Visual Arts

“Ticket to Ride,” on view at RVCA’s Haight-Ashbury store, is made up of artistic renderings of Muni tickets. <ins>(Courtesy Optimist Williams)</ins>

Celebrating pre-tech SF through Muni transfer tickets

‘Ticket to Ride’ exhibit presents public transit as art and equalizer

  • Sep 17, 2021

 

Joan Mitchell’s 1976 “Weeds” references plant life as well as the artist’s image of her own place in the world. (Photo courtesy Ian Lefebvre, Art Gallery of Ontario/Estate of Joan Mitchell)

Powerful abstracts by Joan Mitchell at SFMOMA

Colorful, dazzling works on view in plentiful retrospective

 

Ali Gass has raised $2.5 million to start the new institution in Dogpatch, with a planned opening in fall 2022. (Ulysses Ortega/New York Times)

San Francisco get its own Institute of Contemporary Art

ICA SF will showcase Bay Area artists ready for national attention

  • Sep 10, 2021

 

Revelers on Second Street enjoyed the How Weird Street Faire in 2018. (Courtesy photo)

How Weird festivities return to SoMa

Masks required, costumes encouraged at electronic music and art street party

Revelers on Second Street enjoyed the How Weird Street Faire in 2018. (Courtesy photo)
Mixed media artist Yun Suknam’s 2005 work “Heo Nanseolheon,” a portrait of a 16th century painter, is on view through November in “Likeness and Legacy in Korean Portraiture” at the Asian Art Museum.<ins> (Courtesy Yun Suknam)</ins>

Old and new Korean portraits reveal shifts in culture

Asian Art Museum exhibit combines historical glimpse, critical analysis

Mixed media artist Yun Suknam’s 2005 work “Heo Nanseolheon,” a portrait of a 16th century painter, is on view through November in “Likeness and Legacy in Korean Portraiture” at the Asian Art Museum.<ins> (Courtesy Yun Suknam)</ins>
Hung Liu appeared at the opening of “Hung Liu: Golden Gate” at the de Young Museum in July. (Courtesy Drew Altizer/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)

Hung Liu, artist documenting fate of immigrants, dies at 73

Oakland resident recently opened ‘Golden Gate’ installation at de Young Museum

Hung Liu appeared at the opening of “Hung Liu: Golden Gate” at the de Young Museum in July. (Courtesy Drew Altizer/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)
Photorgrapher Rick Gerharter’s “ACT NICE, OR ELSE! The Unity March” from June 23, 1990 is among the images in the San Francisco Public Library’s exhibition about the sixth International Conference on AIDS. <ins>(Courtesy Rick Gerharter)</ins>

1990s AIDS activism in spotlight at SF library

Exhibition recalls demonstrations, disruption of international conference in The City

Photorgrapher Rick Gerharter’s “ACT NICE, OR ELSE! The Unity March” from June 23, 1990 is among the images in the San Francisco Public Library’s exhibition about the sixth International Conference on AIDS. <ins>(Courtesy Rick Gerharter)</ins>
In the team Lab installation “Sketch Ocean,” visitors’ drawings of sea creatures are photographed, scanned and instantly added to moving art work on gallery walls. (Courtesy teamLab)

Dazzling wonderland fills Asian Art Museum’s new wing

Technology, nature combine to magical effect in ‘teamLab: Continuity’

In the team Lab installation “Sketch Ocean,” visitors’ drawings of sea creatures are photographed, scanned and instantly added to moving art work on gallery walls. (Courtesy teamLab)
Hadleigh Adams portrays Doug Hansen in the graphic novel opera “Everest.” (Courtesy Mark Simmons)

Opera gets animated on film in ‘Everest’

Opera Parallèle debuts ‘graphic novel opera’ about 1996 climbing tragedy

Hadleigh Adams portrays Doug Hansen in the graphic novel opera “Everest.” (Courtesy Mark Simmons)
Diego Rivera’s “The Marriage of the Artistic Expression of the North and of the South on This Continent” is filling the street level gallery at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, where visitors can see it without paying admission. (Courtesy Banco de Mexico Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust/Artist Rights Society/City College of San Francisco)

Diego Rivera’s epic mural graces SFMOMA

1940 masterwork ‘Pan American Unity’ on view until 2023

Diego Rivera’s “The Marriage of the Artistic Expression of the North and of the South on This Continent” is filling the street level gallery at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, where visitors can see it without paying admission. (Courtesy Banco de Mexico Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust/Artist Rights Society/City College of San Francisco)
“Essential Truths: The Bay Area in Color” collects writings by Bay Area essayists and poets. (Courtesy photo)

