Humans of SFMOMA: Christo

Here we talk to Humans of SFMOMA staffer Christo (@orochristo), who handles serves as our Senior Exhibitions Program Associate and is also an artist himself.

Outside of SFMOMA, what’s your alter ego?

Christo: I’m an artist, and the owner and director of Incline Gallery on Valencia Street.

If you weren’t doing what you’re already doing, what would you be working on instead?

Christo: I would probably be in Mexico working on a ranch and singing as a mariachi.

What are you looking forward to when the museum opens?

Christo: Being surrounded by art at work again. Being surrounded by like-minded people who can lose themselves in a work of art inside one of our galleries.

What should everyone know about the Bay Area arts community? What’s the vibe like?

Christo: Everyone should know that the Bay Area arts community is alive and vibrant. They should also know that it needs support. Purchase art, visit artist lectures, support local artists and the galleries they show at. Mos Def once said about hip-hop exactly how I feel about the Bay Area arts community (from “Fear Not of Man”):

(Where do you think hip-hop is goin’?)
I tell ’em, You know what’s gonna happen with hip-hop?
Whatever’s happening with us
If we smoked out, hip-hop is gonna be smoked out
If we doin’ alright, hip-hop is gonna be doin’ alright

We (are) hip-hop
Me, you, everybody, we are hip-hop
So hip-hop is goin’ where we goin’
So the next time you ask yourself where hip-hop is goin’
ask yourself, Where am I goin’? How am I doin’?