nicole gervacio is an interdisciplinary artist based in occupied Ohlone territory, known as Huichin, commonly known as Oakland, California. her ancestors come from the Bisayan islands and Luzon in the archipelago known as the philippines.
inspired by the body and memory she explores themes of identity, destruction and deterioration, and permanence versus impermanence. her work is driven by the fear of forgetting. she moves with ancestors and future generations in mind.
nicole is an active participant and collaborator with the grassroots adult freedom school Liberation Spring and co-founded the cultural production group We Rise. both continue to deepen her work as an artist and activist.
EDUCATION
2016 - Present Liberation Spring
2007 - 2011 California College of the Arts, BFA
EXPERIENCE
2017 - Present Art Teacher, The People's Conservatory
2017 - Present Assistant, Karina Epperlein
2016 - Present Visuals, Bedazzlement & Media Support, Liberation Spring
2016 - Present Co-Founder / Co-Producer, We Rise Production
2015 - 2018 Assistant, Beth Fein, dance anywhere®
2014 - 2015 Artist Coordinator / Lead Artist, Her Resilience
2012 - 2017 Choreographer / Instructor, Hipline Dance Studio
2012 - 2015 Graphic Designer / Project & Media Coordinator, Lightning Squad
SELECTED COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES & EVENTS
2020 Dance for Kadamay, Digital Fundraiser, Oakland, CA - Collaboration with Gabriela Oakland, benefit for Kadamay
2020 Pop-Up for Kadamay, Pop-Up Webstore Fundraiser, Oakland, CA - Collaboration with Gabriela Oakland, benefit for Kadamay
2020 Connections, Reflections & Intersections, Electronic Arts: Digital Panel - Organized by Aspire & BEAT! Juneteenth Programming
2020 27 Hour Mural for Breonna Taylor, 14th & Broadway, Oakland, CA - Organized by The People's Conservatory
2020 Pilipinx Radical Imagination Reader Online Book Sharing & Community Dialogue - Organized by Melissa Nievera-Lozano & Anthony Santa Ana
2020 Dance Dance Dance for Taal, In the Groove Studios, Oakland, CA - Collaboration with Gabriela Oakland, benefit for Bayanihan Disaster Relief
2019 Holiday Craft Fair, Sama Collective, Oakland, CA - Organized by Liyang Oakland benefit for Sabokahan
2019 10th Annual East Bay Alternative Book & Zine Fest, Omni Commons, Oakland, CA - Organized by EBABZ
2019 Kumain Ka Na?, Magic House, Oakland, CA - Collaboration with Stephanie Gervacio for Filipino American History Month
2019 Protest Art Walk, St. Mary's College, Oakland, CA - For Protest, Parade, & Pop Music: How Action & Arts Fuel Civil Liberties Movements
2018 Pilipinx Radical Imagination Book Reading, SFSU, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Melissa Nievera-Lozano & Anthony Santa Ana
2018 Listening Salon: Poetry & Solo Cello with Russian virtuoso Georgy Gusev, Karinaland, Berkeley, CA - Organized by Karina Epperlein
2018 Pilipinx Radical Imagination Book Reading, Eastwind Books, Berkeley, CA - Organized by Melissa Nievera-Lozano & Anthony Santa Ana
2018 Happy Hour for Women's Audio Mission: Performance with Cat Mahatta, Make-Out Room, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Join The Movement
2018 Pop Up Dance Party for Puerto Rico: Performance with Cat Mahatta, Starline Social Club, Oakland, CA - Organized by Vegan & Sarah, benefit for Maria Fund
2017 Participants: Featured Guest, Live Oak Theatre, Berkeley, CA - Production by TheatreFIRST
2017 Resilient as F*ck, Qulture Collective, Oakland, CA - Organized by Eri Guajardo Johnson of Birth Bruja
2017 Talking Down to Trump: Featured Artist, O'Hanlon Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, CA - Organized by Kris Grossman for 100 Days of Action
2017 We Dance, We Rise, Lake Temescal, Oakland, CA - Organized by We Rise for dance anywhere®
2017 Fired!, Temescal Art Center, Oakland, CA - Organized by Shapeshifters Cinema for 100 Days of Action
