Tag: activism

Bold, colorful street art in Sherman Heights.

Sun shines on dynamic mural at Golden Hill Market and Liquor in Sherman Heights.
Sun shines on dynamic mural at Golden Hill Market and Liquor in Sherman Heights.

Here are two boldly painted murals in Sherman Heights, a neighborhood just east of downtown San Diego. I photographed the first mural at 21st Street and Market Street several few days ago. I took my first picture of the second mural last May as I watched the local All-American Soap Box Derby on hilly 25th Street. Since then, the painted boards seem to have been removed from the market wall, and shifted a bit to the left behind a tree. You can see shadows in the two more recent photos.

According to my research, both of these distinctive works of street art were created under the direction of local artist Mario Torero. His passionate artwork, often depicting political themes and civil rights activists, can also be seen at Chicano Park in Barrio Logan, Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park, and elsewhere around San Diego.

Sherman Heights residents painted this wall in 1980, with help from local artist Mario Torero.
Young residents of Sherman Heights painted this wall in 1980, with help from local artist Mario Torero.
Aztec imagery is a colorful part of the artwork.
Aztec imagery is a colorful part of the artwork.
The 35 year old mural remains vivid, having been restored several times due to graffiti.
The 35 year old mural is vivid, having been restored several times due to graffiti.
Words above people read Barrio Sherman Mural Unidos.
Words above people read Barrio Sherman Mural Unidos.
Lively images cover pipes, meter box and a door.
Lively images cover pipes, meter box and a door.
Latino-themed mural shows respect for education.
Latino-themed mural shows respect for education.
K St. Market on 25th Street with mural designed by local artist Mario Torero.
K St. Market on 25th Street with mural designed by local artist Mario Torero.
Face enveloped by color shows confident character.
Face enveloped by color shows confident character.
The Barrio is a Garden was painted on wood in 2010 in Sherman Heights.
The Barrio is a Garden was painted on wood in 2010 in Sherman Heights.
Brightly painted street bench on 25th Avenue in Sherman Heights.
Brightly painted street bench on 25th Avenue in Sherman Heights.

…

To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

Wasted grocery food turns to art in Balboa Park.

A little diving in San Diego grocery store dumpsters yielded lots of good food.
A little diving in San Diego grocery store dumpsters yielded lots of good food.

A unique event took place today. It was extremely unusual, fun and enlightening.

Rob Greenfield is an activist working to persuade grocery stores to donate expired foods to local food banks and hunger relief charities like Feeding America. His effort is called Donate Don’t Dump. To raise awareness, he has created unusual, colorful works of art in various cities, using perfectly good food he’s found while dumpster diving.

As part of my walk today, I took a few pics of Rob and his friends creating a fantastic bit of artwork on the grass in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

He told me that some grocery chains are better than others at donating their expired foods. He explained food retailers have nothing to fear from lawsuits should someone sicken from food poisoning, because of the federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.  $165 billion dollars of food is wasted each year, enough to fill two Rose Bowl stadiums every single day, according to Rob!

Once the art had been admired, bystanders were invited to eat! The food was great!

Wasted food includes vegetables, baked goods and expired packaged items.
Wasted food includes vegetables, baked goods and expired packaged items.
Rob Greenfield checks salvaged food to be assembled into activist art in Balboa Park.
Rob Greenfield checks salvaged food to be assembled into activist art in Balboa Park.
Rob Greenfield explains his goals on a bench, with Casa del Prado arches in the background.
Rob Greenfield explains his goals on a bench, with Casa del Prado arches in the background.
Laying out the food articles into an elaborate, very colorful design has begun!
Laying out the food articles into an elaborate, very colorful design has begun!
A crowd watches near the Botanical Building as the food creation nears completion.
A crowd watches near the Botanical Building as the artistic food creation nears completion.
Rob Greenfield explains that more needs to be done to save perfectly good food.
Rob Greenfield explains that more needs to be done to save perfectly good food.

…

To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook. or follow me on Twitter.

Cool mechanical shark street mural in East Village!

Cool mechanical shark on parking lot wall behind Undisputed Fitness Center in East Village.
Cool mechanical shark on parking lot wall behind Undisputed Fitness Center in East Village.

A super cool street mural was recently painted in downtown San Diego’s East Village. I checked it out this morning!

Located on a parking lot wall behind Undisputed Fitness, at the corner of 16th Street and K Street, this large work of art really catches your attention and draws you in for a closer examination!

The image of a mechanical shark, operated from the inside by some sinister-looking people, was painted by Sheffield-based muralist Phlegm. I’ve never seen his work before, but apparently he often depicts similarly weird scenes, described as half-childlike, half-menacing. This particular mural was created as an act of “artivism” for PangeaSeed, an international environmental organization whose mission is to help preserve sharks and other marine species, through art and education. Sharks are being maimed and killed in large numbers for their fins, which are cut off the still-living animals and used to make shark fin soup and traditional medical cures in China.

Street artist Phlegm painted this for PangeaSeed’s Sea Walls Murals for Oceans.
Street artist Phlegm painted this unusual shark  for PangeaSeed’s Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans.
Shadowy, mysterious people secretly operate the black and white mechanical shark.
Shadowy, mysterious people secretly operate the black and white mechanical shark.
Phlegm often paints masked figures controlling odd contraptions in this illustrative style.
Phlegm often paints masked figures controlling odd contraptions in this illustrative style.

