Visual Arts

“Piazza Grande in Burano,” shot in Venice in 1957 by Piergiorgio Branzi, is part of “NeoRealismo: The New Image in Italy, 1932-1960.” (Courtesy Fondazione Forma/Contrasto Galleria Milano)

Post-World War II Italy in vivid black-and-white

‘NeoRealismo’ showcases images from 1932 to 1960

“Piazza Grande in Burano,” shot in Venice in 1957 by Piergiorgio Branzi, is part of “NeoRealismo: The New Image in Italy, 1932-1960.” (Courtesy Fondazione Forma/Contrasto Galleria Milano)
“El Tigre” (2009) is a re-interpretation of Ed Hardy’s iconic self-portrait. (Courtesy Don Ed Hardy/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)

Ed Hardy exhibit shows all sides of tattoo artist

‘Deeper than Skin’ looks back on long career beyond the brand

“El Tigre” (2009) is a re-interpretation of Ed Hardy’s iconic self-portrait. (Courtesy Don Ed Hardy/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)
Pride flags are a prominent component of “Identity and Pride: Youth Exploration of Self” at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. (Courtesy photo)

Boys & Girls Clubs explore ‘Identity & Pride’ at YBCA

Young artists create with colorful flags, words and humor

Pride flags are a prominent component of “Identity and Pride: Youth Exploration of Self” at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. (Courtesy photo)
A humorous work by Kitagawa Utamaro is in on view in “Tattoos in Japanese Prints.” (Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Tattoos get high-art treatment in museum show

19th century Japanese practices relate to present-day S.F.

A humorous work by Kitagawa Utamaro is in on view in “Tattoos in Japanese Prints.” (Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
Dede Wilsey (pictured at the San Francisco Opera ball in 2010 with John Traina) will step down from Fine Arts Museums’ board of trustees’ presidency. (Drew Altizer/Special to S.F. Examiner)

Dede Wilsey to leave Fine Arts Museums presidency

Board member Jason Moment expected to take post in wake of long controversy

Dede Wilsey (pictured at the San Francisco Opera ball in 2010 with John Traina) will step down from Fine Arts Museums’ board of trustees’ presidency. (Drew Altizer/Special to S.F. Examiner)
“Ethel Scull 36 Times,” a 1963 silkscreen ink and acrylic on linen, is on view at SFMOMA. (Courtesy Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./ Artists Rights Society)

SFMOMA mounts major Warhol retrospective

Exhibit covers all phases of pop art giant’s career

“Ethel Scull 36 Times,” a 1963 silkscreen ink and acrylic on linen, is on view at SFMOMA. (Courtesy Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./ Artists Rights Society)
The Japanese Tea Garden is among the participating attractions in the San Francisco Museums for All program. (Melissa Vong/S.F. Examiner)

Summer program offers free museum entry to city residents

People on public assistance pay no admission at 15 S.F. institutions

  • May 22, 2019
The Japanese Tea Garden is among the participating attractions in the San Francisco Museums for All program. (Melissa Vong/S.F. Examiner)
Al Farrow’s “The White House” is the centerpiece of an exhibition at Catharine Clark Gallery opening May 18. (Courtesy photo)

Al Farrow’s ‘White House’ reflects on presidencies

Artist comments on changing government in Catharine Clark Gallery show

  • May 12, 2019
Al Farrow’s “The White House” is the centerpiece of an exhibition at Catharine Clark Gallery opening May 18. (Courtesy photo)
Artist Calixto Robles in his studio at the Redstone building in the Mission District on Thursday, May 9, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Peaceful warrior: Artist creates his own reality

“To any artist, the light is important,” said printmaker and painter, Calixto Robles.

Artist Calixto Robles in his studio at the Redstone building in the Mission District on Thursday, May 9, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
“Whisper, the Waves, the Wind,” Suzanne Lacy and Sharon Allen’s 1984 performance piece with mature women in Southern California, is pictured in “We Are Here” at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. (Courtesy Suzanne Lacy; photo by Edith Kodmur)

Up close with performance pioneer Suzanne Lacy

SFMOMA, YBCA spotlight California conceptual artist

“Whisper, the Waves, the Wind,” Suzanne Lacy and Sharon Allen’s 1984 performance piece with mature women in Southern California, is pictured in “We Are Here” at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. (Courtesy Suzanne Lacy; photo by Edith Kodmur)
Ilsa Alexander, a San Francisco resident and native of Austria, is among the Holocaust survivors pictured in “Lest We Forget” on view in Civic Center Plaza. (Leslie Katz/S.F. Examiner)

