Auction Off Downtown!
As we mentioned last week, our Saturday night was all about the San Francisco Peoples' Organization art auction fundraiser at 111 Minna.
As we jockeyed for a place at the bar we were treated to a screening of Marcus Darkraven's For Real Bayview. One $2 glass of tap water later (we hope a portion of the drink proceeds went to the SFPO), we began to peruse the items available at the silent auction.
It was hard for us to tear ourselves away from this piece by budding artist Matt Gonzalez (yes, that Matt Gonzalez). Described in the catalog as his tribute to Man Ray, we saw that folks were bidding on it madly. Perhaps if that whole law thing doesn't work our Matt G could take up collage-making full time?
After a while, we started bugging people we knew to let us take their pictures before the Gonzalez-fronted live auction began. (Yes, folks, he's the attorney-at-law auctioneer artist. Not quite an unfrozen caveman lawyer, but pretty damn close.) So, we snapped a photo of SFPO supporter and Friend of SFist judy b.
And how could we pass up a shot of the triumvirate of the best dressed man at the party, Ernesto (no last name), spokesperson for Mark Leno Julian Davis, and Chris Daly?
At last Matt Gonzalez took the stage and the live auction began. Davis and one of the event's curators (and Gonzalez paramour) Catherine Rauschuber paraded about with art held overhead like ring girls. Gonzalez plaintively implored "Does anyone want to bid on this piece?" Either because of or despite this approach, by the time we left a tidy sum had been raised for the SFPO.