Gabby Wen’s Artist Statement

In 2021, I caught myself being a part of the pandemic exodus from San Francisco and moved to the East Bay, settled in the Gaskill/Golden Gate neighborhood in Oakland, a historic Ohlone land near Emeryville Shellmound. As a newcomer, this neighborhood attracted me with its laid-back ambiance, proximity to spaces for creative practices, and diverse local food scene. However, I realized this is just a more recent reality for this neighborhood as more tech and creative industry workers move in. Real estate values soared, new amenities boomed, but the past struggles slowly get buried and silenced, and affordability is no longer true for residents.

Times change and the shift that comes from it in any area seem inevitable, resulting in a generational gap of interests. Solving this issue will probably always remain a huge mystery as it involves so many stakeholders and realistic factors, and it’ll take a village. I want to take this project as an opportunity to contribute my effort in addressing gentrification: Introduce residents and the local creative community to each other; Amplify the new and old stories in the neighborhood; Connect people in the mean of music and food sharing (which I believe to be a universal interest amongst humankind).

A part of this project would be two site-specific audio collages solely made with sounds recorded in the neighborhood and a poem inspired by my historical research and conversations with neighbors. There will also be a gathering at the Golden Gate Branch Library, co-hosted with Commons Archive, a local creative grassroots history project that builds neighbor relationships. The sound compositions will be presented there, and visitors can take a look at the publications consisting of neighborhood stories that Commons Archive has collected over the years. Visitors can enjoy some sweets and share their own stories before heading for a short, intentional walk to listen closely to the sounds of the neighborhood. We will walk to Temescal Creek Park and listen/sing/make weird sounds to the creek that’s buried underground but has a small opening covered by a grate near the entrance of the park.