‘Lest We Forget’ shines light on Holocaust survivors

Civic Center photo display urges viewers to fight hatred, bigotry

Ilsa Alexander, a San Francisco resident and native of Austria, is among the Holocaust survivors pictured in “Lest We Forget” on view in Civic Center Plaza. (Leslie Katz/S.F. Examiner)
Justyne Fischer’s “Suspicious Suicide” is a woodcut piece questioning the death of an unarmed black woman who was in police custody in Texas. (Courtesy Justyne Fischer)

Feminists’ fury rises in ‘F213’

Group show offers works by angry artists calling for change

Justyne Fischer’s “Suspicious Suicide” is a woodcut piece questioning the death of an unarmed black woman who was in police custody in Texas. (Courtesy Justyne Fischer)
Erik Kessels’ thought-provoking installation “24HRS in Photos” compiles prints of images uploaded to Flickr in one day. (Courtesy Erik Kessels)

Photo play

Fun SFMOMA show explores changing methods of image delivery

Erik Kessels’ thought-provoking installation “24HRS in Photos” compiles prints of images uploaded to Flickr in one day. (Courtesy Erik Kessels)
Displays at Macy’s Flower Show take on a science and adventure theme. (Ming Vong/S.F. Examiner)

73rd Macy’s Flower Show blasts off into space

The 73rd annual Macy’s Flower Show takes visitors a trip to outer…

Displays at Macy’s Flower Show take on a science and adventure theme. (Ming Vong/S.F. Examiner)
“Tomorrow Will Be Fine II” reflects Wanxin Zhang’s humor and spirituality. (Courtesy Wanxin Zhang)

Sculptor Wanxin Zhang pushes clay’s boundaries

Inspired by the late Robert Arneson and his friend Ai Weiwei, internationally…

“Tomorrow Will Be Fine II” reflects Wanxin Zhang’s humor and spirituality. (Courtesy Wanxin Zhang)
Participants in the Night Owl Ceremony outside the de Young Museum. (Jonathan Ross/Special to S.F. Examiner)

Enjoying the weirdness of San Francisco that remains

The instructions were to meet some “distributors of magic” at the corner…

Participants in the Night Owl Ceremony outside the de Young Museum. (Jonathan Ross/Special to S.F. Examiner)
San Francisco artist Kristine Mays, whose sculptures expressing the human form through hundreds of individual pieces of wire are featured at the African American Arts and Culture Complex in the display "Brutally Soft" through March 24, at the complex's Sargent Johnson Gallery in the Fillmore District. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

An artist wired for humanity

“I love San Francisco,” wire sculptor Kristine Mays laughed, realizing she had…

San Francisco artist Kristine Mays, whose sculptures expressing the human form through hundreds of individual pieces of wire are featured at the African American Arts and Culture Complex in the display "Brutally Soft" through March 24, at the complex's Sargent Johnson Gallery in the Fillmore District. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
“Weeping Willow” (1918–19) in "Monet: The Late Years," loaned from Kimbell Art Museum in Texas, displays Monet’s ability to conjure emotion. (Photo courtesy Robert LaPrelle)

Monet as modernist: Impressionist master changes style in final years

Having helped change how artists depicted the world in the late 1800s,…

“Weeping Willow” (1918–19) in "Monet: The Late Years," loaned from Kimbell Art Museum in Texas, displays Monet’s ability to conjure emotion. (Photo courtesy Robert LaPrelle)
Artist Kurt Schwartzmann, whose unique take on Muni drivers and Muni-centric artwork is being featured at the LightHouse for the Blind Gallery on Market Street, discusses his work at the gallery on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Formerly homeless man sketches art gallery tribute to a Muni act of kindness

One moment is all it took to inspire artist Kurt Schwartzmann for…

Artist Kurt Schwartzmann, whose unique take on Muni drivers and Muni-centric artwork is being featured at the LightHouse for the Blind Gallery on Market Street, discusses his work at the gallery on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Curator Kathy Zarur at the California College of the Arts San Francisco main campus on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

For a roving and well-traveled local, there’s no place like home

“I spent my entire adult life trying to run away from here…

Curator Kathy Zarur at the California College of the Arts San Francisco main campus on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)