Local Fil-Am artist has an epic welcome mural for the APEC Summit attendees
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CEOs and world leaders are set to converge at the City by the Bay for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, and California is deep into preparations. An important part of it features a mural by a Filipino-American artist, who aims to welcome conference attendees with his masterpiece.
This mural popping up near the Moscone Center is the brainchild of a muralist and street artist, Dee Jae Pa’este.
In accordance with the upcoming event, Pa’este used images and symbols reflecting the history of SoMa (South of Market). He believes a bit of Pinoy and Asian American and Pacific Islander flair is a nice addition to the community that is somehow lacking murals representing these Filipino and Asian identities.
And here’s the icing on the cake: This masterpiece is part of a $1.8 million grant funded by Clean California whose mission is to beautify 4th Street — a crucial move given the APEC Summit’s arrival.
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San Francisco’s City Administrator Carmen Chu couldn’t be more thrilled about the upcoming conference. She’s all about showing off the city’s greatness on the global stage.
“APEC is a wonderful opportunity for San Francisco to be on the international stage to showcase how wonderful, beautiful, and exciting the city is,” she emphasized.
Established in 1989, APEC is a 21-member regional forum that aims to promote “balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative, and secure growth by accelerating regional economic integration.” The Philippines isn’t new to this event as they have hosted the conference twice.
This Fil-Am artist’s art domination
Fil-Am artist Dee Jae Pa’este isn’t just making waves in San Francisco, as his art has made it to Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, and Buffalo, New York.
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Back home in the Philippines, he’s also painted his creations in popular restaurants and spots like Señor Pollo in Makati, Sensei Sushi, and The Palace Pool Club to name a few.
The best part of his mural for APEC? It’s not just about aesthetics but also the Fil-Am artist’s hope to remind everyone of a shared responsibility in making San Francisco more inclusive.
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“As an artist, I find it crucial to create murals that resonate with the community, showcasing the multicultural and diverse spirit of the Bay Area,” said Pa’este.
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Addressing some real issues
As the city gears up for the APEC Summit, the local government isn’t turning a blind eye to current issues like homelessness. They have plans to open over 300 homeless shelter beds in the next two months.
Mayor London Breed explained, “Every winter, because of the weather, we partner with interfaith council and a number of religious institutions to use their churches to provide shelter for unhoused individuals, so this program will provide the additional support that we need not necessarily leading up to APEC but as we approach our winter months.”
Under this year’s theme “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All,” the global economic leaders will focus on international challenges, bringing in a sustainable solution to the real issues.
