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Bibiliography

Publications About Bonnie Ora Sherk & Her Projects

Retrospective Exhibition Catalog

Bonnie Ora Sherk: Life Frames since 1970

The first exhibition catalog devoted to the groundbreaking work of the late artist and nonprofit founder on the occasion of her first major survey. Published by Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture in San Francisco, this 200 page fully illustrated publication features key historic interviews with Sherk (Linda Frye Burnham and Linda M. Montano) and writings by Sherk, co-editors Frank Smigiel and Tanya Zimbardo, and guest authors (John Bela, Jana Blankenship, Robert Croonquist, Jen Delos Reyes, Karen Moss, Ryan Tacata, and Patricia Watts).

About the exhibit  •  Purchase the book

Book Excerpts (with linked PDFs)

Articles

2013
2012
  • Spaid, Sue, Green Acres, Contemporary Arts Center, Catalog, pgs. 3, 7 16, 17, 25, 43,75 95, 98, 109, 111-113, 124,125, 130,146, 167, 181, 191, 220, 222, ill., Back Cover
  • Angie Smith, Pop-Up Urbanism: The Origins of a Movement, Streetsblog Network 
  • Aurash Khawarzad, Pattern Cities, Catching Up To 1970
2011
  • Anne Kersten, Urban Farming — Rural Art: die Kunst des Essens und Bewahrens,Kunstbulletin, pgs. 4-44, ill.;10/2011, Switzerland
  • Lewellen, Constance and Moss, Karen, State of Mind: New California Art Circa 1970, UC Press, pgs. 3, 23-28, 56, 136, 141, 144-45, 169, 171,  202-3, 216, 250, 252, ill.
  • Schimmill, Paul, Under The Big Black Sun: California Art 1974-1981; Delmonico & Prestel, Munich, London, New York, pgs. 19, 25, 36-37, 39, 250, 275, 280, ill.
  • Sommer, Danielle, A California State of Mind, Circa 1970, DAILY SERVING, an international forum for contemporary visual art blog, December 13, 2011, ill.
  • Mizota, Sharon, PST, A to Z: ‘State of Mind’ at OCMA,Culture Monster, Los Angeles Times Blog,   November 28, 2011, ill.
  • San Francisco Magazine: Art Page-Older, but not necessarily wiser, Dec 2011, pg 42, ill. 
2010
  • Dearen, Jason, “Plans Percolate to Revive Some SF Native Creeks”, April 24, 2010, Associated Press, global distribution, ill.
2009
  • Eaton, Joe; Sullivan, Ron, “SF History Lesson Runs Through Islais Creek”, SF Chronicle, January 14, 2009, ill.
  • Eaton, Joe; Sullivan, Ron, “Urban Students Get To Study At Living Library”, SF Chronicle, January 7, 2009, ill.
2008
  • Sing Tao Daily News, “Chinatown Living Library Breaks More Ground”, May 30, 2008
2007
  • Will Bradley, Charles Esche, Editors, Art & Social Change, Tate Publishing/Afterall, pgs. 18, 29, 227,228,229, 470 ill.
  • Tim Holt, “Street Dreams – Can one woman’s beautiful vision bring life back to Cesar Chavez Street ?”, San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, November 18, 2007, pgs.16-21, ill.
  • Cornelia Butler, “WACK !  Art And The Feminist Revolution” MIT Press & Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; pgs. 103, 297-298, 508, ill.
  • Bay Nature Magazine, Inside Cover, “A Living Library”, April-June, 200
2006
  • California Shade, California Dept. of Forestry & Fire Protection, “Life Frames, Inc. Uses Urban Forestry Grant to Plant 200 Trees”, Fall, 2006, ill.
  • San Francisco Examiner; “Today’s Newsmakers”, pg 5, July 18, 2006
2005
  • Bradley, Will, Let It Grow, Frieze: Contemporary Art & Culture, London pgs ; ill.
  • Peter Selz, “Art of Engagement”, University of California Press, pgs 15, 228-229;259; ill.
