THE AVENUES ARCHIVE

THE AVENUES ARCHIVE

We invited Bay area artists who live and/or work in San Francisco’s vibrant Richmond District, OR whose work is centered on the Richmond, to submit works for a fall 2023 exhibition, THE AVENUES. Among the Richmond District’s long-gone landmarks and sites are Playland, Sutro Baths, swaths of cemeteries, farms, racetracks, and improvised cottages built in the wake of the 1906 earthquake. We asked artists to submit 1-2 works that reflect on the Richmond District’s opportunities and its challenges. Like many San Francisco neighborhoods, the Richmond is grappling with rising rents, displacement, homelessness and empty storefronts.  But at the same time, there’s a vibrancy and resiliency that prevails and is central to the residents and the businesses that support the ecosystems of life.  Alongside the complex cultural and historical landscape, the physical geography of the Richmond can be stunningly dramatic -- long a source of inspiration for San Francisco artists.  How do Richmond District artists address, and cope with, these dichotomies and express themselves in their artistic practice? How do residents view and interpret the evolution of the neighborhood? We hope to represent the Richmond District - past, present and future.