Sylvester mural livens up SOMA

  • by BAR staff
  • Wednesday May 26, 2021
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Photo: Norm Lynde
Photo: Norm Lynde

Disco star Sylvester is remembered in a new mural on the side of queer nightclub Oasis, 298 11th Street, in San Francisco's South of Market district. During a dedication ceremony May 24, Oasis owner D'Arcy Drollinger thanked people for helping save the club over the last year due to the COVID pandemic. The South of Market Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District partnered with Oasis and artist Josh Katz on the mural. "I wanted to create a mural dedicated to San Francisco's vibrant queer history, and that could uplift folks after an incredibly challenging year," Katz stated. "Sylvester is so loved in this city, I knew painting his portrait would remind us of the good times we've had, and those that are sure to come again soon." Sylvester James, a gay man who died of AIDS complications in 1988, lived in San Francisco and was known for his hits in the 1970s and 1980s.

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