Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?

If you've ever wanted to watch some people throw a bunch of art in the middle of the street and run that shit over with a steamroller, "Roadworks" is for you. At the annual event sponsored by the San Francisco Center for the Book, six local artists have created enormous images to be pressed like Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but without all the Dip and high-pitched screaming. The process takes at least four people: one to apply ink to the massive linoleum block carvings, two to lay enormous sheets of paper on top of them, one to drive the steamroller across, and then an additional two paper mavens to carefully peel back the freshly pressed piece of art. It’s the perfect marriage of mayhem and meticulousness. Among the contributors are Patricia Curtan, known for her delicate representations of edible plants; Emory Douglas, who crafted iconic imagery for the Black Panther Party; and printmaking students from San Quentin State Prison. All the prints go up for auction, with proceeds going to the S.F.C.B.
Sat., Sept. 20, noon, 2008