  • Zahid Sardar, “Living Truths”, San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, May 22, 2005, Cover & pgs. 4-6, ill.
2004
  • Mary F. Albert, “Living the Life”, San Francisco Examiner, August 5, 2004, pg. 8, ill.
  • Ethan Fletcher, “Roots of the Problem”,  SF Examiner, May 25, 2004, pg.5, ill.
  • Dr, Noel J. Brown, “Letter To The Editor”, Main Street Wire, Roosevelt Island, NYC,   April 3,2004, pg.6.
  • Lutz, Dick, Living Library Releases Plans For Cultural Park at Southpoint, Main Street Wire, Roosevelt Island, NYC, March 20, 2004, Cover & pg. 10-Centerfold, pgs. 8-9, ill.
2003
  • Espinosa, Henni Jay P., “A Living Library, The Community’s Garden of Hope”, Manila Bulletin, Kababayan Edition, Cover Story, August 14-20.2003 cover& pp. 8,9; ill.
  • Shai, Jack, “A Living Library“, Singtao Daily News, May 8, 2003; page F;, ill.
2002
  • Fuller, Diana Burgess, Salvioni, Daniela, ed. “Art / Women / California  1950-2000: Parallels and Intersections”,University of California Press, Berkeley, California, pp. 7, 8, 20-21, 107, 109, 168, 229-231, 232; ill.
  • Brookman, Donna, “Terms of Engagement – Radical Communalism in Bay Area Art”, SCULPTURE Magazine, July/August, 2002, pp. 47, 48, ill.
  • Rich, Deborah, “OMI/Excelsior Library and Think Park, a new way to frame life”; San Francisco Chronicle, May 8, 2002, pg. G6
2001
  • Thomas, Laura, “Lessons learned from getting their hands dirty”, San Francisco Chronicle, May 5, 2001, pg. 6, ill., Home Section
  • Thomas, Laura, “Adult mentor helps kids bring life to urban school grounds”, San Francisco Chronicle, May 5, 2001, pg. 6, ill., Home Section
2000
  • Cohn, Terri, “Re-envisioning Our Urban Ecology-Bonnie Sherk’s rural enclaves-Celebrating 30 Years”, Artweek, December, 2000, Volume 31, Issue 12, pp; 12, 27, ill.
  • U.S. Department of Education, Community Update, No. 77, May, 2000, “PFIE  Partner Nominated For A Smithsonian Award” p. 4, ill.
  • ED MATTERS In Region 1X – U.S. Department of Education, Region 1X, Spring, 2000, “A Living Library Makes Learning Bloom For San Francisco Students”, pp.4-5, ill.
  • Mansfield, Sonia, “Gardens to Link Three School Campuses”, San Francisco Independent, April 3, 2000, pp 1,5, ill.
1998
  • Kastner, Jeffery, ed., Brian Wallis, Survey, Land And Environmental Art, Phaidon Press Limited, London, England, pp. 156, 268, 293; ill.
  • Stiles, Kristine – article, Paul Schimell – organizer of exhibit,  Out of Actions – Between Performance and the Object, 1949-1979, “Uncorrupted Joy: International Art Actions“, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Thames and Hudson, London, pp. 319-321; ill.
1996
  • Selz, Peter, Stiles, Kristine (eds) Theories and Documents of Contemporary Art, A Sourcebook of Artists’ Writings, UC Press, Berkeley
  • Cohn, Terri, “Bonnie Sherk:  Projects and Plans” at Canessa Gallery, Artweek, September, 1996, Volume 27, Number 9, pg. 21; ill. review of exhibition
1995
  • Nash, Steven, ed, Constance Llewellyn, Facing Eden: 100 Years of Art in the Bay Area, Catalog – Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and University of California Press, Berkely, L.A., London, pp. 122-124; ill.
1994
  • Lacy, Suzanne, ed., Mapping The Terrain: New Genres in Public Art, Bay Press, Seattle, Washington, pp. 275-276; ill.
