Sanctuary Print Shop | SF

Submitted by the Event Organizer

San Francisco was declared a sanctuary city 28 years ago, and still remains one of more than 250 sanctuary cities nationwide. The sanctuary city ordinance establishes a commitment on behalf of the city to limit its cooperation with the federal government regarding its enforcement of immigration law. Sanctuary city policies can include prohibiting police or city employees from questioning people about their immigration status and refusing federal requests to detain arrestees in jail beyond their release date because of their immigration status. Such policies work to reduce fear among undocumented immigrants, encouraging them to report crimes, use health services, and enroll their children in school—basic rights that help integrate immigrant populations within the social and economic fabric of the city.

Created by Sergio De La Torre and Chris Treggiari, the Sanctuary Print Shop is a mobile print shop that aims to raise awareness about recently-enacted immigration policies and how they impact our communities by creating and distributing powerful messages in support of immigrants’ rights. Through silkscreen community workshops (taught via their mobile tricycle silkscreen cart), and other participatory activities, Sanctuary Print Shop educates participants on the history of the sanctuary ordinance within San Francisco, and serves as a resource center and catalyst for public engagement in the movement to uphold immigrants’ rights.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Chris Treggiari’s artistic practice strives to investigate how art can enter the public realm in a way that can connect wide ranges of people and neighborhoods in a variety of communities. Chris focuses on highlighting diverse community identities, shared histories, and personal stories through participatory, mobile platforms that encourage exploration from the viewer. Often these participatory platforms entail creative methods, which aim to turn the passive viewer into an active art maker who can participate in sharing their personal voice in a community dialogue.

Chris has shown internationally including the Venice Biennale 2012 American Pavilion as well as nationally at Torrance Art Museum, the Getty Museum, Berkeley Art Museum, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the San Jose Museum of Art, The Oakland Art Museum and the De Young Museum to name a few. Chris has received grants from the Puffin Foundation, the San Francisco Arts Commission, the Creative Work Fund, the Arts Commission of San Jose, The Seattle Center Foundation, and the Oakland Arts Commission, U.S Bank, and the Zellerbach Foundation to name a few. Chris is currently a teaching artist in-residence at the Center for Art and Public Life at the California College of the Arts.

Sergio De La Torre has worked with and documented the manifold ways by which citizens reinvent themselves in the city they inhabit. These works often invoke collaborations with the subjects and invites both intimate and critical reflections on topics related to housing, immigration and labor. These works have appeared in the 10th Istanbul Biennial; Bienal Barro de America; the 57th Venice Biennale; Atelier Frankfurt; Centro Cultural Tijuana; YBCA; TRIBECA Film Festival; and El Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia. Sergio De La Torre is an Associate Professor at the University of San Francisco Art and Architecture Department.

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