The Gate Grants Unique Studio Space to Renowned Muralist John Baden, Pride Week Art Installation in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley
Pride Week artist asks, “What is NORMAL?”
Muralist John Baden, resident artist at The Gate of San Leandro, California, offers personal insight on what it means to be normal in America with an upcoming art installation during Pride Week in the heart of San Francisco.
“Born from discussion with my friend and fellow artist Russell Pritchard about what it really means to be normal in America, I created three 12x4 foot sections of latex on wood paintings.” John Baden continues, "I was able to utilize my 3,700 square foot co-working studio at The Gate to create the large sections before trucking them to San Francisco. The result is a multiple art installation in my own neighborhood of Hayes Valley. The Gate’s unique community environment for discourse combined with the huge space required to bring my artistic vision to life is what really enabled this to happen. It’s this combination, along with the great location, that makes The Gate so appealing to all types of artists and makers.”
Steve Wong of real estate merchant banking firm SKB adds, "It is our pleasure to provide an art grant of studio space to John Baden at The Gate. We are dedicated to helping today’s creative-commerce class to thrive with flexible co-working space and customized leases. Baden's work has added to the vitality and transformation of our 1940s-era factory building into a world-class art, technology start-up and maker hub."
Hosted by the Hayes Valley Art Coalition, John Baden’s "NORMAL" is a multiple art installation at 580 Hayes Street, including:
- A 12 x 16 foot mural featuring the Rainbow Flag within the repeated text of "NORMAL" along with combinations of intertwined male and female symbols
- A 20 x 10 foot map of the USA indicating states where same-sex marriage has been legalized
- Graphic entryway art mural
Events
“NORMAL” by John Baden - Art Installation and Exhibit
The installation will be up until the building is demolished, generally thought to be end of July 2014.
Where: “NORMAL” Pop Up Art Gallery, 580 Hayes St., San Francisco CA 94102 (just around the corner from Baden’s iconic “Wrecking Ball”artwork)
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 26th, 6 to 9pm. No-host bar and music provided by Hayes and Kebab. Limited edition t-shirts available, numbered and signed by the artist
Open House: Sunday, June 29th, 11am - 5pm. Viewing and photo opportunities.
Ongoing sales for limited edition John Baden “NORMAL” art and merchandise provided through ZonalHome.com. A portion of proceeds of sale of all art on display and limited edition, signed & numbered art T-shirts screened by Playa Pete with rainbow flags hand-colored and signed by the artist, John Baden, will go to the non-profit Hayes Valley Art Coalition.
About John Baden
Resident artist at The Gate, John Baden is a San Francisco postmodern/pop-art painter working in extreme scale on building exteriors and interiors. He is best known for iconic works of historic value, and is in frequently in the news for bold graphics, bright colors, and eclectic designs. Baden has installations across the United States, include community-centric art in Hayes Valley, SOMA, Mission & Castro districts of San Francisco. Commercial engagements include style & branding extension for storefronts and print catalogs for Pottery Barn and Design Within Reach. Baden works with individuals to express their own reinvention & spirit throughout their home or workplace in color, texture and form. Baden’s personal mission is to increase the balance of gratitude in the world through kindness, beauty and truth. For more information, visit BadenDesigns.com
About The Gate
Animated by the creative energy of its artists-in-residence, tech-startup visionaries, and makers of all stripes, The Gate is simply not like other commercial buildings. Well, it is, perhaps, reminiscent of such earlier, precedent-setting New York City landmarks as the iconic Brill Building, where the art and business of music was turned on its ear, or The Factory, where Warhol and friends lived and breathed entirely new art forms. It also takes a digital page from Silicon Valley’s Xerox PARC and all those suburban garages, where mice and killer apps were invented and creators changed the world. Today, combining art and commerce in 1,000 – 10,000 square foot spaces in the San Francisco Bay Area (East Bay), The Gate goes beyond the concept of “commercial building” to meld commerce and creativity for 21st century movers and shakers: artists, technologists, and makers. For more information about The Gate, located at 1933 Davis Street, San Leandro, CA, visit thegate510.com or contact Building Manager, Dave Holley at 510-729-0116 or Eco-System Manager, Cheryl Edison at 415-533-9990.
About the Hayes Valley Art Coalition
The mission of the Hayes Valley Art Coalition is to promote and expedite continuous art installations on the dedicated art space in Patricia’s Green in Hayes Valley. In addition, HVAC encourages the advancement of other art endeavors throughout Hayes Valley. We believe that the promotion of the arts continues the ongoing legacy of art as a part of the developing Hayes Valley. Founded by Madeline Behrens-Brigham and Russell Pritchard in 2007. To become a part of the coalition through activity, donation or for more information, visit hayesvalleyartcoalition.org
About Scanlan Kemper Bard Companies
Formed in 1993, SKB is a fully integrated real estate merchant-banking firm based in Portland, Oregon with additional offices in Seattle and Denver. Investment types include office, retail, industrial and mixed-use. SKB also funds bridge loans and periodically provides equity to select developers of ground-up development projects located in the Western United States.
SKB has originated total portfolio activity of $2.77 billion comprised of 20.3 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space and 1,955 residential units. With longstanding relationships in each of its markets, SKB has the ability to source, structure and execute value creation across a wide spectrum of real estate opportunities. You may learn more by visiting the company’s website at www.skbcos.com.
Media Contact
Cheryl Edison 415-533-9990 cheryl@cheryledison.com
Tags:
