Marina Perez-Wong is a cancer survivor and thriver, mixed race, San Francisco- “Mission girl” who comes from a long line of artists, caregivers, union workers, revolutionaries and humanitarians with a solid work ethic.
Born in San Francisco California in 1982, and having survived a rare childhood cancer, she spent the first few years of her life in and out of the hospital. It was there that she took to art as a form of communication, self expression, and escape. In the 1980’s the Mission District was a cultural hub filled with mostly Mexican, Caribbean, Central and South American people. Many were visual artists, muralists, writers, poets, performance artists and activists. Her mother was a photojournalist who documented many of these artists and important local events including the 1989 earthquake and the Cesar Chavez’s movement. It was this foundation that helped Marina to shape her own visual voice.
Marina’s first large painting was created at the Rhode Island School of the Arts Pre College Program in 1999. The following summer she began painting murals just before attending and later graduating from the California College of Arts & Crafts (BFA 2004). She has worked as a muralist and teaching artist throughout the Bay Area and New York City, privately commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission, Precita Eyes Muralists and Groundswell Community Mural Project in New York City, and the Oakland School of the Arts. She has created and collaborated on murals for a variety of communities and clients including the San Francisco Giants, Kerry James Marshall, The Asian Art Museum, Emory Douglas,The Chinese Historical Society Museum, Toyin Odutala, Google, Chase Stadium (for the Golden State Warriors), The College Board, The Door NYC, and the Asian Pacific Islander Environmental Network (APEN) among others.
In 2013 Marina co-founded Twin Walls Mural Company alongside her longtime best friend and mural partner Elaine C. Chu whom she met in high school at the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School Of the Arts. They believe in the power of visual narratives to capture and reflect a community's history, struggles, dreams and intentions. They began painting murals professionally with Precita Eyes Muralists Association under the guidance of Susan Kelk Cervantes who became their mentor and close friend (Or as they call her “art mom”).
Their work reflects growing up in the Bay Area, celebrating the women and individuals who inspire them, connections shared in humanity, and changes they wish to manifest. This is expressed through a plethora of symbolism, heavily saturated color, contrast and semi realistic subject matter.
Their work is motivated by the healing of current and generational trauma, community, history, local and global politics, education, and the transformation of the viewer and themselves through visual language. One of their greatest representations of this ideology is currently featured at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art on the 5th floor. Their mural entitled “Our Ancestors Wildest Dreams”(2020) is a celebration of triumph over the past, acknowledgement of our present and manifesting what they look forward to in the future.
On August 7th, 2019 Marina was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Being a person who aims for the positive and does not believe in statistics or the “odds,” she has continued to fight for her health and is recovering victoriously. She believes that the majority of her healing is attributed to the incredible energy her family and community have provided and the intentions and manifestations that Twin Walls has been working towards since her diagnosis.
Education:
BFA in Painting and Drawing, California College of the Arts 2004
School of the Arts High School, San Francisco 2000
Rhode Island School of Design Fellowship 1999
Work Experience:
Oakland School for the Arts (Oakland) 2017-present
Full Time Contracted Art teacher for 11th, and 12th grade students
Twin Walls Mural Company (SF Bay Area) 2013-Present
Co-Founder of mural arts collective with Elaine Chu painting commercial and community murals.
Groundswell Community Mural Project (New York City) is a non-profit organization that I have worked with for the last two years. Groundswell is focused on educating youth on how to become community mural artists as well as to collaborate with communities throughout New York City and globally to produce educational, inspiring and beautiful murals that reflect the community for which they are painted.
Self-Contracted Teaching Artist and Muralist
· · Construct project based curriculum
· · Facilitate in youth design brainstorming
· · Design mural proposals based on client’s input and community suggestions
· · Supervise assistants throughout the entire mural production
· · Instruct students and assistants on materials, painting technique and process
Precita Eyes Muralists (San Francisco)
· · Design mural proposals based on client’s input and community suggestions
· · Supervise assistants throughout the entire mural production
· · Instruct students and assistants on materials, painting technique and process
· · Assist at community events, and help with social media
Meridian Gallery is a Non-Profit art gallery as well as an after school Art Education Program. Their Internship Program is designed to educate youth on the workings of a gallery as well as facilitate the youth in becoming artists.
