The Arts Commission is aware that artists are being displaced at an alarming rate and is working to turn the trend around before it's too late. But one local artist, Zamiro Bennem, doesn't want to hear it.
"It might sound pompous or cocky or what, but I really don't think we [artists] should be looking for any help," said Bennem, who paints under the name Urban Picasso. "Just get out there with your artwork."
That's exactly what Bennem did four years ago when he moved to San Francisco from Orange County. Unable to find a gallery or museum willing to display his artwork, he began turning boarded up storefronts on Market Street into his own 'Free Art Show,' hanging his work for passersby.
But Bennem wasn't just looking for sales opportunities. He wanted honest feedback. "In this neighborhood, people will tell you the truth. 'That one's no good, I like that one, I like this one, I hate this one.' So that's really what spurred the art show."
And it was an instant success. "The first day I sold three out of four paintings. Put them out there and boom, quick."
Years later, the visibility he's created for himself in Mid-Market, with the help of Instagram and Twitter, is leading to new opportunities with local businesses in the area. Equator Coffee at Sixth and Market recently hired Bennem to paint a new mural in the space. The piece, located to the left just inside the front door, is titled 'Love Potion Number 9' and features vivd abstract flowers, which Bennem has been drawing since he was a child.
A diverse selection of his work is also on display just blocks away at cannabis dispensary Bloom Room, which is a major supporter of his art, Bennem said. Through October you'll find his take on pop art, with pieces featuring political references, L.A. street culture and familiar pop-culture characters recreated.
Bennem's experience living on Sixth Street also feeds into his work. "I definitely get inspiration from just the neighborhood in general, what we're gong through, what I'm going through, gentrification, the homeless situation ... Being here for four years, I've seen people go through it. Come up, come down and then come back up again ..."
While Bennem said exhibiting in galleries and other traditional art venues may still happen one day, his Free Art Show is only growing, so that's where he's focusing for now. And with the holiday season just around the corner, you can expect to see him out there much more frequently, with even more pieces.
If you'd like to check out the goods, you'll regularly find Bennem and his "gallery" at Seventh and Market (on the multi-colored vacant storefront next to The Hall), on the first block of Turk Street behind the Warfield building or at the Henry Hotel. He also has an Etsy page, which shows paintings ranging from $60-$250 in price.