…

To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

Colorful scenes from San Diego’s MLK parade.

Here come some San Diego firefighters.
Here come some San Diego firefighters.

This afternoon I enjoyed watching a good portion of San Diego’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.  Every January, MLK’s dream of racial equality is celebrated downtown in one of the largest parades of its kind in the United States.  The parade route runs down Harbor Drive on San Diego’s waterfront.

I got a whole lot of photos.  Please feel free to share and enjoy them!

Crowd gathers for annual San Diego MLK parade.
Crowd gathers for annual San Diego MLK parade.
MLK Parade kicks off with many local politicians.
MLK Parade kicks off with many local politicians.
A cool police car fitted with hydraulics.
A cool police car fitted with hydraulics.
A vintage fire truck rolls down Harbor Drive.
A vintage fire truck rolls down Harbor Drive.
This cute little dog is a member of law enforcement.
This cute little dog is a member of law enforcement.
Watching the parade from the announcer platform.
Watching the parade from the announcer platform.
Goodies are handed out by an MLK Parade participant.
Goodies are handed out by an MLK Parade participant.
Candidate for San Diego Mayor, David Alvarez.
Candidate for San Diego Mayor, David Alvarez.
A huge Homeland Security armored vehicle.
A huge Homeland Security armored vehicle.
Border Patrol agents on all-terrain vehicles.
Border Patrol agents on all-terrain vehicles.
Coast Guard patrol boat towed along parade route.
Coast Guard patrol boat towed along parade route.
Patriotic colors precede bagpipes.
Patriotic colors precede bagpipes.
Attending to sound board beside the announcers.
Attending to sound board beside the announcers.
People watch parade from hotel balconies across the street.
People watch parade from hotel balconies across the street.
Here comes the Gadsden Elementary School marching band.
Here comes the Gadsden Elementary School marching band.
Tuba players march in the San Diego MLK parade.
Tuba players march in the San Diego MLK parade.
Gecko celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. birthday.
Gecko celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. birthday.
Crowd enthused by a great parade performance.
Crowd enthused by a great parade performance.
A dance routine on Harbor Drive.
A dance routine on Harbor Drive.
Kids perform a fun routine for MLK Parade onlookers.
Kids perform a fun routine for MLK Parade onlookers.
Looking very elegant.
Looking very elegant.
The UCSD band passes by.
The UCSD band passes by.
Young kids have difficulty with SDSU letters.
Young kids have difficulty with SDSU letters.
SDSU Aztec Warrior at MLK Parade in San Diego.
SDSU Aztec Warrior at MLK Parade in San Diego.
Veterans for Peace parade a drone.
Veterans for Peace parade a drone.
Members of a lodge parade on by to loud cheers.
Members of a lodge parade on by to loud cheers.
Marchers honor the Martin Luther King Jr. dream.
Marchers honor the Martin Luther King Jr. dream.
Colorful dancers from the House of Panama.
Colorful dancers from the House of Panama.
Drummers perform with pride on parade route.
Drummers perform with pride on parade route.
Poster on side of truck shows historic MLK speech.
Poster on side of truck shows historic MLK speech.
Some guys having fun in yellow mini cars.
Some guys having fun in yellow mini cars.
Inflatable float from USS Midway Museum.
Inflatable float from USS Midway Museum.
Children determined to achieve great things.
Children determined to achieve great things.
Another fun performance by kids for the parade announcers.
Another fun performance by kids for the parade announcers.
Banner holders stand up for human dignity.
Banner holders stand up for human dignity.
Music and youthful energy on parade.
Music and youthful energy on parade.
Folks in back of a truck celebrate MLK and his dream.
Folks in back of a truck celebrate MLK and his dream.
King and Queen of San Diego MLK Parade.
King and Queen of San Diego MLK Parade.
A beautiful parade queen waves to the large crowd.
A beautiful parade queen waves to the large crowd.
Pooches with American flag bandanas.
Pooches with American flag bandanas.
Mr. Black San Diego greets the crowd.
Mr. Black San Diego greets the crowd.
Inspirational messages head down the Embarcadero.
Inspirational messages head down the Embarcadero.
Students from City College are agents of change.
Students from City College are agents of change.
A smiling beauty perched high atop a parade float.
A smiling beauty perched high atop a parade float.
MLK impersonator relives speech at Lincoln Memorial.
MLK impersonator recreates famous speech at Lincoln Memorial.

Click to follow the Cool San Diego Sights blog on Twitter or Facebook!

Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior visits San Diego.

greenpeace rainbow warrior with free the arctic banner

This afternoon, during my Sunday walk, I was surprised to see the Rainbow Warrior, the well-known ship of the activist group Greenpeace, docked down on the Embarcadero.  It seems they were visiting San Diego, and loads of people were streaming onto the ship for tours.  I had my camera with me so I snapped some pics.

This first photo shows the bow of the ship.  A banner proclaims Free The Arctic.

visitors board the greenpeace rainbow warrior ship

Look at all the folks in line!  I saw lots of young idealists with clipboards and older hipsters in line.  Several signs and displays were set up on the walkway promoting the Greenpeace mission.

ocean safe tuna now banner between masts of rainbow warrior

Strung between the masts was a transparent banner reading OCEAN SAFE TUNA NOW.  It was so large that it was visible several blocks away.