Jessica Sabogal

Jessica Sabogal (born 1987) is a queer Colombian-American muralist and stencil spray paint artist who is currently active in the Bay Area.[1] She's best known for her "Women Are Perfect! (If You Let Them)" visual campaign[2] which she created as an artist in residence in 2014 at the Galeria de la Raza, and she is currently active in the "We The People" public art campaign created in collaboration with Shepard Fairey.[3][4]

Life and Timeline

Sabogal was born and raised in San Francisco, California.[5] She is the daughter of Colombian immigrants who came to America for a better education and to escape the normalization of violence and terror caused by the Pablo Escobar drug market.[6] She graduated from UC San Diego in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and became involved in stencil spray painting. Soon after, she began to publicly display and sell her artwork locally on the East Coast.[7][8] Her first solo exhibition entitled "Womyn So Empowered Are Dangerous" opened in Northampton, Massachusetts in 2010 and later that year Sabogal opened her first Bay Area exhibition entitled "La Mujer Es Mi Religion".[9] This same year, Sabogal received one of her earliest major commissions from Penguin Books in which she designed the 20th anniversary cover of Dorothy Allison's novel Bastard Out of Carolina that was released a year later.[10] Soon after, she became the first female artist to be commissioned by Facebook to paint a series of panels at their headquarters in Menlo Park.[11] Her work has also been part of Facebook's "Getting More Women in Tech" video.[12] Sabogal has since displayed her works in exhibitions throughout Oakland and San Francisco.[13] She also has previously been sponsored by major spray paint supplier Montana Cans.[13] She has also designed pieces for the artist's collective Unceded Voices, an Anti-Colonial Street Artist's Convergence based in Montréal for indigenous and women of color street artists.[14] In 2014, Sabogal became the first artist in residence and mural coordinator for the Galería de La Raza, a non-profit arts organization which features Latinx and indigenous artistic identity in San Francisco's Mission District.[15][16]

Sabogal paves the way for fellow women artists, not only through her recognition but through extending a hand and including them in her projects. In an interview titled “ITW #2- Jessica Sabogal” Sabogal states she works in a male dominated area of art and loves to teach female volunteers when she can. Providing them with the skills necessary to speak their truths and tell their stories. Throughout this interview Sabogal is working on a piece called Justice for All Indigenous Women. After she completes her work Sabogal expresses, “Basically, when I walk into a museum or gallery... I never see myself represented in art. And so, a lot of the subjects…and things that I chose for research and then paint on are ways that I can see myself in art. And that’s being a woman of color, a queer, a daughter of immigrants.”[17] This is important because Sabogal is telling the story of people who do not have a platform to speak on. In addition, each piece provides insight into the person she is, because she connects to them on some level.

Selected works

"Women Are Perfect! (If You Let Them)"

In 2014 Sabogal held an artistic campaign entitled "Women Are Perfect!", an exhibition hosted by the Galería de la Raza which featured much of her own work in addition to pieces submitted by 27 other self-identifying women of color from across the nation.[16] This campaign was meant to serve as a tribute to female identity, specifically to the lived experiences of indigenous women and women of color who have been left out of the prevailing narrative of "womanhood".[7]

"Women Are Perfect Mural"

Women Are Perfect Mural is a 45’ x 9' mural painted in 2013 to honor the women who were most affected by Colombia's 49-year long civil war.[18] This mural depicts four different women in a blue background. The first girl from the left is a teenager who wears a hat. She is looking at the sky without a smile on her face but full of worries and sufferings from the war. The second girl from the left is The Middle Eastern woman with the veil. She looks like a brave figure who's calling out people to resist and fight. Just like the figure represents, during the civil war, there were lots of women who were encouraging and dedicated for social improvements. For example, In the OFP (Women's Popular Organization), women fought against the limits to rights and freedoms, and they engaged in connecting displaced women and families to provide basic services and train young women to develop leadership.[19] The little girl on the right side of The Middle Eastern woman is also wearing a hat. She's laughing freely with the pure, innocent and carefree smile on her face. The last woman on the right is placing her gaze with firmness. She is Karmen Ramirez Boscan, a leader of the Wayuu indigenous people of La Guajira, Colombia. In this mural, she's the symbol for women's rights and the female voice that's not heard in the mainstream media.[5] These four women represent the major population of women. In the society, there are women with worries and fear who need help and protection. There are strong women who are ready to fight the fight and take actions to deal with the struggles. There are hopeful, innocent, and pure women who should be respected, appreciated, instead of being sexualized. There are also faithful and brave women who want their voice to be heard. Sadly the Colombian society did not give women a chance to be seen and to be heard. Their feelings were not noticed, and the efforts they paid were ignored.

