Means of Exchange (25th & Telegraph)

spraypaint, drawing media, and thread on paper sculpture, vinyl, motor, and electronic components
approximately 72″ x 300″ x 180″
2015

Means of Exchange was developed through an Art+Practice+Ideas residency from Mills College and an Investing In Artists grant from the Center for Cultural Innovation. Special thanks go to Wayne at Telegraph Cleaners, Dave, Gary, and Tom at Econo Jam Records, and Mollie at the Alan Blueford Center for Justice for their participation in this project.

Means of Exchange (25th & Telegraph) is a series of sculptural engagements with businesses and storefront organizations on Telegraph at 25th Street in Oakland. In developing this project, Teruya created specific works which built upon or commissioned the skills and expertise of three businesses and organizations in the neighborhood, including a dry cleaner & tailor, vinyl record shop, and a community space dedicated to bringing to light issues of police brutality.

The project developed as a partnership with Patricia Sweetow, building upon the relationships she formed as she established Spun Smoke, (at that time) a retail and project space she established at the corner of 25th and Telegraph after her gallery was pushed out of San Francisco. Since the space is a newcomer to this incredibly diverse stretch of the city with a collection of small, mostly culturally specific storefronts, the sculptural engagements with the surrounding businesses are an opportunity to utilize artistic labor to recognize and invest in other forms of work and local knowledge.