  • Broude, Norma & Garrard, Mary D., ed., The Power of Feminist Art: The American Movement of the l970’s, History and Impact, Harry N.Abrams, New York, pp.; ill.
1992
  • Matilsky, Barbara C., Fragile Ecologies, Contemporary Artists’ Interpretations and Solutions, Rizzoli, New York. pgs. 54-55, ill.
  • Powell, Mary Clare, Creativity and Liberation: A Study of Women and Artists, doctoral dissertation, School of Education, University of Massachusetts, pgs. 65-68, 79-80, 143-145, 227, ill.
1989
  • Pittas, Michael John, ed. “Contemporary California Competitions”, Urban Design International, Vol. 10, 1989, pg. 3.10, ill.”
1988
  • Roth, Moira, ed., Connecting Conversations, Interviews with Bay Area Women Artists, Eucalyptus Press, Mills College, Oakland, California, pp. 168-175, ill.
1986
  • Cheatham, Annie & Powell, Mary Clare, This Way Day Break Comes – Women’s Values And The Future, New Society Publishers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,  pp. 112, 136, 164, 166, 171-173, ill.
1985
  • Albright, Thomas, Art In The San Francisco Bay Area 1945-1980 University of California Press, Berkeley, California  
1984
  • Lippard, Lucy, Get The Message, E.P. Dutton, New York, pp. 42, 43, l26, l46, l47, l56, 318, 320, ill.
  • Inter,”Festival D’In(ter)Ventions-2:  In Memoriam Georges Maciunas“, Quebec, Canada, Automne, 1984, pp. 14, 15, ill.
  • “Festival D’In(ter)vention-2:  In Memoriam Georges Maciunas“, Record Album, Inter/les editions INTERVENTION, 9 Aout 1984, side C
1983
  • Roth, Moira, ed., The Amazing Decade – Women and Performance Art In America 1970-1980, Astro Artz, Los Angeles, pp. 134-135, ill.
  • Lippard, Lucy, Overlay, Pantheon, 1983, New York, pp. 233-234, ill.
  • Sussler, Betsy, ed., “Art May Be The True Form of Disarmament”,  Bomb Magazine, No. 6, pg. 76, ill.
  • Hell, Ter,”Generics…“, Catalog, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Galerie Fahnemann, May, 1983, pp. 14, 18, 20, 22, (German and English)
1981
  • Lippard, Lucy, “Gardens: Some Metaphors For A Public Art”, Art In America, November, 1981, pp. 145-148, ill.
  • Burnham, Linda Frye, “Between The Diaspora And The Crinoline”, High Performance,Los Angeles, Fall, l98l, pp. 49-71, ill. interview
1980
  • Foley, Suzanne, Space, Time, Sound – Conceptual Art in the San Francisco Bay Area: The 70’s, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Catalog, 1980, pp. 26, 29, 32, 38, 80-85, 135-199, ill.
  • Loeffler, Carl, ed., Performance Anthology:  Source Book For A Decade of California Performance Art, Contemporary Art Press, pp. 29, 44, 46, 75, 91, 92, 234, 235, 380, 381, ill.
  • Drewes, Caroline, “The Farm”, S.F. Examiner, August 6, l980, pg. l, Section E, ill.
  • Lippard, Lucy, “Issue & Taboo”, Institute of Contemporary Art, London, England, Catalog, Issue, 1980, pg 9
  • Roth, Moira, “The California Sensibility – A Star Is Born”, Performing Arts Journal/12, Vol. 4, number 3, l980, Cover & pg. 3
  • Greene, Herb, Building To Last:  Architecture As Ongoing Art, Architectural Book Publishing Co., New York
1979
  • Feretti, Hollister, “Along The Tokaido”, Mainichi Daily News, Tokyo, Japan, September l0, l979, pg. 6, ill.
  • Gilliam, Harold, “A Battle Of Open Space Out On Potrero“, This World  S.F.Sunday Examiner & Chronicle, July 8, 1979, pg. 41, ill.