Sabogal wishes to use this mural to show the values of women. Women not only have lower social status, but they are also suffering from the violence against them, from both rape and intimate partner violence. It brings them both short and long-term problems, including physical injury and illness, psychological symptoms, and, in extreme cases, death.[20] After learning that 18% of Colombian women were victims of sexual violence between 2001 and 2009, Sabogal wanted to use this piece of art to encourage women to embrace their perfection and criticize the crimes against humanity.[18] This mural is simple but powerful. It delivers the message that women are great, and they should be loved, respected, honored, and deeply remembered.

"Justice for All Indigenous Women"

When commissioned for a mural in Canada Sabogal began to research further into events of concern in the area. According to Sabogal, she quickly discovered “3,000 indigenous women had been missing or murdered since 1980.”[17] Further disturbing to her findings is that indigenous women are more likely to be victims of this type of violence. In 2014, Sabogal created the mural Justice for All Indigenous Women. It was a beautiful product calling attention to a serious issue. The colors of this piece are incredibly bold, which is the intent of Sabogal. She wants to catch the attention of the public, “even if it’s subliminally.” At the center of this piece is a smiling indigenous woman. This social issue now has a face, creating the empathy that Sabogal hoped to achieve through her work.

"Our Existence Will No Longer Be Silenced..."

One of Sabogal's larger projects is a 30 foot tall mural located in Montreal.[21] Created in 2015 during the annual Decolonizing Street Art Convergence, it depicts a lesbian couple alongside with the quote "Our Existence Will No Longer Be Silenced, we require no explanations, apologies, or approvals".[7] The foundational image used for this mural is also a part of Shepard Fairley's "We The People" Public Art Campaign and has become a popular political image and poster in the queer and activist community.[22]

"Este Barrio No Se Vende (This Neighborhood is Not For Sale)"

On June 9, 2018, Sabogal's mural that depicts artist and activist Ella Mendoza was unveiled. The mural titled "Este Barrio No Se Vende (This Neighborhood is Not For Sale)" was painted in Salt Lake City. Sabogal states that she prefers to work in smaller towns, like Salt Lake City, because she feels that the artwork has a larger impact and that this impact is felt more intensely by the viewer. The mural was made for the people in the community that had lived and worked for many generations in the western Salt Lake area. Sabogal states that her main goal for the mural is "...to make you curious about your apprehension to the work, to sit in it and have the uncomfortable conversations about it."[23]

"In This Classroom, There Are No Walls"

In February 2019, Sabogal revealed a mural titled "In This Classroom, There Are No Walls" that was painted at California State University San Marcos. The mural is located in the school's Kellogg Library and it covers 760 square feet of a wall on a stairwell. The mural depicts six students and alumni that attend the school and they were chosen in order to represent the different nationalities, identities, sexualities, genders, abilities, and other walks of life that students in the school may face. Sabogal states that, "When I envisioned this mural, well before I ever met the students who would be featured, I didn't want to portray joy – even though it may evoke joy, validation or visibility for others – I wanted the mural to evoke a fearlessness in the subjects, who were stoic and serious about being a united front regardless of their identities and standing behind the message." [24]

"Protect Our Trans Daughters"

"Protect our trans daughters" is a mural painted by graffiti artist Jessica Sabogal and Shanna Strauss in honor of Chyna Gibson, who was murdered in New Orleans. A grand opening of the mural (located on the side of the Lavender Library in Sacramento, California) was held on March 31, 2018, to "coincide with the internationally recognized event known as the Transgender Day of Visibility, a day dedicated to celebrating the transgender community and raising awareness of discrimination faced by trans people worldwide." [25] The mural is of Gibson's mother holding her up with her hands, with the statement of her mother's willingness to not just proudly support Gibson but to "uplift her in life through acknowledgment of well-being, identity, and spirit." [26] The mural sheds light on the trials and tribulations Black trans women are currently experiencing today. It is a political message from Sabogal that cannot be denied or ignored because the message is placed publicly for everyone to see. Sabogal asserts that "Muralism brings validation instead of trying to take something from us." [27]

