(featured image) Rebekah Goldstein, Comforts Of A Double Bind, 2024. Oil on Canvas, 65 x 52 in. *Courtesy of Gallery 16
Get ready, San Francisco—this week’s art scene is turning up the volume. We’re talking bold openings, live demos, identity-driven storytelling, and creative energy pouring out of every gallery and alleyway. Kick things off Thursday at 111 Minna Gallery, where Skate Sketch Thursday gets a fresh remix with live art, DJ sets by Romanowski, and a Q&A led by curator Irene Hernandez Feiks. Just around the corner, the SF Arts Commission unveils Service Tension—a powerful new show exploring queer identity, desire, and the body through sculpture, installation, and abstraction.
By the weekend, the vibe goes full tilt. Head to Voss Gallery for a soulful portrait series and a stencil workshop that lets you get your hands dirty with acclaimed street artist Jeremy Novy. Dive into layered abstractions at Gallery 16, explore migration and memory at Catharine Clark Gallery, and find community-centered creativity at Root Division, Hayes Valley Art Works, and The Box SF. Want something poetic or bold? There’s Persian miniatures at Art House SF, photographic meditations at Fraenkel, and an immersive, one-night-only art/music mashup at 120710 Gallery in Berkeley. This is more than a weekend of art—it’s a celebration of SF’s creative spirit in all its forms. Come through and get inspired.
Thursday, May 29th
*Flyer art by Agana; courtesy of 111 Minna Gallery
111 Minna Gallery
Thu, May 29th 5-10PM
111 Minna Gallery hosts a special edition of Skate Sketch Thursday curated by Irene Hernandez Feiks, featuring live art, music by Romanowski, and a Curator/Artist Q&A with top Bay Area artists. The event brings together a vibrant lineup of creators for a night celebrating art, community, and creative expression.
*Flyer courtesy of Juliette Leong and BlueStream Gallery
BlueStream Gallery
Thu, May 29th 5:30-8:30PM
Join BlueStream Gallery for an exclusive preview of “Captured in Color,” a solo exhibition by 8-year-old art prodigy Juliette Leong. The celebration continues at the Opening Reception on Saturday, May 31st, 2-8PM—don’t miss this captivating showcase that’s already drawing praise from collectors and critics alike.
*Flyer courtesy of SF Arts Commission
SF Arts Commission
Thu, May 29th 6-8PM
“Service Tension” opens at the SF Arts Commission Main Gallery, showcasing six artists whose work explores the queer body, desire, and power through abstraction, sculpture, photography, and installation. Curated by Elena Gross and Leila Weefur, the exhibition invites viewers to engage with complex dynamics of identity and intimacy. (May 14th – 31st)
Friday, May 30th
Artwork: The Tracy Piper, SEEN Volume 4. *Banner courtesy of Voss Gallery
Voss Gallery
Fri, May 30th 5-8PM
Voss Gallery presents “The Tracy Piper: SEEN Volume 4,” a one-night-only artist reception and book signing featuring 50 new eye portraits that celebrate identity, vulnerability, and the power of being seen. The immersive event invites guests to meet the artist and portrait participants, view the latest works, and explore intimate reflections shared by each subject. (May 14th – 31st)
*Courtesy of PALLAS
PALLAS
Fri, May 30th 5-9PM
PALLAS presents “Litanies,” a solo exhibition by Rafi Ajl showcasing sculptural furniture that blends wood, metal, and glass to explore the interplay between structure and organic form. With rhythmic grids and tactile materials, the show also features live soundscaping by Chris Kallmyer.
Artwork: Rebekah Goldstein, Ball and Chain, 2024. Oil on Canvas, 65 x 52 in. *Courtesy of Gallery 16
Gallery 16
Fri, May 30th 6-9PM
Gallery 16 presents “Full Length Mirror,” a solo exhibition by Rebekah Goldstein featuring three years of improvisational paintings that blur the boundaries between painting and sculpture. Through layered compositions and abstracted influences, Goldstein explores transformation, personal history, and visual memory. (May 30th – Jul. 3rd)
*Flyer courtesy of Living Room Light Exchange
Living Room Light Exchange
Fri, May 30th 7PM
Living Room Light Exchange hosts its fifth Season 10 event at Pallas Annex, featuring presentations by Marcella Faustini, DJ Meisner, and Brian Bartz. The evening highlights experimental art practices spanning curation, mixed media, and speculative sculpture, with themes ranging from mysticism and technology to cultural collaboration.
Saturday, May 31st
*Flyer courtesy of Dream State
Dream State at Asian Art Museum
Sat-Sun, May 31st-Jun. 1st 10AM-5PM
Dream State: Works-in-Progress is a one-weekend-only immersive art experience at the Asian Art Museum, closing out AAPI Month with powerful explorations of identity, legacy, generational healing, and becoming. Featuring 20+ rising Bay Area creatives, the event transforms the museum into a surreal landscape of film, sound, performance, and visual art—Saturday includes artist talks and an opening reception, while Sunday offers a full day of free programming including soundscapes, dance, meditation, and spoken word. (May 31st – Jun. 1st)
*Courtesy of The Box SF
The Box SF
Sat, May 31st 11AM-5PM
Discover local creativity at The Box SF’s Monthly Artists and Makers Fair, a free weekend event featuring art sales and handmade goods in a historic 1920s building. Explore two floors of art, community, and vintage charm in the heart of San Francisco. (May 31st – Jun. 1st)
*Photo courtesy of Voss Gallery
Voss Gallery
Sat, May 31st 1-3:30PM
Join acclaimed street artist Jeremy Novy at Voss Gallery for a hands-on Make & Take Stencil Workshop exploring the history, techniques, and impact of stencil art. Participants will design, cut, and spray their own stencils to take home—no experience required, just a rebellious spirit and some creative flair. *Tickets $100
Artwork: Richard Learoyd, Untitled Flowers (Day 2), 2025. Camera Obscura Ilfochrome Photograph, 54 x 44 in. *Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery
Fraenkel Gallery
Sat, May 31st 2-4PM
Fraenkel Gallery presents new and recent photographs by Richard Learoyd that explore classical themes through large-scale landscapes, still lifes, and collaborative works with ceramicist Frances Palmer. The exhibition features hyper-detailed prints of ancient trees, Grand Canyon vistas, and Rococo-inspired floral compositions, with a featured conversation between Learoyd and Palmer reflecting on their creative exchange. (May 29th – Aug. 9th)
*Flyer courtesy of Hayes Valley Art Works
Hayes Valley Art Works
Sat, May 31st 2-4PM
Hayes Valley Art Works presents “Focus on the Figure,” a compelling exploration of the human form through the work of 19 Bay Area artists. This vibrant group show features paintings, drawings, prints, photography, and mixed media. Whether representational or abstract, gestural or precise, these works invite viewers to reflect on how we see the body and what it reveals about identity, movement, and connection. (May 25th – mid July)
Artwork: Arleene Correa Valencia, Las Madres Inmigrantes No Se Rajan / Migrant Mothers Don’t Give Up. Textile and Thread on Amate made by Jose Daniel Santos De La Puerta, 58 ¾ x 47 in. *Courtesy of Catharine Clark Gallery
Catharine Clark Gallery
Sat, May 31st 3-5PM
Catharine Clark Gallery presents three new solo exhibitions: Arleene Correa Valencia’s “Codice Del Perdedor / The Losing Man’s Codex” (South Gallery), featuring new works on Amate paper; Alejandro Cartagena’s “In Between Spaces – Entre Espacios” (North Gallery), a survey of major photographs and photocollages; and Nanci Amaka’s “Cleanse / Three Walls (Media Room),” a three-channel video installation recently presented at the Hawai’i Triennial 2025. All three exhibitions consider themes of migration, memory, and intergenerational healing. (May 31st – Jul. 19th)
*Banner courtesy of Root Division
Root Division
Sat, May 31st 4-6PM
Root Division presents “New Growth: Rooted Together,” celebrating the inspiring work of its Youth Education Program and honoring the teaching artists, educators, and community partners who nurture creativity. This exhibition highlights the impact of accessible arts education, serving over 800 Bay Area youth annually and growing stronger each year.