  • Albright, Thomas, “Rural Architecture Near Army Street”,  San Francisco Chronicle, December 4, 1979, pg. 57
1978
  • Roth, Moira, “Toward A History of California Performance:  Part l”, Arts Magazine, February, 1978, pp. 100, 101, ill.
  • Doss, Margot-Patterson, “The Freeway Farm – San Francisco At Your Feet”, Sunday Punch, S.F. Examiner & Chronicle, July 9, 1978, pg. 32, ill.
1977
  • Butler, Katy, “A Farm Flourishes Beside S.F. Freeway“, San Francisco Chronicle, March 18, 1977, Second Section, pp., 18, ill.
  • Materials From The National Endowment for the Arts & The Handicapped Information Service, “Crossroads Community“, Washington, D.C.
  • Ratcliff, Carter, “Report From San Francisco“, Art In America, May/June, 1977, pg.60
  • Waugh, Dexter, “A Graduation Party – New Milestone For The Farm“,  S.F. Examiner, November 7, 1977, pg. 9, ill.
1976
  • Lippard, Lucy, From The Center, E.P. Dutton, l976, p. 47, ill.
  • Laughingbird, “Building A Farm Under The Freeways”, Environmental Action Bulletin, Rodale Press, January 10, 1976, vol. 7, pp. 1, 3
  • Frankenstein, Alfred, “An Exhibition of Hay and Herbs“, S.F. Chronicle, December 9, 1976, pg. 62, ill.
1975
  • Thompson, Jennifer L., “Art Blooms South of Market“, San Francisco Magazine, May, 1975, pp. 40, 41, 128, ill.
1974
  • San Francisco Magazine, “SECA”, April, 1974, pg. S-36, ill.
1973
  • Dunham, Judith L., “The Four”, Artweek, January 28, 1973, pp. 1, 12, ill. 
  • Belard, A. & Fox, L., “All Night Sculptures“, Artweek, May 26, 1973, pg. 3, ill.
1972
  • Lambie, Alec, “Things Are Not As They Seem:  An Interview With Bonnie Sherk“, Artweek, March 25, 1972, pg. 3, ill.
  • McCann, Cecile N., “Sources of Art“, Artweek, March 4, 1972, pg. 5, ill.
  • Newport Harbor Art Museum, “The San Francisco Performance“, ed. Tom Marioni, catalog, March 12 – April 16, 1972, Performance called: “Traditional Performances:  A Piece Within A PieceWithin A Piece, etc.”,  videotape available by George Bollin.
  • Artweek, “San Francisco Performances“, April 8, l972, pg. 4
1971
  • Mademoiselle Magazine, “Mademoiselle’s Young Women of the Year”, January, 1971, pp. 60, 63, 41, ill.
1970
  • Albright, Thomas, “Parks That Hop, Skip, and Moo”, San Francisco Chronicle, pg. 16, June 24, 1970, ill.
  • Albright, Thomas, “Freeway Sprouts A Park”, San Francisco Chronicle, pg. 4, June 26, 1970, ill
  • Hager, Phillip, “Award Winning Idea – Artist Creates Portable Park For Downtown SF Freeways”, Los Angeles Times, June 26, 1970, p. 3, ill.
  • S.F. Sunday Examiner & Chronicle, “Park For A Day”, June 28, 1970, Section A, pg. 3, ill.
  • Tarshis, Jerome, “Portable Parks Project l-lll”, ArtForum V.9, October, 1970, pg. 84, ill.
  • Sunset Magazine, “Community Action – San Francisco’s Experiment..Portable Parks Downtown”, August, 1970, pg. 24, ill.
  • S.F. Examiner, “Snowballs Fly At Art Museum”, October 15, pg 11, ill.     
