Local Voices

Materials used in art can give us clues to the artist’s process, techniques, and ways of thinking. They can also spark our understanding of the artwork. Join our museum ambassadors Elisabeth, Kaitlin, and Leighanna as they discuss how and why various materials are used in three artworks in the Fine Arts Museums’ collections.

Objects: Gift basket, Blood and Meat: Survival for the World, Hot Water Urn

What do you see? What do you feel? Art can make us experience a range of emotions. This is one way that we connect to a work of art. In this episode, join our museum ambassadors Andrea, Ankhilan, and De’Yani as they talk about artworks that bring out strong emotions in viewers.

Objects: Superman, Two Women and a Child

How does visual density affect how you look at an artwork? Join our museum ambassadors Noelle, Raquel, and Zune as they uncover the meaning behind the patterns and embellishments found in Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula’s Children’s story (water dreaming for two children), Nick Cave’s Soundsuit, and the season sarcophagus.

Objects: Season sarcophagus, Children’s story, Soundsuit

What do your beliefs mean to you? How do objects represent your beliefs? Join our museum ambassadors Andrea, Ankhilan, and De’Yani as they highlight the multiple ways that objects in the Fine Arts Museums’ collections symbolize belief systems from around the world.

Objects: Torso of a God, Hornbill Mask, The Adoration of Magi

The second season of Local Voices features nine Bay Area teens as they reflect and share their own perspectives on objects from the Museums’ permanent collections. Through the themes of Belief, Density, Emotion, Material, Power, and Storytelling, the teens converse with curators, scholars, artists, and community members as well as family and friends to gain new insights and information.

Rio Yañez presents The Great Tortilla Conspiracy, a tortilla printmaking collective, that began their work at the de Young Museum in 2007 and have been silkscreening Frida's image on tortillas ever since. He shares their unique art process and new developments.

Jean Franco, a local Frida Kahlo look-alike actor,  has traveled the world bringing a bit of the beloved artist to every place. We learn about how they were discovered and the journey the likeness to an icon has brought them.

Local actor and comedian Marilet Martinez shares stories of growing up as a Chicana in the Mission District. She also discusses how strong and fearless Latinx women like Frida Kahlo inspired her career.

Astrosagas, local video producer and astrologist, talks about her parent’s journey, love of San Francisco, and Frida Kahlo's influence on art and politics.

Linda Gamino, Associate Director of Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco, opens up about her story of a tragic accident that affected her life, and the impact of Frida Kahlo in helping her overcome her disability.