Call for Art: Shaken & Stirred
Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake
Engine 43 Gallery
October 2019
Kaytea Petro, Juror
Shaken & Stirred is an art show commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake by inviting artists to engage with the idea of earthquake. The venue for the show is a gallery in a former firehouse in San Francisco’s Excelsior District. Proposals for artworks will be considered in all media: photography, painting, sculpture, site-specific installation, performance art, sound art, opera, etc.
Thirty years after the Loma Prieta Earthquake, the Bay Area is still on shaky ground. Major earthquakes have shaped Bay Area throughout history, from the 1868 earthquake that destroyed much of Chinatown and the commercial district in San Francisco, to the 1906 earthquake and fire that dragged down the global economy until 1908, to the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that liquefied the Marina District, destroyed double decker freeways throughout The Bay, and destroyed much of downtown Santa Cruz and Salinas. The legacy of the 1989 earthquake is permanently etched on the geography of the Bay Area – revitalized waterfront in San Francisco, Martin Luther King Blvd in Oakland, a modern, pedestrian mall in Santa Cruz, as well as deep ravines in the Santa Cruz Mountains, soft story laws and more.
Living on the Ring of Fire is violent and unpredictable; its earth-shaking spasms affect lives far beyond the Bay Area. Earthquakes have been present throughout human history and are the only natural disaster not affected by Climate Change.
Performances
We will be coordinating a series of performances to accompany the visual art show the weekend of 10/18-20. Performers in all mediums are encouraged to submit proposals for all types of performances related to earthquakes including: storytelling, dance, music, puppets, performance art, standup comedy etc.
Engine 43 Gallery
Engine 43 is a gallery located in the former Engine 43 firehouse built in the Mission Revival style in 1911 to protect the Excelsior district from fire after the 1906 earthquake. The firehouse was decommissioned in 1976, and started being used as an art space in 2018. The gallery space is located in the former engine room of the firehouse, with beautiful light and high ceilings.
The gallery charges 30% commission on all pieces sold during the exhibition.
Timeline
Art Proposals Due: August 25th
Install/Art Drop Off: October 1st
Exhibition will be open Weekends in October, 12-5pm
Excelsior Art Walk 10/18
Excelsior Open Studios 10/19 and 10/20
Unsold Artwork can be picked up 10/30