  • Caen,Herb, “The Foibulous People”, S.F. Chronicle, October 15, pg. 27
  • Artweek, “SECA Award”, May 2, 1970, pg. 3

Selected Articles, Book Chapters & Art by Bonnie Ora Sherk

2013
2012
  • Sherk, Bonnie, Nature (Documents of Centemporary Art Series), Edited by Jeffrey Kastner, Whitechapel Gallery Ventures Limited, Extract from Crossroads Community (the farm), Center for Critical Inquiry Position Paper, 1st International Symposium, San Francisco Art Institute, November,1977
2011
  • Sherk, Bonnie, Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk, New Bernal Journal, August-September 2011, Vol. 48, Number 4, page 10
2010
  • Sherk, Bonnie, Clary, Jennifer, Schemmerling, Carole- A Watershed Moment for SF Creeks, San Francisco Chronicle, OP-Ed Page, Open Forum, April 16, 2010
2009
  • Sherk, Bonnie “The He(Art) of the Matter: Cultivating the Human & Ecological Garden”; UNDPI/NGO 61st & 62nd Conference Journal, September 2008, 09, with UNESCO, Paris, France & Mexico City, Mexico, pg. 117, ill.
2007
  • Sherk, Bonnie, Position Paper:  Crossroads Community (the farm), Art & Social Change, Tate Publishing, London, Extract from Paper at First International Symposium of Center For Critical Inquiry, SFAI, 1977
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “A Living Library & Think Park: Place-Based, Ecological Transformation of Schools & Communities”, Celebrating NGO’s:  60 Years With The United Nations, 60th Annual NGO-DPI Climate Change Conference, September 5-7, pgs. 42-43, ill.
2006
  • Sherk, Bonnie “A Living Library: A Global Network of Diversity & Commonality”, United Nations Website, UN Chronicle Online, December, 2006
2005
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “A Living Library: A Global Network of Diversity & Commonality”Centerpoint Now, Commemorative Journal for 60th Anniversary of United Nations, September, 2005, World Council of Peoples for the United Nations, United Nations, NY
2002
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Creating A Living Library & Celebrating The Human Garden”, New Horizons For Learning, New Horizons Online Journal, Vol. V111 No.1 Winter 2002
2000
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Smithsonian Computerworld Case Study – A Living Library, Think Park, & Life Frame”, on-line collection & Permanent Research Collection, Smithsonian Museum of American History, Washington, DC
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Viewpoints”, Friends of the Urban Forest Quarterly Newsletter for Bay Area Tree Enthusiasts, Summer, 2000, pg. 6
1997
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “A New Opportunity For Multimedia Developers:  The Landscape-Based Edutainment Center – A Living Library“,  MDG.org Bulletin, Summer, 1997,Volume 5, No.3, Leslie Mattison, ed, pg.8, ill.
1996
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Preliminary Suggested Conceptual Site Plan To Revitalize The San Francisco Civic Center”, Camerawork Journal, Fall/Winter 1996, Vol. 23, No.2, Beth Goldberg, ed., pp. 17-19, ill.
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Land Between Two Rivers:  A Conceptual Assyrian Garden- One of Many International/Multicultural Gardens Proposed to Rivitalize The Civic Center of San Francisco”, Argonaut Press, Warren Hinckle, ed., April, 1996, Vol. 141, No. 4218, pg. 9, ill.
1995
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “A Living Library:  New Model for Global Electronic Interactivity and Networking in the Garden”, The Luminous Object:  video art/video theory – Visible Language 29:2, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, R.I., Hans Breder and Hermann Rappaport, ed. pp. 180-185
1994
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Creating Interactive Living Libraries of Cultural & Ecological Diversity”, The Healing Dimensions of People-Plant Relations, Mark Francis, Patricia Lindsey, Jay Rice, ed., Center For Design Research, University of California, Davis, pp. 131-150; ill.
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Creation of A LIVING LIBRARY™: A Planetary Network of Interactive LIFE FRAMES™”, Chapter 33, People Plant Relationships:  Setting Research Priorities, Joel Flagler, Raymond Poincelot, ed. Food Products Press, New York, London, Australia, pp. 415-425; ill.
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Creation of A LIVING LIBRARY™: A Planetary Network of Interactive LIFE FRAMES™”, Journal of Home & Consumer Horticulture, Volume 1, Number 4, The Haworth Press, Binghamton, New York, pp. 415-425; ill.
