About the work

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Artist Statement:

In 2017, local artist Tan Sirinumas had the opportunity to create a series of paintings for the lobby and coffee shop of the Tilden Hotel with fellow artist, Jesse James Johnson. Together they used the written works, entitled ‘Stargazing’ and ‘San Francisco,’ and created background visual art for each one, mining the words of the poems and creating an image that they felt matched the soul of each piece. This process created the collaborative images you see in parts of the Tilden Hotel today and sparked within Tan a fascination with collaborative poetic imagery. 

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As a community-based artist, Tan works with a diverse group of artisans and his work aims to support local poets and artists to find a place to explore and display their craft. This show is an invitation for the poets hiding within our neighborhood to shine a light on their poetry and share their work with those who visit our city.

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Using clay and acrylic on wooden panels, Tan uses laser technology to create rich images that evoke the beauty of poetic inspiration. 

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A recipient of the Wildflower Institute’s Fellowship Program, Tan has been working with fellow Tenderloin artists and residents to create an artistic community that inspires strength through community support.

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Featured Poet: Jesse James Johnson

Guest Poets: Charles Curtis Blackwell, Dorian Dorey Rhodes, Sean Stout and Windy Click