People of color share ‘Essential Truths’

Bay Area writers, artists tell stories of overcoming adversity

“Essential Truths: The Bay Area in Color” collects writings by Bay Area essayists and poets. (Courtesy photo)
Antoine Hunter/Purple Fire Crow performs with New Century Chamber Orchestra musicians — from left, Nicole Sauder, Jenny Douglass and Michelle Djokic — in Episode 2 of the online “Resonance Series.” (Courtesy David Law)

Chamber musicians unite with sculptor, dancer on film

Clever collaborations in New Century Chamber Orchestra’s ‘Resonance Series’

Antoine Hunter/Purple Fire Crow performs with New Century Chamber Orchestra musicians — from left, Nicole Sauder, Jenny Douglass and Michelle Djokic — in Episode 2 of the online “Resonance Series.” (Courtesy David Law)
“Sistine Chapel 1993/2019” is the grand finale of “Nam June Paik” at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. (Courtesy Estate of Nam June Paik/Photo by Andria Lo)

Nam June Paik predicted the internet revolution

Groundbreaking TV-loving artist in spotlight in SFMOMA retrospective

“Sistine Chapel 1993/2019” is the grand finale of “Nam June Paik” at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. (Courtesy Estate of Nam June Paik/Photo by Andria Lo)
A metal strongbox with appliques (circa AD 1-79) from Parco Archeologico di Pompei is among the items on view in “Last Supper in Pompeii: From the Table to the Grave.” (Courtesy Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)

Legion of Honor reopens with two original exhibitions

Museum showcases ancient objects from Pompeii, bold new sculptures

A metal strongbox with appliques (circa AD 1-79) from Parco Archeologico di Pompei is among the items on view in “Last Supper in Pompeii: From the Table to the Grave.” (Courtesy Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)
A recent visit to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art was notably free of crowds. (Ekevara Kitpowsong/SF Examiner file photo)

A modern visit to SFMOMA

Though the area was far from bustling, traffic persisted on the way home

A recent visit to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art was notably free of crowds. (Ekevara Kitpowsong/SF Examiner file photo)
Reena Saini Kallat’s installation “Woven Chronicle” is at Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center, which reopens to the public on April 21.<ins> (Photo courtesy Jonathan Muzikar/Museum of Modern Art/SCALA/Art Resource)</ins>

Stanford art museums to reopen in April

Stanford University is preparing to reopen its art museums to the public.…

Reena Saini Kallat’s installation “Woven Chronicle” is at Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center, which reopens to the public on April 21.<ins> (Photo courtesy Jonathan Muzikar/Museum of Modern Art/SCALA/Art Resource)</ins>
Presenters call “Immersive Van Gogh,” a multimedia attraction on view in The City through Sept. 6, “another form of art.” <ins>(Courtesy photo)</ins>

‘Immersive Van Gogh’ offers high-tech perspective on classic art

Multimedia attraction showcasing masterworks opens March 18 in S.F.

Presenters call “Immersive Van Gogh,” a multimedia attraction on view in The City through Sept. 6, “another form of art.” <ins>(Courtesy photo)</ins>
“Calder-Picasso” juxtaposes sculptures and paintings by 20th century masters Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso at the de Young Museum. (Courtesy Gary Sexton/2021 Calder Foundation, New York/Artists Rights Society, New York)

‘Calder-Picasso’ showcases modern masters side-by-side

Artists explore empty space in representational and abstract works

“Calder-Picasso” juxtaposes sculptures and paintings by 20th century masters Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso at the de Young Museum. (Courtesy Gary Sexton/2021 Calder Foundation, New York/Artists Rights Society, New York)
“Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving “ showcases the artist’s colorful wardrobe, which reflects her love of Mexico and its culture. (Courtesy Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)

Frida Kahlo’s revealing personal items on view at the de Young

‘Appearances Can Be Deceiving’ promotes deeper understanding of famed Mexican artist

“Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving “ showcases the artist’s colorful wardrobe, which reflects her love of Mexico and its culture. (Courtesy Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)
The deYoung Museum will reopen to the public March 6 with an exhibition of works by Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso. Courtesy Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

de Young Museum to reopen with ‘Calder-Picasso’

With COVID-19 restrictions lifting, The City’s museums and cultural institutions are reopening.…

The deYoung Museum will reopen to the public March 6 with an exhibition of works by Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso. Courtesy Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco