Museums and Galleries

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park guides tell amusing and entertaining stories about the founding of The City in their podcast “Better Lives, Bitter Lies.” (Courtesy photo)

S.F. Maritime park podcast elucidates, enlightens

‘Better Lives, Bitter Lies’ details role of trickery in city’s history

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park guides tell amusing and entertaining stories about the founding of The City in their podcast “Better Lives, Bitter Lies.” (Courtesy photo)
A flyer advertises the Christopher Street “gay-in” in 1970. (Courtesy Charles Thorpe Papers/GLBT Historical Society)

‘Labor of Love’ details birth of San Francisco Pride

GLBT Historical Society multimedia show looks at event’s first decade

A flyer advertises the Christopher Street “gay-in” in 1970. (Courtesy Charles Thorpe Papers/GLBT Historical Society)
Grand marshal Beswick will miss SF Pride parade

Grand marshal Beswick will miss SF Pride parade

Gay rights advocate marks four decades of activism

Grand marshal Beswick will miss SF Pride parade
New Conservatory Theatre Center presents drag artist Katya Smirnoff-Skyy in a benefit online performance with cabaret singers Jesse Cortez, Amanda King and Joe Wicht on June 30, Give Out Day. (Courtesy photo)

San Francisco Pride week events

Exhibitions, performances, film, panels round out 2020 celebrations and commemorations

New Conservatory Theatre Center presents drag artist Katya Smirnoff-Skyy in a benefit online performance with cabaret singers Jesse Cortez, Amanda King and Joe Wicht on June 30, Give Out Day. (Courtesy photo)
The SF Neon TenderNob tour showcased the elegant Ha-Ra sign, with a signature martini. (Courtesy SF Neon/Tenderloin Museum)

Virtual tour of SF neon signs as good as walk down Bush St.

Tenderloin Museum co-sponsors nifty online local art, history series

The SF Neon TenderNob tour showcased the elegant Ha-Ra sign, with a signature martini. (Courtesy SF Neon/Tenderloin Museum)
Dr. George Rutherford speaks with Exploratorium scientist Jennifer Frazier in the May 20 session of the science center’s online COVID-19 conversation series. (Courtesy photo)

Exploratorium continues COVID conversation series

Scientists share expertise in free timely online talks

Dr. George Rutherford speaks with Exploratorium scientist Jennifer Frazier in the May 20 session of the science center’s online COVID-19 conversation series. (Courtesy photo)
“The Territorial City” by Hannah Kim & Sayer Al Sayer is among the Curator’s Picks from the California College of the Arts Class of 2020 Showcase. (Courtesy CCA)

Bay Area higher education art students show work online

CCA, SFAI grads and undergrads present virtual exhibitions

“The Territorial City” by Hannah Kim & Sayer Al Sayer is among the Curator’s Picks from the California College of the Arts Class of 2020 Showcase. (Courtesy CCA)
Designers and crafters have until May 31 to enter The Museum of Craft and Design’s online mask-making contest. (Courtesy photo)

Create a mask, win a cash prize

Museum of Craft and Design hosts “Let’s Face It,” an online competition

Designers and crafters have until May 31 to enter The Museum of Craft and Design’s online mask-making contest. (Courtesy photo)
“The Point of Final Collapse” is a daily broadcast from the tower at San Francisco Art Institute’s Chestnut Street campus. (Courtesy photo)

Long-term installation sounds out about Millennium Tower

‘Point of Final Collapse’ addresses SF’s sinking downtown skyscraper

  • Mar 30, 2020
“The Point of Final Collapse” is a daily broadcast from the tower at San Francisco Art Institute’s Chestnut Street campus. (Courtesy photo)
Webcams offer live views of California Academy of Sciences’ African penguins. (Courtesy photo)

Cal Academy brings natural world inside

At-home programs include new virtual NightLife festivities

Webcams offer live views of California Academy of Sciences’ African penguins. (Courtesy photo)
Stanford University is closing Cantor Arts Center and Anderson Gallery galleries to the public, but the outdoor sculpture garden will remain open. (Courtesy photo)

Stanford closes art galleries due to coronavirus threat

Walt Disney Family Museum, Omni Concerts programs also affected

Stanford University is closing Cantor Arts Center and Anderson Gallery galleries to the public, but the outdoor sculpture garden will remain open. (Courtesy photo)
Due to public health threats, Stanford University is canceling some programs at Cantor Arts Center, though the museum, and the Anderson Collection, will remain open. (Courtesy photo)

Coronavirus threat postpones Stanford museum programs, Ocean film fest

Officials take precaution as public health concerns mount

Due to public health threats, Stanford University is canceling some programs at Cantor Arts Center, though the museum, and the Anderson Collection, will remain open. (Courtesy photo)
Orange, yellow and purple are used to excellent effect in a “Three Sixes” quilt from 1999. (Courtesy Eli Leon Bequest)

Berkeley Art Museum shows Rosie Lee Tompkins’ brilliant quilts

Innovator brought new dimension to textile artistry

Orange, yellow and purple are used to excellent effect in a “Three Sixes” quilt from 1999. (Courtesy Eli Leon Bequest)
Dawoud Bey’s 2012 “The Birmingham Project” includes “Mary Parker and Caela Cowan, Birmingham, AL.” (Courtesy the artist, Rennie Collection)

Black like Bey

SFMOMA showcases photographer Dawoud Bey’s beautiful, sociopolitical images

Dawoud Bey’s 2012 “The Birmingham Project” includes “Mary Parker and Caela Cowan, Birmingham, AL.” (Courtesy the artist, Rennie Collection)
“Showing their Levi’s postcard from California Rodeo Salinas” is part of a Contemporary Jewish Museum exhibit about the famed blue jean company opening Feb. 13. (Courtesy Levi Strauss & Co. Archives)

Winter 2020 Arts Preview: Museums

Art and science centers show photography, sculpture, installations, painting and more

“Showing their Levi’s postcard from California Rodeo Salinas” is part of a Contemporary Jewish Museum exhibit about the famed blue jean company opening Feb. 13. (Courtesy Levi Strauss & Co. Archives)
A 15th- to 16th-century wood figure of the Buddhist deity Vajrabhairava (“Destroyer of Death”) is a highlight of “Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment” on view through May 3 at the Asian Art Museum. Courtesy Travis Fullerton/Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Asian Art Museum’s ‘Awaken’ offers a journey toward enlightenment

Ancient, contemporary Buddhist works on view

A 15th- to 16th-century wood figure of the Buddhist deity Vajrabhairava (“Destroyer of Death”) is a highlight of “Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment” on view through May 3 at the Asian Art Museum. Courtesy Travis Fullerton/Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Street artist JR’s huge digital mural on the first floor of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, on view for free, is fascinating. (Leslie Katz/S.F.)

JR’s mural mesmerizes at SFMOMA

‘Chronicles of San Francisco’ showcases 1,206 people

Street artist JR’s huge digital mural on the first floor of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, on view for free, is fascinating. (Leslie Katz/S.F.)
Curators Elizabeth Mitchell, left, and Aleesa Alexander discuss “The Baayfalls 2017,” a painting by Jordan Casteel in “Returning the Gaze” at Cantor Arts Center through Feb. 2. (Caroline Ghisolfi/ Special to S.F. Examiner)

Stories from Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center

Three exhibitions showcase American life, past and present

Curators Elizabeth Mitchell, left, and Aleesa Alexander discuss “The Baayfalls 2017,” a painting by Jordan Casteel in “Returning the Gaze” at Cantor Arts Center through Feb. 2. (Caroline Ghisolfi/ Special to S.F. Examiner)
A bronze Buddha dated 338 from China’s Hebei province is among 15 objects on view in “Masterworks,” an exhibition on the Asian Art Museum’s refurbished third floor. (Courtesy Asian Art Museum/Avery Brundage Collection)

Asian Art Museum reintroduces 15 ‘Masterworks’

Redesigned galleries offer taste of what’s to come when $100 million expansion is completed

A bronze Buddha dated 338 from China’s Hebei province is among 15 objects on view in “Masterworks,” an exhibition on the Asian Art Museum’s refurbished third floor. (Courtesy Asian Art Museum/Avery Brundage Collection)
Marlon Mullen reimagines magazine covers in his paintings; an untitled 2017 piece is pictured. (Photo courtesy Glen Cheriton, JKA Photography/Marion Mullen)

Bold new work from SECA Award winners

Biennial SFMOMA exhibition showcases Bay Area artists

  • Nov 26, 2019
Marlon Mullen reimagines magazine covers in his paintings; an untitled 2017 piece is pictured. (Photo courtesy Glen Cheriton, JKA Photography/Marion Mullen)