List of Works and Exhibitions
Title Year Location Type
Womyn So Empowered Are Dangerous 2010 Northampton, Massachusetts Solo Exhibition
"La Mujer Es Mi Religión" 2010 Oakland, California Solo Exhibition
Bastard out of Carolina 2011 None Book Cover Design
Facebook Panels 2011 Facebook Headquarters - Menlo, Park Diva-themed panels
Tribute to Egypt 2010/2011 None Stencil Ill
Women are Perfect! (If You Let Them) 2014 La Galeria de La Raza Collaborative Exhibition
Unknown 2013 Bogotá, Colombia Mural
Youth So Educated Are Dangerous 2013/2014 24th and Bryant, San Francisco Collaborative Mural
Better Than Perfect 2013 Betti Ono Gallery, Oakland Solo Exhibition
Justice for All Indigenous Women 2014 Montréal, unceded territory Mural
Los Hijos of the Revolution 2015 Stevenson and 6th, San Francisco Mural
Perfection Is My Right 2015 Stevenson and 6th, San Francisco Mural
We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For 2015 Downtown Oakland Mural
Our existence will be no longer silenced. We require no explanations, apologizes or approval. 2015 Montréal, unceded Kanien'kéhá:ka and Algonquin territories Mural
Toypurina 2015 Mission Cultural Center's Mural
Los Gordos 2016 MACLA Mural
Womxn Are Perfect![28][29] 2016 Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, California Group Exhibition
White Supremacy is Killing Me 2017 Montréal, unceded Kanien'kéhá:ka and Algonquin territories Mural
Protect Our Trans Daughters 2018 Sacramento, California Mural
In This Classroom, There Are No Walls[24] 2019 California State University, San Marcos, California Mural
gollark: Yes, in my notes page.
gollark: For instance: what happened to the civilization who made it? Why did they use APL and was this related to their downfall? Do any other pieces work? Can it be repaired somehow? Does anyone have command keys?
gollark: Anyway, you could do lots of things with this.
gollark: Java, probably.
gollark: It's barely functional and somehow the remaining bit which is still usable is an APL interface.

References
  1. Noveno, Creo (July 25, 2016). "Women to Watch: Jessica Sabogal (interview)". KQED Arts. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  2. "Women Are Perfect! (If You Let Them)", Galería de la Raza, 2014, retrieved June 14, 2019
  3. "We the People: public art for the inauguration and beyond". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  4. Solis, Steph (January 16, 2017). "Shepard Fairey's inauguration poster: The meaning behind the 'We the People' art". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  5. "Catching up with Jessica Sabogal :: C3 Northampton". c3artscollective.org. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  6. "Jessica Sabogal", YouTube, Define American, 2015-10-27, retrieved 2017-05-07
  7. Gutierrez, Oscar (October 6, 2015). "Inside the 'Women Are Perfect' Artist". Xpress Magazine. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  8. Sabogal, Jessica. "Raza Day: Keynote Speech at Stanford University's Raza Day High School Conference". TAYO Literary Magazine. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  9. "la mujer". Jessica Sabogal. 2010-11-08. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  10. Curiel, Jonathan (8 March 2012). "Los Hijos of the Revolution". SF Weekly. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  11. "A Hacker's Life: Inside Facebook's New Campus". Wall Street Journal. 2012-05-15. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  12. STEM4Girls (2012-03-09), Getting More Women in Tech (Facebook) | STEM4Girls, retrieved 2017-05-07
  13. "Galería de la Raza: Digital Mural Project: "Youth So Educated Are Dangerous"". galeriadelaraza.org. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  14. "La Mujer es Mi Religion: The Jessi! Wap!". creativesugarmagazine.net. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  15. "S.F.'s Galería de la Raza serves as lab for Latino culture". SFGate. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  16. "A 'Perfect' vision of women at La Raza". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  17. Unceded Voices (2014-08-28), ITW #2 - JESSICA SABOGAL, retrieved 2019-06-06
  18. "Women Are Perfect" begins in Bogotá, Colombia, retrieved 2019-06-06
  19. Coghlan, Nicholas, 1954- (2004). The saddest country : on assignment in Colombia. Montréal, Que.: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 9780773572218. OCLC 180773032.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. Gruner, Sheila (Spring 2003). "Diversity and Collective Spaces for Organizing: Colombian Women's Initiatives and Multiplicities of Resistance". Women & Environments International Magazine. 58/59: 21–24 – via Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson).
  21. Decolonizing street art (2015-09-12), UNCEDED VOICES #3: DAYNA DANGER, JESSICA CANARD, JESSICA SABOGAL & ELIZABETH BLANCAS, retrieved 2017-05-08
  22. "'Hope' artist's new posters protest Trump". CNN Style. 2017-01-19. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  23. "ESTE BARRIO NO SE VENDE: JESSICA SABOGAL'S ARTISTIC ACTIVISM". Slug Magazine. 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
  24. Vaughan, Christine (2019-02-13). "A Powerful Mural Resides in the Heart of the Library". CSUSM NewsCenter. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
  25. "An altar for Chyna Doll Dupree - Arts & Culture - Arts&Culture - May 17, 2018". Sacramento News & Review. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  26. Harper, Ebony Ava (2019-05-05). "RESILIENCE IS HER NAME: HOW BLACK TRANS WOMEN HAVE BEATEN THE ODDS #OURLEMONADE 🍋". Medium. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  27. danielli (2018-11-06). "Jessica Sabogal Is A Colombian Muralist Adding Empowering And Strong Messages To The Bay Area One Mural At A Time". we are mitú — business and entertainment, culture and sport, movies and music. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  28. "Womxn Are Perfect!", Galería de la Raza, retrieved June 14, 2019
  29. Noveno, Creo (March 3, 2016), "Women Are Empowered, Vulnerable and 'Perfect' at Galería de la Raza", KQED, retrieved June 14, 2019
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