Brava Theater

Artists Lynn Marie Kirby and Alexis Petty are pleased to announce the 24^th Street Listening Project launch event at the Brava Theater on September 19^th sponsored through the generous support of the San Francisco Arts Commission.

Using the practice of listening as the guiding principle in walking a series of five blocks along the 24th St. corridor in the Lower Mission, San Francisco, the artists have noted specific reverberations and echoes, both present and no longer visible in the landscape. This evening gathers together stories, songs, and color from the neighborhood into a collaborative presentation.

The 24^th Street Listening Project began in 2009 as a way of being present to forms of exchange at five sites along 24th Street: 7th Day Adventist church, Center Nail Salon, Brava Theater, St Francis Fountain, AA meeting-house and the soccer field at Garfield Square.

In the past year Lynn Marie Kirby and Alexis Petty shifted their listening practice from these single sites to the larger structure of the block, a circle that is formed by neighboring buildings, and have noted, while walking these blocks, specific echoes, both present and virtual, in the landscape.

The project culminates with the launch event at the Brava Theater on September 19^th.  The event will begin with Laguna Yellow an Elastic City sponsored walk of the five block site, starting at 5pm. Lynn and Alexis will lead participants in a meditation on the place of color in the neighborhood, as pigment, as light, and as history.

Following the artist led walk, the presentation at the Brava will include a community color mapping video, songs by a local musician, and stories from the neighborhood. After the theatrical event there will be a reception in the Brava lobby, including music, food and drinks.  During the reception The 24^th Street Listening Project website and book will be released. Visitors may sign up for future walking tours and may independently visit the five-blocks; a key will be available.

Lynn Marie Kirby’s selected exhibitions include the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco; Sisters of the Holy Cross Centro, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Bio Paradis, Reykjavík, Iceland; San Jose Museum, San Jose; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley; TIFF Toronto, Toronto; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Whitney Museum, New York, Triple Base Gallery, San Francisco; Wattis Institute, San Francisco; Le Centre Pompidou, Paris.  Kirby has received numerous distinguished awards and fellowships and is currently Professor of Film, Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. (Full CV/Bio upon request.) Artist Website: http://lynnmariekirby.com/

Alexis Petty is the Co-Founder, Co-Director of The Carville Annex and has taught at the California College of the Arts. Selected exhibitions include the Work Gallery, Detroit; The Adobe Backroom Gallery, San Francisco; The Carville Annex, San Francisco; Home is Something I Carry with Me, San Francisco and New Views 2, London.  Petty’s print contributions include Actually People Magazine, City Reader I, Plaid Review II; her work has been featured in the New York Times Style Magazine, Blue Magazine Japan, and The Stanford Storytelling Project. (Full CV/Bio upon request.) Artist Website: www.icanseemyselflivingthere.com

Launch Event: Wednesday, September 19^th 7:00 – 9PM (walk 5PM)

Brava Theater   2781 24th Street San Francisco, CA 94110 

For Information/Photos contact: Joyce Grimm: joyce.grimm@gmail.com