Artist Instructor
· · Created curriculum for year- long after-school arts program focused on drawing and painting
· · Mentored and supervised youth in the creation of their individual projects
· · Assisted staff with gallery events, exhibitions, video interviews, and work related field trips
Good Samaritan Summer Program, Guest Artist Instructor 2017
Groundswell Community Mural Arts Program, Instructor and Muralist 2014-Present
Co- Founder and Muralist for Twin Walls Mural Art Company, San Francisco 2013-Present
Precita Eyes Muralists, Instructor and Muralist 2007-Present
San Francisco Arts Commission, Instructor and Muralist 2010-2011
Bee Cave Riding Center Summer Artist Instructor, Austin Texas 2008
Artist Assistant, Amy Berk 2004-2007
Volunteer, Mural Painter, Homies with Nancy Pili and Eric Norberg 2007
Artist Assistant, Megan Wilson 2006-2007
Volunteer, Mural Painter, The Oakland Museum 2007
Assistant Painter, Miranda Bergman 2006
Assistant Painter, Susan Green 2006
Art Instructor, Montalvo Arts Center 2005
Mural Instructor/ Painter, Ambrose Community Center 2005
Volunteer, Artist Assistant, Annie E. Casey Foundation 2002
Volunteer, Painter, The Friends Association 2001
Intern/ Teachers Assistant/ Artist Instructor, Meridian Gallery 2000-2002, 2006-2007
Mentor, CCAC Mentorship Program 2000
Mural Projects:
2018-Current
“Our Ancestor’s Wildest Dreams”, Twin Walls Mural Company, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
“Ascendance” Community Rejuvenation Project
“Shut It Down” Twin Walls Mural Company
“Protectors of the Sacred. A Prayer for Buffalo Nation, Twin Walls Mural Company
“Goddesses and the Art of Compassionate Wrath”, Twin Walls Mural Company
“The Rebirth of Coyolxauhqui”,Twin Walls Mural Company
“Panorama Is”, Twin Walls Mural Company
“Tenderloin Stay Rooted”, Twin Walls Mural Company
Justice for Luis Gongora, Twin Walls Mural Company
“She Inspires Me: Bringing Her to Light”,Twin Walls Mural Company
“The Bay” Precita Eyes Muralists
Hemlock Alley Mural Project, with Elaine Chu (Twin Walls Mural Company)
Latin Rock, Lead Artists Max and Fred Alvarado
Lister Bar, in collaboration with The Bay Baes
Private Residence, Guerneville, CA with Elaine Chu (Twin Walls Mural Company)
2015-2017
The College Board
The Young Women’s Leadership School
The Door, TEMA Tuesday Class
St. Nicholas Senior Center, Lead Artist Jose De Jesus Rodriguez
Illuminate, Brooklyn Community High School
Montefiore Hospital HIV and AIDS clinic, Lead artist Angel Garcia
2012-2014
La Flor de la Vida with Elaine Chu (Twin Walls Mural Company)
And the Earth did not swallow them, with Precita Eyes (New York City)
Chef Hiro's Drawing, Urchin Bistro with Elaine Chu (Twin Walls Mural Company)
Koi, La Mission with Elaine Chu (Twin Walls Mural Company)
Mr. Muggles with Elaine Chu (Twin Walls Mural Company)
Bernal Heights Public Library with Precita Eyes
2011
Water Writes in Oakland with The Estria Foundation
Heart Song for Japan, San Francisco Arts Commission (Scott & Fell St. Part 2)
Cesar Chavez Day with Suaro Cervantes and The Reyes Muertos Collective
Restoration of Cleveland Elementary School with Susan Cervantes
Heroes & Hearts Sculpture Painting (San Francisco General Hospital) with Precita Eyes
Olympia Rafah, for Susan Green
2010
Haiti Solidarity Banner with Fiona Glas
Block Party, La Mission with my artist students
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital with Precita Eyes
San Francisco General Hospital with Precita Eyes
Harlem, Paris of the West, San Francisco Arts Commission (Scott & Fell St. Part 1)
2009
Omino Day with Suaro Cervantes and The Reyes Muertos Collective
Marin Health, Marin, CA. with Precita Eyes
Oakdale Community Center with Precita Eyes
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, Berkeley with Precita Eyes
Visible Means of Support, San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art,
with Kerry James Marshall and Precita Eyes
2008
New Generation Health Center, Restoration with Precita Eyes
Google Mural, San Francisco with Precita Eyes
Excelsior Playground, for the San Francisco Giants Community Fund with Precita Eyes
2007
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, San Francisco with Precita Eyes
Edward Said Mural, San Francisco State University, for Susan Green
Horace Mann Academic Middle School
Vamos Gigantes, for The San Francisco Giants with Precita Eyes
2000-2006
Restoration of La Lucha Continua with Susan Green
Anarchists of the Americas with Susan Green
Regeneration with Meridian Gallery
Tenderheart with Meridian Gallery
Urban Nature with Meridian Gallery
Exhibitions:
The High Art of Riding Low, Petersen Automotive Museum 2017
Left Coast California Political Art, James Gallery, CUNY 2014
Treasure Island, Solo show, Treasure Island 2013
Two Years Here, Incline Gallery, San Francisco 2013
El Tecolote Newspaper Benefit, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco 2012
Meridian Gallery, Precita Eyes Benefit, San Francisco 2012
Wonderland Art Gallery, Precita Eyes Benefit, San Francisco 2011
Precita Eyes Benefit, SOMArts Gallery, San Francisco 2009
Children with AIDS Benefit, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco 2009
Flash Gallery, Group exhibition, San Francisco 2007
Philippines, Mexico, and California, Collaboration with Megan Wilson 2007
Solo Show, California College of Arts and Crafts , Oakland CA. 2004
A New Generation, Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, San Francisco 2002
Solo Mujeres , Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, San Francisco 2002
California College of Arts and Crafts, Solo Show, San Francisco 2001
Meridian Gallery, San Francisco 2000 and 2001
Awards and Honors:
Precita Eyes Community Center Mural Award 2004
Precita Eyes Mural Award with Meridian Gallery 2001
Meridian Gallery Youth Arts Festival Award 2000
Highest Achievement Award, San Francisco School of the Arts 2000
Portfolio Merit Book Award, Rhode Island School of Design 2000