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ched in 2015, the San Francisco Arts Commission's (SFAC) Artist in Residence (AIR) program builds partnerships with City Departments in order to provide unique residency opportunities that result in strengthening the value of artists participating in and responding to the advancement of civic dialogue. AIR opportunities are only open to artists residing in the Bay Area.
In June 2022, the SFAC partnered with San Francisco Public Library to select four inaugural artists in residence: James Q. Chan (filmmaker), Xandra Ibarra (visual and performing artist), tanea lunsford lynx (writer and educator) and Gazelle Samizay (visual artist). The artists spent 10 weeks at the Library conducting research and embedding into the fabric of day-to-day Library activities. Each artist created a new art project reflecting on their one-of-a-kind residence experience.
2022–2023 Projects
While doing research in the History Center, Ibarra became fascinated, particularly with the late 19th and 20th century judicial records of those working in underground economies like sex work. They became the jumping off point for a new body of work titled, Of Ill Fame, a constellation of photographic works that drew from the ephemera associated with police and court records located in the Library. The project was presented in the exhibition, Artists in the Archive, alongside portraits of real people from the historic San Francisco Police Department mug shot archives by Penelope Houston. According to Ibarra, “I situate these historical subjects to further consider the racial and sexual dimensions of contemporary capitalism, incarceration, and the gig economy. My hope is to foster dialogue about stigma, criminalization, and iconography of sex workers.” Read the press release.
Image: Keeping a House of Disorderly House of Prostitution, 2022.
THE MAIN° is a virtual 360-degree video series, where our shared experience of a beloved institution comes alive beyond the bookshelves. Follow staff and patrons as they navigate you through the various departments and services for a behind-the-scene perspective within the bustling Main library ecosystem. Captured using high-definition 360° cameras, this observational film explores the interconnectedness of our collective memory of place and the role of the San Francisco Public Library in fostering a sense of community and cultural heritage through an immersive full-circle visual experience.
Watch all five of Chan's videos. For the full 360-degree experience we recommend watching them on your smart phone while moving it around in space.
COMING FALL 2023 - The Ink of Identity: Rereading Afghanistan emerged from a desire to critically engage with and disrupt prevailing narratives in San Francisco Public Library's collection of books on Afghanistan. Delving into the extensive collection, dating back to 1762, Samizay explores the complexities of Afghan identity and the impact of Western-authored literature on the understanding of Afghan history and culture, with a particular focus on Afghan American perspectives. Aug. 2023, check website for date.
2023 – 2024 Artists in Residence
In FY 2023 – 2024, the Library hosts artists: Christopher Burch (visual artist), Celeste Chan (writer and filmmaker), Tossie Long (performing artist and vocalist) and Preethi Ramaprasad (dancer).