Yours, Tenderly
The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL), in partnership with the Tenderloin Museum, are thrilled to announce a new video project by artist-in-residence, dancer, and researcher Preethi Ramaprasad, titled Yours, Tenderly, which celebrates the vibrant South Asian immigrant community of the Tenderloin and the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
In 2023, Ramaprasad was one of four artists-in-residence selected to participate in the San Francisco Arts Commission's Artist-in-Residence program at the San Francisco Public Library. Launched in 2015, this program aims to foster partnerships with City departments, enabling artists to contribute to civic dialogue. During her ten-week residency at SFPL, Ramaprasad conducted extensive research looking at the historical and current presence of South Asian people and arts in San Francisco. Previously, she has researched and presented work paying homage to South Asians in the Mission District, specifically their radical stories of solidarity and anti-colonial existence. Through her current research, Ramaprasad learned that South Asians shared a similarly rich history in the Tenderloin, although their presence in the neighborhood today has diminished.
Conceived as a dance film, Yours, Tenderly traces the history of South Asians in the Tenderloin through the artistic form of Bharatanatyam dance. In the film, Ramaprasad visits sites significant to the South Asian community, found through her research at the SFPL, and performs in front of them. Through performance, the film commemorates South Asian immigration and early cultural centers in the area, South Asian performances in the area, and generally, a celebration of the Tenderloin’s contribution to the national economy and culture.
About the Artist
Preethi Ramaprasad (she/her) is a multifaceted transnational dancer, musician, and researcher. Her research focuses on representation and the performance of myth among transnational Bharatanatyam practitioners. She has toured and taught Bharatanatyam, a form of South Indian dance, in India, Europe, and the United States. She co-curates the “Varnam Salon,” “When Eyes Speak Choreography Festival,” and “Performing Voices of Bhakti” which all aim to create safe spaces to share South Asian expressive arts in the diaspora. www.preethiramaprasad.com
Opening Reception Details
Yours, Tenderly Walking Tour
Thursday, September 26 | 6 - 7 p.m.
Tenderloin Museum, 398 Eddy St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Space is limited. RSVP required. Email sfac.galleries@sfgov.org to register
Artist Reception
Thursday, September 26 | 7 – 9 p.m.
The Tenderloin Museum, 398 Eddy St, San Francisco, CA, 94102
Free and open to the public
Project Partners
