A new public art installation, called Fencelines, redefines the only barrier separating Richmond’s residential neighborhoods from the Chevron oil refinery: a wire fence.
“It is a participatory project meant to engage folks and get a message to Chevron, but also gather visions that offer a future that is different and will hopefully transform this situation,” says Graham Laird Prentice, one of the co-creators of the installation.
Fencelines incorporates community-painted slats along the fence, which is also decorated with ribbons intended to indicate which way the wind is blowing. Pollution from the Chevron Richmond Refinery, also the largest greenhouse gas emitter in California, doesn’t confine itself to the refinery’s side of the fence.
In addition to transforming the actual fence, Fencelines also occupies space at the Richmond Art Center, where visitors can find a sculptural fence with more painted slats. During free community events held at the center, people can come and decorate their own slats with messages regarding their feelings around Chevron, the Richmond community, and climate justice to place on the fence.
This past April, photographer Lonny Meyer attended Spring Family Day to document how a community coming together for a day of art, positivity, and love can also be an act of resilience against environmental injustice.
The event produced an incredibly positive turnout according to Laird Prentice, but he has been mostly moved by what the voices of the community have had to say. “The messages have been incredible. They’re about climate justice, but they’re more specifically about community care, self care, and love. The way they’ve all been woven together–there’s a deep humanity in it. We could have never predicted how powerful it would be to give over the microphone.”
On Monday, repairs on Guillermo the Golden Trout, which hangs above the Richmond Art Center on Barrett Avenue, was completed.
A small team replaced two metal scales on the 50-foot-long fish. The repair is in honor of the fish’s 25th anniversary at Richmond Art Center.
This reporter was admitted to the rooftop to get a bird’s eye of the fish sculpture.
Richmond Art Center Executive Director Jose Rivera expressed excitement over the repairs.
“We had been working for months for to get the parts,” Rivera said. “Our team and the City government did a wonderful job to help make this amazing day finally happen.”
RAC Community Engagement Director Amy Spencer noted that once the scaffolding had been put in place, two scales were repaired. One had fallen off and had been lost.
Luckily the artist had a single replacement at her studio. The other one had become bent out of shape, possibly from the wind, and needed to be flattened.
“The replacement scale was the important part…the fish had gone many years with a hole in the middle of it where the missing scale had been,” Spencer said.
Guillermo the Golden Trout embodies artist Andrée Singer Thompson’s ongoing concern with healing and survival. The artist chose California’s state fish – the golden trout – as a symbol of hope, since at the time it had just been declassified as endangered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
“I made it because I was involved in the environment, Thompson said. “I am extremely happy it has lasted so long hanging at the Richmond Art Center.”
It was installed at Richmond Art Center in 1997 as part of Thompson’s ‘Making Waves’ interactive EcoArt installation. Messages of hope from the community are inscribed on the back of the fish’s scales. The eye is made of a metal lampshade. It was made from 800 pounds of recycled metal and is 50 feet long. Guillermo was repainted back in 2008.
On Saturday, Aug. 5, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., a free community party will be held at the Richmond Art Center (2540 Barrett Ave.) called “Go Fish! Celebrating 25 Years of Guillermo, the Golden Trout.”
The RAC states: “Join us for a community party to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Andrée Singer Thompson’s iconic fish sculpture that adorns Richmond Art Center’s building. We’ll be wishing Guillermo, the Golden Trout happy birthday with art-making, games, live music, auction and cake.”
Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA
FREE
A conversation about the work of Andrés Cisneros-Galindo as an artist, educator and activist. Cisneros-Galindo’s artwork is on view at Richmond Art Center in the exhibition Nahui Ollin.
Panelists: Andrés Cisneros-Galindo, Yadira Cazares, Simon Kendrick, Pam Martin
This event is free, open to all and no rsvp is necessary.
Top image: Andrés Cisneros-Galindo, Mictlan, 1998, Oil and mixed media on canvas
Press Release: Juneteenth Paint and Sip at Richmond Art Center
Saturday, June 3, 4pm-7pm | FREE Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond Event webpage: richmondartcenter.org/paintandsip
Richmond, CA: Paint, sip and celebrate Juneteenth! Artisan Elishes Cavness will guide you through the steps to paint your own masterpiece. No experience necessary.
All materials and light refreshments provided by Richmond Art Center.
This event is for adults 21 years of age or older. Advance registration is required and space is limited. Visit richmondartcenter.org/paintandsip to sign up.