2016 NoDAPL Emergency Black Friday Rummage Sale, City Limits Gallery, Oakland, CA - Organized by Saif Azzuz & Bonanza Bonanza, benefit for Standing Rock
2016 Samu't Sari, Echo Lake Park, Los Angeles, CA - Organized by Nicole Arca of FilAm Arts
2016 Remember Our Place?, SOMArts Bay Gallery, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Sammay Dizon of Urban X Indigenous
2015 Awakened Ancestors // Borrowed Futures, MCCLA, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Lauren Benetua of People of Coloring
2015 Her Resilience, Park Community Garden, Oakland, CA - Organized by Her Resilience
2015 Her Resilience: Community Paint Day, Park Community Garden, Oakland, CA - Organized by Her Resilience
2014 Pistahan, Yuerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Kristian Kabuay for Filipino Arts And Events
2014 Kalayaan, Union Square, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Kristian Kabuay for KalayaanSF
2013 You Don’t Act Like an Indian Girl, Public Works, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Lauryn Porte Benefit for Petals in the Dust
2012 100 Faces, Roll Up Gallery, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Lauryn Porte Benefit for FACE AIDS
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2019 Deconstructed Pidginhole, Warehouse 416, Oakland, CA - Organized by Epekto Art Projects
2018 Space, Rock Paper Scissors, Oakland, CA - Organized by Epekto Art Projects
2018 Holy Trinity, Bindlestiff Studio, San Francisco, CA - Curated by Melanie Elvena for Women's History Month
2018 Rock Paper Scissors, Warehouse 416, Oakland, CA - Organized by Rock Paper Scissors Collective
2017 APAture: Unravel, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Kearny Street Workshop
2017 Grand Opening, Jig Shop, San Francisco, CA - Organized by Jig Shop
2016 The Last Supper, Turpentine Gallery, Oakland, CA - Curated by Kate Klingbeil
2016 Bringing Solutions Home, The Flight Deck, Oakland, CA - Organized by Her Resilience
2014 Mission & Vision, Mamá Art Cafe, San Francisco, CA - Curated by Shane Menez
2014 Beyond Breakfast & Selfies, Rock Paper Scissors Collective, Oakland, CA - Curated by Femme Cartel
2014 Allow Me to Introduce Myself…, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA - Curated by Katie Cromwell
2013 Bitches Brew, Turpentine Gallery, Oakland, CA - Curated by Kate Klingbeil & Grace Lannon
2013 Spring Dionysian, The Warehouse, San Francisco, CA - Curated by Camille Lynch
2012 Art Murmur, Era, Oakland, CA - Collaborative Installation with Michele Marti
2012 360 Degrees, California College of the Arts North Gallery, Oakland, CA - Curated by Tony Esola
2012 Black and White, Number 9 Gallery, Willits, CA - Curated by Cianna Valley
2012 Curiosities, Rock Paper Scissors Collective, Oakland, CA - Curated by Chris Hambrick
2012 Stimulus, 1015 Folsom, San Francisco, CA
2012 Days To Come, 5 Claude Lane, San Francisco, CA - Curated by Crystal Townsend
2011 dance. art. music. style. fashion., DNA Lounge, San Francisco, CA - Curated by First Class Arts
2011 Baccalaureate Exhibition, PLAySPACE, San Francisco, CA
2011 Student Scholarship Exhibition, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY - National Juried Exhibition
2010 burdens and blessings, California College of the Arts Center Gallery, Oakland, CA - Solo Exhibition
2009 Past Infinity, Oliver Arts Center, Oakland, CA - Juried Exhibition
2008 First Year Honors Exhibition, Tecoah and Thomas Bruce Gallery, San Francisco, CA
COLLABORATIVE WORKSHOPS
2019 Radical Love Through Dance, Radical Monarchs, Oakland, CA
2019 Starburst, Radically Fit, Oakland, CA
2019 Expanding Through Dance, Radically Fit, Oakland, CA
2018 I Owe You Nothing, The Compact Campfire, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA
2018 embodied drama, The Compact Campfire, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA
2018 embodied drama, Abun-Dance, Oakland, CA
