SF Art Dealer Blasted for Hosing Down Unhoused Woman

January 12, 2023

Good morning. 🌧️ A San Francisco art dealer was caught spraying an unhoused woman with a hose in front of his gallery. A video of the incident is circulating online and it’s difficult to watch. The city's ongoing homelessness crisis is clearly stripping some residents of their good senses and humanity.

In other news, the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities in the US announce their latest rounds of funding for the arts, the Jewish Film Festival in New York returns, and a velvet dress that once belonged to Princess Diana is up for auction.

Finally, we're pleased to share the work of our Journalism Fellowship for Curators cohort, a program supported by the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. We begin today with Dakota Noot's report on the Chicano drag scene of Southern California, pioneered by Robert Legorreta, aka "Cyclona."

— Hakim Bishara, Senior Editor

The Founding Mother of Southern California's Chicano Drag Scene

A primal, glitter-fueled scream was unleashed with Cyclona, giving birth to generations of queer Chicano performers. | Dakota Noot

SPONSORED

Elsa Gramcko, On View at James Cohan’s 48 Walker Street Gallery

Elsa Gramcko (1925–1994) blended geometric abstraction and surrealism to produce visually arresting paintings, dimensional assemblages and totemic objects. This exhibition of over 40 artworks spanning three decades attests to Gramcko’s significant contributions to global modernism, marked by her distinctive language of abstraction.
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WHAT'S HAPPENING

GallupARTS is compiling the New Deal artworks around New Mexico’s McKinley County in a virtual museum. (photo by Kirk Gittings, image courtesy gallupARTS)

The NEA and NEH have announced a combined $62 million in grants supporting projects from theater productions to virtual museums.

Photographed for her iconic 1997 “Vanity Fair” spread, Princess Diana’s silk velvet dress is now up for auction at Sotheby’s.

Leaked contracts show that London's Natural History Museum signed gag clauses agreeing not to “discredit or damage” the reputation of Danish energy giant Ørsted.

A video of San Francisco gallery owner Collier Gwin spraying down an unhoused woman sparks outrage across social media.

SPONSORED

Southern Illinois University’s MFA Programs Explore Concepts Across Disciplines

At SIU, students are exposed to creative approaches in Blacksmithing, Ceramics, Design, Drawing, Glass, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, or Small Metals. Learn more.

REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS

Guglielmo Castelli the Melancholic Painter

The Italian artist speaks with Hyperallergic about his home city of Turin, the loneliness of his characters, and more. | Francesco Dama

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Hahn Rowe’s World Premiere Coming Soon at Columbia University

Something about the Weather is a new and original work by New York-based composer, producer, and performer Hahn Rowe. Learn more.

Carolina Caycedo’s Spiritual Fieldwork

Land of Friends at BALTIC campaigns for the rights of watershed-dwelling peoples and rivers. | Anna Souter

Sounds From the Depths of a Texas Oil Basin

While never quite at the forefront of The Permian Recordings, a sense of doom and crisis permeates the space, even if only by geological reference. | Jennifer Remenchik

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New York’s Jewish Film Festival Is Back

The 32nd edition of the festival will feature 29 films representing 16 countries screening at the Walter Reade Theater. | Rhea Nayyar

MFA, MA, and PhD Programs to Apply for by Early 2023

Organized by geographic region, a list of arts-related graduate programs to explore and apply to before deadlines close.

IN MEMORIAM

John Grazier (1946–2022)
American painter | Washington Post

Henry Grossman (​​1936–2022)
American celebrity photographer | New York Times

Michael Snow (​​1928–2023)
Canadian artist and filmmaker | New York Times

Emma Wolukau-Wanambwa (1976–2023)
Glasgow-born artist and researcher | Artnews

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SF Gallery Owner Blasted for Hosing Down Unhoused Woman