Ilana Crispi Art Opening

I attended my friend Ilana Crispi's art opening tonight. This is one of the best artworks I've seen in awhile. The concept is extremely strong as well as the craftsmanship and aesthetics. I sat on her beautifully designed bench, which was cold, minimal, and made from dirt of The Tenderloin. While sitting and reading her artist statement, I enjoyed a couple of Hot Toddies in the gorgeous handcrafted teacups that contrasted matte-white, smooth porcelain with glistening rough dirt. The drinks were made from honey and tea harvested from the rooftops of Glide Church also located in The Tenderloin. Amazing!

Hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 12noon – 4:00 pm;First Thursday, November 7, 6:00 – 9:00 pmPrivate viewings are welcome. Email us for an appointment.At Ramon’s Tailor 

Ilana Crispi invites you to experience the Tenderloin by sitting on it, drinking from it and eating out of it. Crispi has harvested dirt from a neighborhood park to make furniture and ceramic vessels for her installation Tenderloin Dirt Harvest: Please be seated on the ground.

With permission of the City, Crispi harvested dirt from Boeddeker Park, a one-acre city-owned park in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district that is undergoing a major renovation. Crispi spent months testing the quality of the dirt and creating hundreds of test pieces, discovering that at just the right temperature the Tenderloin dirt melts and becomes a self glazing clay. Some of her pieces layer porcelain with the dirt, creating a stark contrast between the valuable — porcelain was once as valuable as gold — with the grotesque and soiled.