This is an ode to an unknown artist who painted history but who seems to
be lost to history. I have Googled info about him from every angle and
can only find these 3 examples of his work but I'm sure he painted
hundreds of canvases. A little back story: I moved to SF in 1979 -
young, gay and free at a time when SF was the mecca for people of all
stripes wanting to be free. And the Castro district was the hub - the
epicenter, the birthplace - of the nationwide gay movement. I would walk
around those blocks all the time, to shop, eat, drink or just
people-watch. And I would see this artist all the time. He would ALWAYS
be out painting on the sidewalks. He would paint street scenes and
neighborhood characters. I admit I didnt like his style - the paint was
too thin, the bodies too elongated. HAH! Little did I know he was
painting a "time" that would soon be gone. He died of AIDS in 1985. I
didnt notice his passing and have only begun to wonder about his art
lately. He documented an historic time! The Castro doesnt look like that
anymore, even though I remember every storefront and scene he painted.
San Francisco, sadly, isnt "calling" the young and free anymore - more
like the young and aggressively capitalist (but I digress). This
artist's name was Ramon Pablo Vidali. He sat on sidewalks and street
corners to follow his muse and recorded history. Oh I wish, I wish, I
wish I could find his art in a flea market or a Goodwill store. Better
yet I wish I had bought just one of his pieces back then! More info
here: http://thecastro.net/street/vidali.html And if anyone has any info on who this "Uncle Donald" person is, I would love to get in contact with him for more info.
3 comments:
Thank you very much for your post about this artist. I was trying to find him, too. He painted a now-deceased friend of mine who posed in the window of my apartment on 18th Street. He was very young and one could see the sign of the restaurant across the street through the window. The place was called the Neon Chicken and that became the name of the painting. I really loved his work and was trying to find some online and if reproductions were available. I didn't remember his name, but he is definitely the artist you write about here. If you find out any more, please let me know, MacAdvisor@sbcglobal.net .
My uncle has a painting done by vidali. I would like to find out how much its worth if anything. its a street scene in san francisco.
I was friends with him, and posed for him in 1978. He was charming, gentle and a working artist. He lived in the mission district a few doors down from Mission Dolores. RIP, Pablo!
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