Letters

Band Feedback

    I was shocked and bewildered to see no mention of any African-American musicians in the November article about seven great bands in the East Bay. How much do we, the black musicians of the San Francisco Bay Area, have to scream to be recognized? Please note jazz, blues, soul come out of the African-American experience.
    I am very interested in bringing you up to date with the many African-American artists who deserve coverage in this magazine that is supposed to represent the real Oakland and not this gentrified vision that diminishes the true diversity of this great city we live in.

    [Ed. note: The article referenced, “Where It’s At,” was a survey of great local pop bands currently breaking big and was limited to seven specific genres. One of the artists featured, Mistah F.A.B, is African-American; the article’s introduction paid homage to the Bay Area’s ethnic musical heritage, and the magazine does and will continue to write about local African-American artists.]

Full Frontal Thanks

    Thank you for publishing “Anatomy of a Picture,” and thanks to Matt Dibble for writing it. I applaud you both. If I am not mistaken, this is the first time Oakland Magazine has published a nude, no less that of a male figure.
    In this era of expanding notions of masculine identity and roles, I find myself yet dismayed by the banal, iconographic, predictable, soulless and impersonal trend in male imagery, particularly in the United States. Isn’t it time for something deeper, something of greater intimacy and insight into the inner selves of men, as well as the celebration of idealized form? I am doing my part to make photographs of men that reflect a broader diversity, of personality, age, body type, ethnicity, sense of self, sensuality, sexuality and gender identity; to reveal some human truth, an honest reflection of the inner workings of men, while discarding the trappings of clothing. I wish to confront the taboo of directly observing and/or being observed as a man, naked and unadorned.
    One correction: The photograph Mr. Dibble mentioned in his piece is entitled William Stretching, not Wayne Stretching.

Be Bold

    Thanks for publishing the picture of a naked man. 2007 and it’s time to shelve our prudishness. Next time get rid of the visitors and show more of the picture! Be bold.

The Body as Art

    Thank you, Matt Dibble, for writing such a wonderful article on a subject that is not explored enough. Many people are ashamed and embarrassed to even talk about male nudity. Some believe that only men from the gay population are able to appreciate that artwork, which is not true. Its nice being a female and seeing the male body explored and used as art as well as female bodies.

Courageous Job

    I am the curator of the Full Frontal exhibition. I wanted to send out a sincere thank you for publishing the “Anatomy
of a Picture.” As the subject matter touched on societal taboos, the show required a bit of courage of the artists and myself to pull off. I commend Oakland Magazine’s courage to recognize such an important cultural event. Now more than ever Oakland needs an informed and accessible voice [to] explore and educate its residents of the great many things our city has to offer.

Constructive Criticism

    I’m a fairly new reader of Oakland Magazine, which I discovered at my hair salon and have since been reading. It’s a little disappointing, as every time I read an issue, it seems to reflect what is happening in Oakland, [though] I have yet to read an inspiring issue about all the great and upcoming entrepreneurs in Oakland. I am a young woman who, alone, has created my own perfume with a complete women’s body-product line from scratch. I was homeless less than four years ago, living out of my car due to a murder at my home when three weeks later my grandmother died in my arms. Now I’m married with a 6-month-old son. I think that some of your issues should reflect Oakland as a whole, meaning not just the glamour but the real heart and soul of the people who make this great city by overcoming [issues] and never giving up. With all the bad press we receive, it would be nice to hear about people like me, to give people like me hope to continue and reach for dreams and goals and never give up, no matter what happens.

Thanks from Mills

    Kudos on the Mills Music Department article, “The Evolution Starts Now” [October 2007]! You guys did a great job. Even learned a thing or two about the department’s history I hadn’t known before. I’ve pointed a number of people toward the magazine and that issue in particular.

Pacifica Post

I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of myself, my father and everyone involved in the Pacifica II Project for running Ginny Prior’s article, “Returning Pacifica to Treasure Island,” in October. We sincerely appreciate the support as we move forward toward making my father’s dream to reconstruct the statue on Treasure Island a reality.