Racial equity mural takes form in Redwood City

The meeting marked the last public outreach event to be held by the Art Commission’s eight-person steering committee after nearly a year of seeking public input on the city’s racial equity mural. Councilmemebers backed the art installation nearly two years ago, earmarking $100,000 for the project after thousands gathered in Courthouse Square to protest police brutality and racial discrimination in the summer of 2020.

The two projects — one proposed by San Francisco native Lucia Gonzalez Ippolito and the other by Oakland-based artist Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith — weave together the deep history of San Mateo County with more equitable hopes for the future. Whichever artist is selected will help transform the public’s vision into a mural along the both sides of the Jefferson Avenue underpass spanning more than 537 feet.

The artists

Gonzalez Ippolito, a Mexican-American artist and educator, said she deeply studied the county before drafting a chronological retelling of its history that touches on a number of cultural groups in the region and movements that have occurred over time.

“It was really educational for me to learn more about the history of the area and it was fun to draw,” Gonzalez Ippolito said, noting aspects of the draft could change as she continues to learn more and becomes influenced by the community.

As drafted, the county’s history would be told through the lens of a seventh grade boy as he receives lessons from his teacher and develops into an activist who continues the exchange of knowledge to younger generations.

Starting with the Ohlone, the indigenous people who inhabited the area, the student learns about traditional basket weaving and fishing practices of the tribe before the art piece shifts into the history of Spanish colonization and Mexican independence. Homage is also paid to Chinese fishermen, Japanese chrysanthemum growers, women suffragists, World War II veterans, Latino farm workers, the Civil Rights movement and struggles for equality seen today including the Black Lives Matter and anti-Asian hate movements.

“I’m so stoked about this. It’s so amazing how much you were able to pack into the wall and I’m super grateful for all the time and energy you put into this,” Arts Commissioner Erin Ashford said.

Wolfe-Goldsmith, an artist of Nigerian, Jewish and European descent, founder of Wolfe Pack Arts and creative director of the Bay Area Mural Program, also pulled from broader county history in creating her proposal which she said would continue to evolve after engaging with Redwood City residents.

While some key local figures have been incorporated into her mural design, like notable East Palo Alto youth mentor Bob Hoover and prominent education advocate Gertrude Wilks, Wolfe-Goldsmith said she’d like to incorporate other less known influencers who have instituted change in the area.

“If I’m selected as the artist, a lot of my work will be in getting deeper into the actual community of Redwood City, having meetings with people, kind of depending how personal the subject matter is because a lot of time it’s not necessarily the people you find online or in the history museum who have had a big impact on the city or who continue to impact the city,” Wolfe-Goldsmith said.

In her piece, Wolfe-Goldsmith threads modern representations of minority groups with historical aspects of their culture such as an empowered Asian woman juxtaposed next to reminders of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and chrysanthemum fields they nurtured but were forced to leave.

Messages of unity and collective progress are also reflected throughout the piece by incorporating phrases like the African proverbs “I am because we are” or imagery like the Lady of Justice painted with multiple skin colors.

“You know your history of Redwood City. I can see that, so, beautiful work,” Gato Rivera said, a Bay Area photographer based in Redwood City.

Continued engagement

Others who participated in the outreach session also shared high praise for both proposals during an outbreak session, said commissioners who led the discussions. Specifically, participants said they appreciated the rich history depicted in both pieces but were concerned viewing the completed piece would be difficult given that it would be placed in a high-trafficked area.

Next, the steering committee will review public comments and make a recommendation to the Arts Commission who will consider the two proposals in early April and make its own recommendation to the City Council. Councilmembers are expected to take up the issue on April 25 when additional public comment will be accepted.

Quintana encouraged the public to continue submitting feedback on the proposal through an online survey.

Once a final artist is selected and the artwork is complete, Quintana shared hope the community would be able to safely celebrate the project in person, about two years after officials set out to establish the mural. Recreation and Community Service Director Chris Beth said the city plans to properly maintain the piece well into the future, protecting it with anti-graffiti coating.

“Our intent is to maintain it and keep it fresh looking for a very very long time so this is a tremendous amount of effort and work that would go into it,” Beth said. “Our intent is to make it wonderful.”

Visit redwoodcity.org/departments/parks-recreation-and-community-services/racial-equity-mural for more information on the two proposals and to submit a public comment.

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 106