Art by Aziz puts art, eyes on the streets of downtown Oakland
Eyes on Franklin and 14th streets
For more than 12 hours a day, seven days a week, Aziz Diagne sits in his studio at Franklin and 14th Street.
During the day these are busy streets, and large windows allow him to see the mix of people walking, driving and biking by; but it also allows them to see him.
While the rest of Oakland is hurrying to lunch or the post office, Diagne is laying lines and texture to leaves of paper. As waves of people scurry to BART in the evening, music spills out the door and Diagne is putting paint to glass. And amazingly, late at night, every night, when most of downtown Oakland's day time population is back in other parts of the city, Diagne is still there. His studio shines like a beacon of life on an otherwise empty and dark part of town.
Diagne recounted one evening when he was working in his studio late. From his vantage point at the intersection, he saw a woman walking alone down one street. They both saw a male figure in her path, and the woman was clearly anxious. Diagne recognized the man as a regular, even recalling where his car was parked. The woman and Diagne made eye contact, and he gave her his big smile and a thumbs up. It broke her anxiety and she crossed the street unscathed.
The idea of having a friendly smile and welcoming space late at night is a primary principle behind Art by Aziz. The Joyce Gordon Gallery, long familiar with Diagne's work, invited him to create a positive presence on the dark and sometimes lonely corner. Urban designers call this "putting eyes on the street" - having transparent windows, people and activity visible along sidewalks makes the sidewalks and streets themselves feel safer.
"It was the right time for me, the right combination, the space is here, so we made an arrangement," Diagne said.
Art by Aziz wasn't slated to open until 2011, but on Dec. 18, he rounded up his supplies and moved in early. He's been there ever since, even as other works of art starting appearing in the empty space across Franklin Street. Diagne is preparing to put new works in the windows of the former home of Awaken Cafe nearby. He said there is value in putting art in empty storefronts and explained how making places look open, safe and welcoming supports businesses nearby.
By that logic, putting himself in this formerly empty space was a tremendous boost to the entire neighborhood. The studio's official hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., but he's often there much later.
"If I had something to make tea, maybe I'd stay even later," he said. And when asked why he never took days off, he laughed. "This is church for me."
Diagne has big plans for the studio. The current works are largely painted glass.
Diagne has lived in New Orleans, among other places, and has collected windows from abandoned homes decimated by Katrina ("anything tongue and groove, handmade"). He paints onto the back of the glass, constructing the image in reverse, creating a powerful spectacle. Other painted glass pieces (including shower doors and bowls) adorn the walls, but Diagne is already planning their replacements. He intends to change out the exhibit every month, sending his pieces to similar spaces in Oakland and his other exhibits around the world.
The painted glass is technically and visually impressive, but Diagne's real passion is printing. His explanation of carving, dripping and varnishing seems simple, but the results are anything but. He enjoys teaching printing to children, hoping to ensure they never grow to fear color. But mostly, he looks forward to bringing a more formal press into the studio.
"Either someone is going to give me one or I'll build one myself. I'm not going to wait that long." He already has the parts he needs bookmarked on his computer, and he sketches the printing machine as easily as the abstract figures and shapes that sit in stacks on his desk. For now, his linoleum and plywood process will do.
The impact to passersby of his presence isn't lost on Diagne. People often come by, just to say thanks for being there, in addition to admiring his work. Mayor Jean Quan was at the gallery's official grand opening on Feb. 4, where people overflowed from Art by Aziz and the Joyce Gordon Gallery's other spaces along 14th Street.
"People extend themselves to say thank you for coming to my neighborhood, to my corner," Diagne said. "They don't just give you a compliment to make you feel good ... . It feels promising."
The painted glass pieces currently displayed in Art by Aziz range from $1,500 to $7,000. The watercolors and inks are around $900. For the more casual art connoisseur, notecards featuring his prints are available for $3. Art by Aziz is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, and is located at 400 14th Street.
About Ruth Miller
