With so many things to do in San Francisco, it's easy to miss the many fantastic art exhibits and shows that pass through smaller galleries, as opposed to big museum shows. While it's nearly impossible for even the most ardent art lover to see it all, we've once again curated a collection of must see exhibits currently (or soon to be) gracing the walls of San Francisco's finest art spaces. Plan accordingly.
Surviving Pending Revolution, Omi Gallery/ThoughtWorks SF
This new exhibition explores the Black Panthers' contributions both around the Bay Area and throughout the world in the 50 years since their inception. The exhibit features rare archival material from the collection of Oakland-based archivist Lisbet Tollefsen. "Surviving Pending Revolution" includes never-before-seen photographs, original prints, posters and original newspapers covering the Blank Panthers extensive history. Through January 7, Omi Gallery/ThoughtWorks SF, 814 Mission Street, SF
Cyrille Andre, Sculpturesite Gallery
French artist Cyrille Andre makes his San Francisco debut in this exciting exhibit and video series. Andre's works include a wide range of media including wood, resin, fur over resin, bronze and our favorite in the series—giant aluminum dogs. André is the latest artist in Sculpturesite's video series Inside the Sculptor's Studio, capturing the artist at work in his studio in Marseille, France. (You can check out the video here.) Through January 14, Sculpturesite Gallery, 201 Third Street, SF
Michael Fliri: "Becomings," Gallery Wendi Norris
In his first show in the United States, Italian/German artist Michael Fliri exhibits his latest collection of works entitled "Becomings." This ultra-modern exhibition features seven Artistone, varnish, metal and MDF sculptural masks on finely crafted custom podiums—so don't show up tipsy. These fascinating objects d'arte look awfully easy to knock over! Through January 14, Gallery Wendi Norris, 161 Jessie Street, SF
"Differing Feathers," The Great Highway Gallery
This group exhibition—featuring a whopping 80 artists—examines how the social dynamics between birds can be applied to human society. Working with painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media, the collection of artists were each inspired by the interactions of birds—the perfect subject for this beachside gallery. Through December 31, The Great Highway Gallery, 3649 Lawton Street, SF
"Watermelon Woman 3.0," Center for Sex and Culture
This exciting group show explores importance of archiving African-American queer history, all inspired by the 20-year old film Watermelon Woman. Issues in Cheryl Dunye's groundbreaking movie continue to impact queer communities of color. The Center for Sex and Culture's current exhibition is a multi-artist art show uniting academic partners, artists and creative technologies to celebrate and highlight the cultural relevance of this historic film. Through January 6, Center for Sex and Culture, 1349 Mission Street, SF
"Small Work, Big Deal," Sebastopol Center for the Arts
We don't want to miss the Sebastopol Center's annual member's show featuring hundreds of pieces of artworks from local North Bay artists and artisans. This non-juried show is open to just about any member of the center and features an eclectic and often unexpected collection of local color. Through December 30, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 6780 Depot Street, Sebastopol
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