1993
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “A Living Library Is A School Of The Future And An Indoor/Outdoor Culture-Ecology Park”, Artweek, Vol.24, Number l8, Sept. 24, l993, pg. 15, ill.
1992
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Living Libraries, Life Frames, and The School of the Future: The Evolving Visions of Bonnie Sherk”, IS Journal #12, Volume 6 #2 Winter, l992, pgs. 17-24, International Synergy Institute, Santa  Fe, New Mexico
1991
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Creation of A LIVING LIBRARY:  An International Network of Interactive Life Frames”, LEONARDO, “Art & Telecommunications” Vol. 24, No. 2 , Spring, l99l, Pergamon Journals, N.Y., Oxford, Beijing
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “A LIVING LIBRARY — New Uses For Interactive Technologies”, The A & A Monthly On Interactive Entertainment, Issue No, 3-01,  January, l99l, Alexander & Associates, Inc., New York, N.Y.
1989
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Update On A Living Library”, On The Beam, Vol. X, No.l, Fall, l989, New Horizens For Learning, Seattle, Washington
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “A Living Library: A New Model For Interactive Learning“, On The Beam, Vol. lX, No. 2, Winter, l989, New Horizens For Learning, Seattle, Washington
1988
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Interactive ‘Life Frames’ as Vehicles for Peace”, Places For Peace, Karl Linn, editor, l988 World Congress of International Federation of Landscape Architects, Boston, Massachusetts, pp. 54-57
  • Sherk, Bonnie,  “Art is Culture is Nature“, High Performance, Los Angeles, #41-42, pp. 67-68
1987
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “The Park Or Garden As A Living Library”, Meanings Of The Garden, Center For Design Research, University of California, Davis, pp. 298-308, ill.
1985
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “A Living Library“, Natura/Cultura, Salerno, Italy, Centro Internazionale MultiMedia, May, l985, pp. 8-9, ill.
1984
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Shrine To Power”, Sound/Art, catalog, The Sculpture Center, New York, May, l984, ill.
1983
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Artists At Work”, Artist’s Chronicle, High Performance,#22, l983, pp. 71, 88, ill.
  • Sherk, Bonnie, Sussler, Betsy, ed., “Art May Be The True Form of Disarmament”,  Bomb Magazine,  No. 6, pg. 76, ill.
1982
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Artists At Work”, Radio Broadcast, KPFA-Berkeley, California, Live from San Francisco Art Institute,  August, l982, 2 hours, in  KPFA archives
1981
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Cover Girl”, High Performance, Cover Piece, Fall, l98l
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Crossroads Community (the farm) Is An Alternative To Alternative Art Spaces”, Heresies, #13/ Feminism & Ecology, l98l, pg. 31, ill.
1980
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Sitting Still – I,” Cover, Performing Arts Journal/12, Vol. 4, number 3, Sherk, Bonnie, “I Dreamt I Lived In A Tryptich“, Issue, catalog, Institute of Contemporary Art, London, England, ill, no pg. numbers
1979
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “CROSSROADS COMMUNITY (the farm)”, prospectus, in collection of SFMOMA
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Social Work(s), Sometimes”, Los Angeles  Institute of Contemporary Art, Catalog, Nancy Buchanan, ed., pp. 38-40, ill.
1977
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “The Farm“, DATA 27, Milan, Italy, July/September, l977, pg. 67, ill. (English and Italian)
1976
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “The Farm”, La Mamelle Magazine:  Art Contemporary, no. 5, vol. 2, l976, pg. 32-35, ill.
  • Sherk, Bonnie, “Excerpt From Aktin Logic — Volume Two, Chapter 42, ‘Life Work’”, La Mamelle Magazine:  Art Contemporary, no. 4,v.l, Spring,l976, pg. l2
1975
  • Sherk, Bonnie,”Aktin Logic, Volume Two, THE FARM, Life Work”, Vision, ed. Tom Marioni, Crown Point Press, N. 1, Sept., l975, pp. 32-33, ill.