Simo Neri Color Slides of Carnaval San Francisco, 1980-1989, bulk (bulk 1980-1988)

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Summary

Creators:
Neri, Simo, 1948-
Abstract:
Simo Neri is a photographer and visual artist who photographed San Francisco's Carnaval for a decade, beginning in its second year. Neri's color slides depict groups, portraits, dancers, musicians, costumes, the parade and parade onlookers, floats, children, and signs. Event locations depicted include Civic Center Plaza, Dolores Park, and the parade route in the Mission neighborhood.
Extent:
1 pamphlet box (.5 Cubic Feet)
Language:
Collection materials are in English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Simo Neri, Color Slides of Carnaval San Francisco (SFP 165), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection is composed of 1,360 color slides documenting Carnaval celebrations from 1980-1988, seven color film negatives, and a postcard for a Carnaval photography exhibit in 1989. The slides and film negatives depict groups, portraits, dancers, musicians, costumes, the parade, onlookers, floats, children, signs, and more. Event locations depicted include Civic Center Plaza, Dolores Park, and the parade route in the Mission neighborhood.

Biographical / historical:

Simo Neri is a photographer and visual artist who photographed Carnaval San Francisco from 1980-1988. Originally from Italy, she has lived and worked in Paris, New York, and San Francisco.

Carnaval was begun in 1979 by six original members: Adela Chu (dancer/teacher), Marcus Gordon (master percussionist/music director), Pam Minor (Costume Bank), Sir Lawrence Washington (conceptual artist), Lou DeMatteis (photographer) and Carole Deutch. They named the event Carnaval San Francisco, and decided to create a multi-cultural, multi-tradition event that reflected the diversity of the bay area, with emphasis on artistic quality and community participation.

In 1980, the second year of Carnaval San Francisco, the parade ended in Dolores Park. The following year, the city was concerned about crowd numbers, and the parade's final destination moved to Civic Center Plaza. Neri's photographs capture both locations as well as the parade route through the Mission district.

By 1983, the event had outgrown the grass roots structure and minimally funded organization. After 1983 the original founders stepped back and left the decision about next steps to Mission Neighborhood Centers. Carnaval continues to be an annual event drawing large crowds in San Francisco. The photographs in this collection depict the grassroots energy of the original members' vision and the many community members and organizations that contributed to Carnaval San Francisco in the 1980s.

Custodial history:

Donated by Simo Neri on November 22, 2019.

Arrangement:

Slides are arranged in six folders in original order. A seventh folder contains a 1989 postcard for a Carnaval exhibit and an eighth folder contains color film negatives. The slides are not arranged in order by date or subject, although some sheets are specific to a single year or subject.

Physical location:
The collection is stored on site.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is available for use during Photo Desk hours. Collections that are stored offsite should be requested 48 hours in advance.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish photographs must be submitted in writing to the Photo Curator. Permission publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items. Copyright is held by photographer.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Simo Neri, Color Slides of Carnaval San Francisco (SFP 165), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Location of this collection:
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102, US
Contact:
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Website