About Richmond Art Center: For over 80 years, Richmond Art Center has served the residents of Richmond and surrounding communities through studio arts education programs, exhibitions, off-site classes, and special initiatives for community-wide impact. Richmond Art Center’s mission is to be a catalyst in Richmond for learning and living through art. richmondartcenter.org
Announcing these family workshops for kids and their grown-ups to make art together.
Ages 5+ welcome with an adult | Ages 12+ welcome solo
La instrucción en español estará disponible.
Registration required. Workshops are available until full. Registered students are responsible for communicating if they can no longer attend the workshop at least one week in advance of withdrawing.
Fabric Marbling
Saturday, June 10, 1pm-3pm
Craft swirling patterns using the ancient art of marbling to decorate a journal, pencil case, and ornament!
Estos talleres familiares son para que los niños y sus adultos hagan arte juntos.
Mayores de 5 años bienvenidos con un adulto | Mayores de 12 años bienvenidos solos
La instrucción en español estará disponible.
Se requiere registro. Las clases están disponibles hasta completar. Los estudiantes registrados son responsables de comunicar si ya no pueden asistir al taller al menos una semana antes de retirarse.
Marmoleado de Tela
Sábado, 10 de junio, 1pm-3pm
¡Crea patrones de remolinos utilizando el antiguo arte del marmoleado para decorar un diario, un estuche para lápices y un adorno!
Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA
Join artists Anne Wolf, Lisa Levine and Ana Llorente for a walkthrough tour of the exhibition ENOUGH Considered.
Anne Wolf invites visitors to stay after the walkthrough to participate in a Stitch n’ Bitch where they can collectively stitch on a large-scale banner that is part of the exhibition (until 2pm).
Celebrating 25 Years of Guillermo the Golden Trout
Saturday, August 5, 1pm-4pm | FREE
Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond
Join us for a community party to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Andrée Singer Thompson’s iconic sculpture, Guillermo the Golden Trout.
Go Fish! will honor Singer Thompson and wish Guillermo a happy birthday with a so-FISH-ticated line-up of activities including fishing games, fish art-making, live music by Sueños Jazz, and food by Richmond restaurant El Sol. Guests will also have the opportunity to learn about Guillermo the Golden Trout and Andrée Singer Thompson’s artistic practice through an exhibition of her work. (In preparation for the big day Guillermo the Golden Trout received a light revamp earlier this year.)
About the Work: Guillermo the Golden Trout is the prominent fish sculpture that adorns Richmond Art Center’s building. At 50 feet long and weighing 800 pounds, the vibrantly colored sculpture made a big splash when it was installed in 1997 as part of Singer Thompson’s Making Waves – A Ripple Effect exhibition. The work became a permanent installation after it was purchased by Mayor Rosemary Corbin for the City of Richmond using the mayor’s beautification fund. Twenty-five years later Guillermo the Golden Trout is a local landmark, and shorthand for visitors needing directions to Richmond Art Center: “Go to Richmond’s Civic Center and look for the big fish!”
This event is free and open to all.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Go Fish! is Richmond Art Center’s first in-person fundraiser since the pandemic. This event is free, but we’re also selling ‘Golden (Trout) Tickets’ to those who can show their support. Please consider purchasing a ticket for yourself and a community member to enjoy the event. Funds raised will go towards Richmond Art Center’s annual fund, so we can continue to achieve our mission and ensure everyone in our community can experience the benefits of making and engaging with art.
Golden (Trout) Ticket holders enjoy special perks at Go Fish! including a complimentary Guillermo tote bag with goodies and the satisfaction of singing “I’ve got a golden (trout) ticket!’
Jan and Byron Brown – in memory of Gay Parker and the RACettes
Rosemary and Douglas Corbin
FRIEND OF THE FISH ($500+)
M.A. Hays Co.
Martin McNair and Margi Cellucci
Susan Wittenberg
Ninomiya – Koda Charitable Foundation
James Wheeler and Joyce Shon
Top image: Guillermo drawing by Francisco Rojas
Español
Go Fish!
Una fiesta comunitaria para celebrar los 25 años de Guillermo, the Golden Trout
Sábado, 5 de agosto, 1pm-4pm | GRATIS
Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond
Únase a nosotros en una fiesta comunitaria para celebrar el 25.º aniversario de la icónica escultura de pez de Andrée Singer Thompson que adorna el edificio del Centro de Arte de Richmond. Le estaremos deseando feliz cumpleaños a Guillermo, the Golden Trout con arte, juegos, música en vivo, subasta y pastel.
Teaching Artist Eli Africa captured some amazing caricatures of folk who attended Spring Family Day at Richmond Art Center. Check out his work in this fun video!!
