San Francisco South of Market Leather History Alley

The San Francisco South of Market Leather History Alley consists of four works of art that honor the history of gay and lesbian leather culture in South of Market, San Francisco. The art is embedded in Ringold Street, an alley between 8th and 9th Street. The installation opened in 2017. The alley is part of the Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District.

1. Artworks

Collectively titled Leather Memoir, the artworks, mainly created by landscape architect Jeffrey Miller, are:

A black granite stone etched with a narrative by Gayle Rubin, an image of the "Leather David" statue by Mike Caffee, and a reproduction of Chuck Arnett's 1962 mural that was in the Tool Box (a gay leather bar), Engraved standing stones that honor community leather institutions including the Folsom Street Fair, Leather pride flag pavement markings through which the stones emerge, and Bronze bootprints along the curb honoring 28 individuals who were an important part of local leather communities: Jim Kane (community leader and biker) Ron Johnson Steve McEachern (owner of the Catacombs, a gay and lesbian S/M fisting club that was the most famous fisting club in the world) Cynthia Slater (a founder of the Society of Janus) Tony Tavarossi (manager of the Why Not) Chuck Arnett Jack Haines (Fe-Be's and The Slot owner) Alexis Muir (an owner of South of Market bars and baths, including The Stud) Sam Steward Terry Thompson (SF Eagle manager) Philip M. Turner (founder of Daddy's Bar) Hank Diethelm (The Brig owner) Kerry Brown, Ken Ferguson, and David Delay (Ambush co-owners) Alan Selby (founder of the store Mr. S Leather and known as the "Mayor of Folsom Street") Peter Hartman (owner of 544 Natoma art gallery and theater) Robert Opel Tony DeBlase (creator of the leather pride flag) Marcus Hernandez (Bay Area Reporter leather columnist) John Embry (founder and publisher of Drummer magazine) Geoff Mains (author of Urban Aboriginals) Mark Thompson (author and cofounder of Black Leather Wings) Thom Gunn Paul Mariah (poet, printer and activist) Robert Davolt (author and organizer of the San Francisco Pride leather contingent, and editor of Bound & Gagged) Jim Meko (printer and South of Market activist) Alexis Sorel (co-founder of The 15 and member of Black Leather Wings) Bert Herrman (author and publisher; leader of handball community) T. Michael "Lurch" Sutton (biker and co-founder of the Bears of SF)

1. References


1. External list

Ringold Alley Miller Company Landscape Architects Black Leather Wings

Nearby Places View Menu

74 m

New Langton Arts

New Langton Arts (active 1975 – 2009) was a not-for-profit arts organization focusing on contemporary art founded in 1975 and located the South of Market neighborhood in San Francisco, California. Part of the first wave of alternative art spaces in the United States, and New Langton Arts was a leader in exhibiting new media forms in art and involving artists in the decision-making process. Its first directors were Judy Moran and Renny Pritikin. New Langton Arts focused on collaborating with artists on the "production and presentation of new work, exhibitions and events, that challenged the boundaries of conventional art practice while encouraging broad public appreciation and access to the art of our times."

Art Event

Prelinger Library

The Prelinger Library is a privately funded public library in San Francisco founded in 2004 and operated by Megan Prelinger and Rick Prelinger. It holds over 50,000 books, periodicals and pieces of print ephemera. Prelinger Library considers itself a "hybrid library" that blurs the distinction between digital and non-digital; as of 2009 it had over 3,700 e-books online. By its fourth year, the library was hosting approximately 1,000 visitors annually.

Library

Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District

The Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District is a cultural district in San Francisco's South of Market (SOMA) neighborhood commemorating the history and culture of the leather subculture active in the area for approximately half a century. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors established the district with legislation signed into law by the mayor on May 9, 2018. A ribbon cutting was held on June 12 that year outside the Stud on 9th St. The area is bounded approximately by Howard St. on the northwest, 7th St. on the northeast, I-80 on the east and US 101 on the south. There is also an exclave between 5th and 6th streets, Harrison and Bryant. It includes the San Francisco South of Market Leather History Alley, which opened in 2017. The aim of the district is to "honor and commemorate the people, places and institutions that gave South of Market its distinctive culture and appeal, and would also help protect the remaining businesses and spaces, and sustain the people who live, work and recreate there."

Landmark Neighbourhood

173 m

Clementina's Baybrick

Clementina's Baybrick, was a lesbian bar, dance club, and hostel in operation from September 1982 to October 1987 in the SoMA neighborhood at 1190 Folsom Street in San Francisco, California. It went by many name variations, including Clementina's Baybrick Inn, Clementina's Bay Brick Inn, The Baybrick, The Bay Brick, and The Brick. Since 1993, the former Clementina's Baybrick space is known as the Cat Club.

Landmark Nightlife