AUG
7
First Friday Oakland Art Walk
"Who Am I?" portraits by Leslie Plato Smith
This event is over, it happened on
March 6, 2026 at Manna Gallery in Oakland, CA
473 25th St, Oakland, CA 94612
For March we are honored to feature the work of local Bay Area artist Leslie Plato Smith, in her latest show entitled, “Who Am I?”
“We are living in turbulent times. We are questioning our values, beliefs, and education. Our national leaders prove to be untrustworthy, as the media feeds misleading narratives. Our history feels as uncertain as our future. We are having difficulty finding common ground, the truth, and what we stand for. Conflict is everywhere. Everyone is asking themselves: “Who Am I?”
Artist Bio:
Choctaw, Viking, AVChancellor, Governmental Relations, emerita. Highlights: national award for bringing together 60 art departments, creating 125 life-size statues showing how budget cuts negatively impact access and opportunity, democracy and upward mobility; European Cultural Centre’s Venice Biennale: “Who Are We?”; Spotlight Artist for Richmond Art Center, “Vulnerability;” “Clay Sustains: Vessels of Change” Palo Alto Art Center.
Plato Smith’s grandfather was born on the Choctaw Reservation and her orphaned grandmother was born to immigrant parents from Denmark and Sweden. Migration, immigration, resettlement and environment/wildlife are key themes that resonate through her creative practice and professional work. She is very committed to acknowledgement of ALL LIFE. Her mother, Lee Plato Smith, educated at California School of Fine Arts, taught her to draw off the edge and never be afraid of making mistakes.
March 6th – 28th, 2026
First Friday reception: March 6th 5-10pm
Hours:
Saturdays 1-5pm
Every first Friday of the month 5-9pm
otherwise by appointment
Date:
March 6, 2026
Time:
5:00 PM
5:00 PM
Event website: https://oaklandartmurmur.org/event/who-am-i/
Event type:
Art and Culture
Manna Gallery is a small contemporary art space in Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood, on the 25th Street gallery row where several independent galleries and studios share the block. The space is straightforward and easy to navigate, with one main room that usually holds a single focused exhibition, so visitors can take their time with each piece without feeling rushed. more...
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