2005. The gallery space was formerly a butcher shop located right across the street from North Beach Pizza. As I walked into the gallery, Philip Hackett was sitting at a table conducting business. Artists wanted to schedule show time, poets wanted to sell their books, the installer needed a final nod on the display. When we finally had a moment together, he pointed at the front corner of the gallery and asked me to make a display there.
“What would you like?” I asked.
“The Chinese instruments from Clarion. You can also display your books. I’ll sell them for you.”
I didn’t have a book so I decided to make one. I printed the pages out and hand bounded them with ribbons. Philip was pleased. He told me about the upcoming North Beach Poetry Festival and invited me to read at the gallery.
The festival was a most impressive event with a packed audience from morning until well into the afternoon. It was a bonanza for the art community. But it was also too good a thing for San Francisco. Money was always tight, and in 2007 the gallery space was taken back by its owner. The setback didn’t stop Philip. He now produces regular readings as well as art shows in twenty cafes around North Beach, calling himself The King of Poetry.
Credits: PH Images