2017 Re-landing Through Movement, Liberation Spring Retreat, Bolinas, CA
2017 Revolutionary Zine, Liberation Spring Retreat, Sebastopol, CA
2017 Putting in Werq, Dance Party, Oakland, CA
2017 BODY DRAMAHHH: RADICAL LOVE, Hipline, Oakland, CA
2016 Spectrum of Identity, Liberation Spring Retreat, Oakland, CA
2016 Body Talk, Liberation Spring Retreat, Sebastopol, CA
2016 BODY DRAMAHHH: GROWN A$$ WOMAN, Hipline, Oakland, CA
2014 BODY DRAMAHHH, Hipline, Oakland, CA
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & FEATURES
2020 SF Chronicle | Oakland Artists, Community Members Create Murals In Solidarity with Black Lives Matters
2019 Radically Fit | Starburst
2018 A Practical Wedding | What Our First Ever Feminist Summer Camp Was Like
2017 We Rise on KPFB | A Tribute to Our Ancestors
2017 Full Circle | Filipino American History Month
2017 Ano Ba Zine | Feature: Nicole Gervacio
2016 South Seattle Emerald | 31 Days of Revolutionary Women, #27: Nieves Fernandez
2015 Wear Your Voice Magazine | Meet the Nominees for the Oakland Indies
2015 People of Coloring | Now Announcing Lead Artist: Nicole Gervacio
2015 Making Contact | East Oakland Mural Honors Women Effected by Violence
2015 Oakulture | The Unveiling of ‘Her Resilience’
2015 Oakland Voices | Her Resilience: From Seed to Flower
2015 Oakland North | Artists Create a Mural Project to Honor Women Affected by Violence
2015 Wear Your Voice Magazine | This Week In Feminism
2015 East Bay Express | This Weekend’s Top Five Events
2015 Wine & Bow Ties | Her Resilience: Quelling Violence Against Women Through Art
2015 Oakland Local | Oakland Mural Honors Women Who Have Experienced Violence
2014 Inside Bay Area News & Oakland Voices | Her Resilience: Women in Control of Their Own Image
2014 Jung Katz | Artist Interview: Nicole Gervacio
2014 SFMOMA | On The Go
2014 SFnewsfeed.us | Filipino American Artists Exhibit Live Art at Kalayaan
2014 Platinum Cheese | ‘Allow Me to Introduce Myself…’ at Gallery 1988
2013 Workspace SF | Nicole Gervacio
2012 Art Business | Roll Up Gallery Benefit for FACE AIDS
2012 SF Art Enthusiast | 5 Claude Lane Gallery’s “Days to Come”
2012 Wanderlust | The Sketchbook Project
2012 CCA News | Illustration Students Triumph in Society of Illustrators Competition
2020 We Rise Zine: Consciousness Rooting
2019 opposite sides of an ocean
2019 Filipino American Artist Directory 3
2018 People of Coloring Limited Edition: Volume 1, Issue 1 - order a copy
2018 Mariposa: Addressing U.S. Border Violence with Action, Magick, and Prayer
2018 The Pilipinx Radical Imagination Reader - order a copy
2018 Filipino American Artist Directory 2
2017 Ano Ba Zine Issue 3
2017 We Rise Zine: Roots & Wings
2017 Ano Ba Zine Issue 2
2015 People Of Coloring: Awakened Ancestors \\ Borrowed Futures
2015 Mills Quarterly: In Her Image
2014 Lady Warrior Zine IV: ‘Til Death Do Us Part\
VOLUNTEER
2019 Social Media Management, Pacifica Radio May Day Broadcast, Oakland, CA
2019 Choreography Support, A Letter to My Ex: The Musical, Mills College, Oakland, CA
2018 - 2019 Social Media Management, TEDxSOMA: Modern Campfires, San Francisco, CA
2017 Dance Instructor, Abun-dance, Roses in Concrete, Oakland, CA - All funds raised by Embodied Drama benefited Sogorea Te' Land Trust
2017 Media Support, TEDxSOMA: Subject to Change, SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA
2017 Dance Instructor, Shimmy Pop-A-Thon, Hipline, Oakland, CA - Benefit for Oakland Elizabeth House
2017 Dance Instructor, International Women's Day Strike, Hipline, Oakland
2016 Dance Instructor, Shimmy Pop-A-Thon, Hipline, Oakland, CA - Benefit for Oakland Elizabeth House
2014 Dance Instructor, International Women’s Day at Girls Inc., Girls Inc. of Alameda County, Oakland CA
2014 Teacher Assistant, Girls Inc., International Community School, Oakland, CA
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Filipino American Artist Directory
PAST & PRESENT CLIENTS & COLLABORATORS