2018 MFA Thesis Exhibition’s: The MFA Thesis Exhibitions of the Bay Area art schools concludes the graduate students’ two years of work and marks their transition to the public stage in a professional gallery setting. Throughout their time in school, the artists have expanded the possibilities of contemporary practice. The exhibition is a result of their learning and experimentation across media, their exploration of social, political, and cultural issues as well as personal inquiry. Mills College, California College of the Arts and San Francisco State University all have their exhibitions opening in April:
Mills College: April 28- May 27
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 28, 6- 8pm
The exhibition is located at Mills College Art Museum, 5000 MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland.
CCA: Part 1: March 28- April 7, Part 2: April 11- 21
Part 2 Opening Reception: Saturday, April 14, 3- 6pm
The exhibitions are located at Minnesota Street project, 1275 Minnesota Street.
SFSU: April 21- May 12
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 21, 1- 3pm
The exhibition is located at the Fine Arts Gallery, in the Fine Arts Building on the SF State main campus at 19th and Holloway Avenues.
Ongoing to April 21- Natalya Burd, Leaves of Grass after Walt Whitman at Jack Fischer Gallery: Leaves of grass is a very exciting exhibition in that it feels like an experience that goes beyond viewing a flat image. The viewer looks past the windows depicted and moves into an intimate space of lush nature. Burd uses intense color saturation and plays with the reflective quality of the colored plexiglass and the mirror to push the boundaries of flat surfaces, creating a shimmering atmosphere that evokes the passing moments in time as you go from one space to the other. Jack Fischer Gallery is located at 311 Potrero Avenue.
April 21, 6:30- 9pm- Art I Kala 2018 at Kala Art Gallery: Kala Art Institute’s annual art exhibition, auction and gala benefits Kala’s artistic, cultural, and educational programs. The event brings together Kala’s creative community and features the inventive and meaningful art being made at Kala. All proceeds from this event support educational and cultural programs that directly serve artists, children, and the Bay Area community. Kala Art Gallery is located at 2990 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley.
Exhibition: March 29– April 21
Gala Auction: Saturday, April 21, 6– 9:30pm
Gala Tickets: $100 in advance, $125 at the door, $150 VIP Ticket
Buy tickets here
Ongoing to May 3rd- Lucas Foglia: Human Nature at The Headlands Center for the Arts: In this exhibition, Lucas Foglia delves into the relationship between people and the environment. This series of lyrical, richly hued works depicts the ambiguous space between humans and nature, where the two meet, interact, and blend. Developed over several years, Human Nature challenges the concept that humans and nature operate in opposition, while simultaneously highlighting comedic integrations of human technologies in the natural world. From literal urban jungles to untouched wilderness, from the scientific realities of climate change to the poetic human longing for to be in nature, Human Nature is a nuanced exploration of the forces—both internal and external—that both pit us against and bring us closer to the natural world. Headlands Center for the Arts is located at 944 Fort Barry in Sausalito.
Reception: April 22nd, 4- 6pm
Ongoing to April 28- Steve Kahn: Stasis, Corridors, 1969- 1980 at Casemore Kirkeby: The exhibition acts as a timeline, covering a critical point of evolution for Kahn as a photographer, a time when he transitioned from a documentary photography to a more conceptual photographer. Kahn was part of a generation of photographers coming out of Los Angeles in the 1970s that brought a conceptual approach to photography, breaking away from the pure documentary impulse towards an interest in how photographs create meaning. Kahn’s transition from the role of observer into the conceptual realm of abstraction is apparent in the work hand-selected by Kahn before his passing for this exhibition. Casemore Kirkeby is located at 1275 Minnesota Street.
Ongoing to June 10- Printstallations at San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art: Printstallations presents monumental- sized works by nine artists who combine printmaking techniques with installation art. The exhibition presents different permutations of printmaking and installation practices, creating an environment that immerses the viewer. The artists challenge the potential of this form: they fill the walls, suspend work from the ceiling, and extend their installations onto the floor. As innovators and risk takers, the artists demonstrate a vast array of printmaking styles and confront the rules of traditional art making. San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art is located at 560 South First Street in San Jose.
Artist talk with Chris Eckert: Talking Art: Watched and Watching: Surveillance and Privacy Today, Sunday, April 8, 3- 4pm
April 26 to April 29- Art Market San Francisco at Fort Mason Center: Art Market San Francisco is an art fair that presents a significant selection of contemporary and modern artworks from galleries around the world. The art fair focuses on creating the highest quality experience by connecting collectors with dealers in the most optimal settings and contexts. Last years event had breaking sales, city-wide partnerships, and an attendance of over 25,000 visitors. Fort Mason Center is located at 2 Marina Blvd.
Buy tickets here