Oakland, CA – Better known for his fiction, Jack London was also a newspaperman who took reporting to heights better described as art. It’s only appropriate that a new gallery celebrating the connections between art and journalism be housed in the Square that bears his name. art@theOakbook is a gallery space from the creators of the Oakbook magazine. “Oakland Cooks,” an exhibition documenting Oakland’s kitchens opens at art@theOakbook on Friday August 28th and runs through October.
“We’re working to construct more than just buildings here in Jack London Square,” said Jim Ellis, managing principal of Ellis Partners LLC which, along with Transbay Holdings, is undertaking a $375 million redevelopment of Jack London Square. “We’re hoping to build community and part of that effort is supporting cultural opportunities such as art@theOakbook.”
The culture and art gallery is an extension of the the Oakbook’s commitment to quality, influential journalism. New exhibitions exploring the intersection of art, documentary, and reporting will appear every other month at art@theOakbook. The gallery seeks to encourage dialogue between artists and audiences, and to strengthen the bonds among Oakland’s residents through interdisciplinary art exhibitions.
“This is an exciting new venture for us that will illuminate the role that art plays in supporting the culturally and socially diverse communities that enrich Oakland,” said the Oakbook editor Alex Gronke. “We’re thrilled to be in Jack London Square, a place where so much growth will be taking place in the coming months.
art@theOakbook will be curated by the Oakbooks’s art critic Theo Konrad Auer. Born and raised in Oakland, Auer is the child of immigrant parents from Columbia and Germany. He has been a regular on the Bay Area art scene for years and his writing appears in such publications as Juxtapoz, Hi Fructose Magazine and SWEETART Magazine.
A new exhibition will open this Friday, August 28th, coinciding with the kickoff of the Eat Real Festival, a celebration of street food, fresh fruits, vegetables, and hand-crafted local food. “Oakland Cooks” features the work of three local photographers, the winners of last year’s Oakbook magazine photo contest. Each artist explores the delicious madness of Oakland cuisine with photographs of taco trucks, Cambodian kitchens, and other hidden secrets guaranteed to make you feel hungry.
As a soon-to-be regional destination for quality, sustainable food, Jack London Square is the perfect place for food arts and food fests. The Square is currently undergoing a one million square foot redevelopment that includes restaurants, entertainment, new parking facilities, and Class A office space. The new Jack London Square will enhance the Oakland waterfront and celebrate the revival of a dining district. The centerpiece of the redevelopment project will be the 70,000 square foot Jack London Market, scheduled to open in Spring of 2010. The market will be the largest of its kind on the West Coast, housing small businesses selling fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses and specialty products with an emphasis on local and sustainable practices. In addition to the public market, the building will house 100,000 square feet of Class A office space.
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About art@theOakbook:
The galleryis located at 423 Water Street and is open Wednesday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m. It is also open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, visitwww.theoakbook.com.
About Transbay Holdings:
Founded by long-time Oakland developer and community leader Jim Falaschi, Transbay Holdings has been involved in housing, industrial, and retail development with a focus on urban redevelopment throughout Northern California.
Founded by long-time Oakland developer and community leader Jim Falaschi, Transbay Holdings has been involved in housing, industrial, and retail development with a focus on urban redevelopment throughout Northern California.