Joseph Lucas' Obituary
Joseph Peter Adams Lucas
5/19/83 - 7/21/2023
Joseph was an artist, a curator, a scene maker and promoter. He was a musician and an improviser, a selector, a legendary party thrower, a prankster, a provocateur. He was radically generous, giving away whatever he had with joy. He believed in the goodness of human beings to a fault, always ready to give someone a chance.
He loved Oakland passionately, and lived there for 20 years. He lived above Saigon Market for over 15 years, the one constant in a rapidly changing neighborhood. He swore he would never leave his city, he was a real booster. Back in the old murmur days he'd keep an open studio, ready to welcome any stranger, and you could hear him ripping on the drums in the attic.
He had grand plans, sweeping visions of his place in a future scene, savvy business ideas. He would call with a head full of steam about a new way of looking at things, and he'd get me excited. I always hoped he'd find a way to be fulfilled and content, but he had a string of bad luck, the last couple years were hard on him. When we lost our brother Andre it was a heavy blow, especially for Joe.
I hope that block of Telegraph will remember Joe, shuffling in a trench coat, walking Steve off leash, smoking a spliff, with a marker in his pocket.
I write this for the people who knew him in Oakland, where we was a Legend and known by so many. I hope we can celebrate his life, and all the wonderful moments he made happen in his town. I can see him now, holding court in his little wooden art gallery shack he rigged to that ford ranger. Yelling "What up, peoples."
Goodbye Joe, we love you. In lieu of flowers, please teach someone to play the piano.
John Lucas
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