somewhere in advance of nowhere* (2008) was a multi-faceted year long project that includes 18 publicly installed paintings, a gallery exhibition at Intersection for the Arts and a series of creative workshops and events. The project, stems from the creation of 18 paintings of poets, ages 15-20 who work with the literary education organization Youth Speaks. In September of 2007 I interviewed each poet about the importance and impact of writing in their lives and from those interviews we chose a quote that would be represented with their portrait. The portraits were painted in acrylic and oil pastel on non woven media from photos of each poet performing a poem, also chosen together. Each poet then recorded a poem of their choosing that was accessible by calling a cell phone number and extension displayed with each portrait. The portraits were installed in sites through out San Francisco, chosen by the poets as relevant to their lives.
This project was made possible through the Cultural Equity Grants program at the San Francisco Arts Commission and the generous help of individual donors.
*The title, “somewhere in advance of nowhere” is from the Jayne Cortez book of poems of the same title, and was originally found in “Freedom Dreams”, by Robin D.G. Kelley.