Artwork: Feruz Temirov, One Thousand and One Nights. Watercolor, Acrylic, Gouache on Samarkand Silk Paper, 14 x 11 in. *Courtesy of Art House SF Gallery
Art House SF Gallery
Sat, May 31st 4-8PM
Join Art House SF for the closing reception of “Persian Miniatures from the Silk Road,” featuring over 25 intricate works by Feruz Temirov and Davron Toshev that revive the rich tradition of Persian miniature painting from Bukhara, Uzbekistan—an art form rooted in folklore, poetry, and history.
*Flyer courtesy of SWIM Gallery
SWIM Gallery
Sat, May 31st 6-8PM
“Counter Space” by Andrea Castillo at SWIM Gallery explores immigrant-run storefronts as cultural and social anchors, drawing on memories and photos from Los Angeles commutes. Through paintings inspired by local shops, the exhibition reflects how marginalized communities create spaces of belonging, trade, and identity.
*Flyer courtesy of Moth Belly Gallery
Moth Belly Gallery
Sat, May 31st 6-9PM
Join Moth Belly Gallery for the closing of Mister Zozo’s collaborative residency and exhibit “Zozo Goes West,” featuring the unveiling of a giant group illustration created with Bay Area artists. Celebrate his final day at the gallery before he returns to Paris.
Photo: Jonathan Mark Jackson, Manacle. *Courtesy of SF Camerawork
SF Camerawork at Fort Mason
Sat, May 31st 6-9PM
SF Camerawork presents “FORECAST 2025,” a juried exhibition showcasing the work of five emerging imagemakers exploring themes of memory, identity, ecology, and transformation. On view at Fort Mason, the exhibition highlights innovative approaches to photography that challenge traditional narratives and mediums. (May 30th – Aug. 16th)
*Banner courtesy of Un//titled Collective
*Un//titled Collective at 120710 Gallery – Berkeley
Sat, May 31st 7-10PM
Experience a one-night-only electroacoustic performance by Sholeh Asgary from her debut EP آبان (Aban) at 120710 Gallery in Berkeley, in celebration of “Zephyr Coating”—an exhibition featuring 15 Bay Area artists inspired by Jan Snow’s Wind Shift—and the soft launch of Un//titled Collective. Enjoy an evening of immersive art, live music, curated drinks, and a beautifully arranged charcuterie spread while connecting with the artists and curators behind this vibrant community-driven event. Tickets $30; Use promo code ZEPHYRCOATING for $5 off tickets
*Banner courtesy of YBCA and Opera Parallèle
Opera Parallèle x YBCA
Sat, May 31st 7:30PM
Opera Parallèle presents “Harvey Milk Reimagined” at the Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA, a new adaptation of the acclaimed opera tracing Harvey Milk’s journey from his early life to becoming a heroic LGBTQ+ leader. The production captures his transformative story with music by Stewart Wallace and libretto by Michael Korie. (May 31st – Jun. 7th) *Tickets $50–$188; Young Creatives 30 and Under: $35
Sunday, Jun. 1st
*Photo courtesy of Morgann Trumbull Projects
*Morgann Trumbull Projects x Moonlight Press – Oakland
Sun, Jun. 1st 1-3PM
Morgann Trumbull Projects and Moonlight Press present an open house to celebrate the release of new etchings and prints by Anna Kunz. This event marks the inaugural collaboration between the two, showcasing Kunz’s vibrant abstract works.