.
McKenzie is a San Jose native specializing in hand cut, hand assembled analog collages.
First Fridays is Caffe Frascati Opera Night presented by First Street Singers, with the Bay Area’s finest opera singers performing your very favorite classical arias and duets live in the cafe! for the South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk.
SJSU Muse Night at Hammer Theatre – 101 Paseo de San Antonio map
Closed this evening.
SoFA Market – 387 So. First St. map
Artist reception: Here and There by Anabella Piñon and Moses D. Rios
Two wandering souls come together in “Here and There”with artists Anabella Piñon and Moses Rios. Using line, black, white and color, they chronicle what is theirs alone.
Anabella Piñon, born in San Jose and often rambling around New Mexico, has had her fair share of solo and group art shows, curating, teaching art, painting murals around the Bay Area at many local venues for over 20 years. She currently resides in San Jose.
Moses D. Rios is a 35 year old punk rocker East San Jose native. Went to Robert Sanders, Foothill, August Boeger and graduated from Mount Pleasant in 2002. After that, he worked at Streetlight Records off Bascom and Circle A in the same spot it is now. He moved from San Jose to San Francisco, and then Alameda. And now he will be moving up the coast, into the Great Northwest near a pond and a garden, where he will continue to draw (and color) with his twin boys and their lovely mother.
Studio Climbing Gym – 396 South First St. map
Artist reception: Photography by Sophia Buell
I’m a climbing photographer and climber with a desire to document the views that I see while climbing. I take photos of friends and spontaneous beautiful views I see and due to that have mainly focused on other women in climbing. I’m more at home sleeping in my car in the mountains with my puppy and husband than anywhere else and want to transfer that feeling through my photos. The pictures will be focused on other strong women in climbing and the beauty, inspiration and humbling effect that the mountains have on us. A portion of the photos will be for sale.
STREET MRKT a hyper local urban fair featuring over 40 artists, indie creatives, live DJs, craft brew garden and delicious food trucks.
First Friday August 2nd, 7–11pm
Free admission & great for all ages.
Find us out on S. 1st St. in the SoFA District (between San Carlos & Reed streets)
Participating Artists & Indie Creatives: 3F Gallery, Bay Maples, Jennifer Carrier, Houyee Chow, Circle A Skate & Coffee, The Citadel, Classic Loot, Crossroads Trading, Current Tattooing, Nicholaus James Dalton, Lorenz Dumuk, Emo Kids of Color, Epic Immersive, Faire Goatmother, Force 129 & Betty Proper, Gallery Suha Suha, Cynthia Gonzalez, Andrew Ha, Hand in Hand Henna, Ken Harmount, Kyle Harter, Matty Heimgartner, Higher Fire Clayspace, Nicolas Maximillion Jimenez, Jodi408, KathyKay Shirts, Nao Kondo, Brian La France, Land and Sky, Valentino Loyola, Lucidbeaming, Frankie McFly, David Mejia, Sean Levon Nash, Jean-Luc Pedanou, Gabe Peralta, Petite Galleria, Photon Salon, Poetry Center SJ, Al Preciado, Shayla Putnam, Francisco Ramirez, Marilyn Roaf, Jhovany Rodriguez, Ricardo Sandoval, Sea Senorita Studio & AFKGmr , Silly Friends, SJSU NEO Design Class of 2020, TLC Zines, Tochtli Wear , Audre VanBroers, Verde Alcove Plant Truck and Works San Jose.
Street Mrkt Craft Brew Garden features selections from regional breweries: Camino Brewing Co., Uproar Brewing Co., STEM Ciders, Fort Point Beer Co., Original Pattern Brewing Co., Strike Brewing Co. and Clandestine Brewing Co. curated by our friends at Good Karma Artisan Ales & Cafe with DJ T.Spillman.
STREET MRKT is supported in part by a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San Jose.
Thank you to the San Jose Downtown Association and the Knight Foundation for sponsoring the STREET MRKT on AUG 2nd, SEPT 6th and OCT 4th in 2019.
Join us on Facebook ArtWalkSJ
The South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk is produced by Two Fish Design in partnership with the participating art organizations and independent businesses.