Peralta Pano
Oakland has been undergoing a transformation caused by an overflow of displaced San Francisco residents and Bay Area newbies who are settling here during the current gold rush. This is not the first time San Francisco residents have settled en masse in Oakland. In 1906 the population of Oakland nearly doubled with the influx of San Franciscans who became homeless due to the earthquake, settling primarily in West Oakland. We wonder what the locals were saying then as the present day occupants are confronting increasing property values and rent that is changing the culture of their neighborhoods.
Building prior to mural. Photography by Fuming Guerrila
One of the neighborhoods that has most visibly changed is West Oakland. The residential composition is changing as fast as its’ physical appearance. In 1869 West Oakland became the terminus the transcontinental railroad and the connection point for the train by ferry to San Francisco that later crossed the bay via the Oakland Bay Bridge. With the railroad came the creation of the shipping yards. By the turn of the century West Oakland was a lively area with a diverse population of Euro and Afro Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Mexicans and Irish who lived in Victorian cottages and maintained small businesses.
16th Street. Oakland Container Cranes. Photography by Fuming Guerrilla
Due to various economic and political reasons West Oakland over time became a predominately Afro-American community with some artists scattered throughout the area. Given its easy quick access to San Francisco that is one Bart stop away and the first freeway exit off the Oakland Bay Bridge, West Oakland is experiencing a renaissance. The once charming cottages and warehouses are being restored, apartment complexes are rising and businesses are popping up.
17th Steet. Freighter with the new bridge to the right. Photography by Street Art SF
Last year amoungst this activity, one of the largest murals in Oakland was commissioned and painted on Peralta at 16th Street. Wrist, an international shipping company based in Europe with offices around the world established a regional office in a masonry building on that block. Since the exterior of the building was frequently tagged, the company decided to confront the problem with a mural that would reflect their business, the long roots of the neighborhood and beautify the block. They contacted Fuming Guerrilla Productions that had recently arranged for several Oakland artists to paint a mural on the Oakland Museum Woman’s Board Elephant warehouse in Jingletown.
Perlata. 2014 is written to the left of the cabin window. 1991 was the year the movie “The Little Engine that Could” was released. Don’t know if there is a connection. Photography by Nite Owl
Fuming Guerilla lined up Chuck Norman known on the street as Vogue TDK to design and paint the mural. With Mike Bam as his right hand man and assistance from some seasoned and budding artists the mural was painted over the course of several weeks. The two short sides of the building reflect shipping activities while the long side showcases various types of rail cars beginning with the black engine emblazoned with TDK and ending with a classic red caboose. Various TDK crew members were invited to write and paint characters on the cars.
While the mural was painted in September and October we stopped by several times to watch the progress and speak with Vogue and Bam and any other artists who happened to be helping that day. Some days we spoke with interns and other days we were surprised to see SF artists who occasionally get up in the Mission Alleys.
Peralta. The names on the cars are what you see on the actual trains as well as construction details of the cars and wheels. Photography by Nite Owl
We learned that painting a train mural was a project Vogue had wanted to do for sometime. Seeing trains and painting on them is different from painting a realistic depiction of them. Bam, like Vogue has been painting on the streets in the SF Bay Area for years. He was grounded on the wall and not the train. He was tasked with learning about trains. He researched the people who originally built our western train system along with the history of their companies, what types of cars comprised their trains along with their purpose and the graffiti artists who were and are writing on the trains. Given this mural is located blocks from train tracks they did not have to travel far to study the real thing.
Since this mural was finished we notice that the train bug especially bit Mike. He enjoys taking photos of miniature cars that he and fellow artists have painted.
Peralta with Dream throwie by Vogue and writing with characters by King 157 and Jase. Photography by Nite Owl
Perlata – Red Caboose with Shomoe written by Done TDK. Notice the small details like the sea gulls.
The mural is on the West side of the street East facing so the optimal time to visit is in the morning. Street sweeping day is Friday. If you visit close to dusk you will see the background colors on the walls reflect the sky colors at sunset.
16th Street perspective. Photography by Street Art SF