(featured image) Christina Fong
Here’s your art guide for what’s happening in San Francisco, CA the week of November 5th – 9th, 2025. *Stay tuned—this list is constantly updated!
Wednesday, Nov. 5th
Artwork: Sarah Williams, South Kates Street, Oil on Board, 24 x 36 inches *Courtesy of Andrea Schwartz Gallery.
Andrea Schwartz Gallery
Wed, Nov. 5th • 5:30-7:30PM
Andrea Schwartz Gallery presents Midwest Nice, Sarah Williams’ third solo exhibition, featuring paintings inspired by her north Missouri roots. What began as a response to homesickness has become a meditation on memory, place, and change. In Midwest Nice, Williams captures the quiet persistence and transformation of rural towns, using fading storefronts and shifting landscapes to explore how home and belonging evolve over time. (Nov. 5 – Dec. 19, 2025)
Thursday, Nov. 6th
Artwork: Lucy Williams, The Collector’s House #1, 2025. Paper, Perspex, Engineered Wood, Cotton Embroidery Thread, Piano Wire and Acrylic Paint on Birch Ply Panel, 29 ½ x 44 ½ in. *Courtesy of Berggruen Gallery
Berggruen Gallery
Thu, Nov. 6th • 4:30-7PM
Berggruen Gallery presents Radiant City, a solo exhibition by London-based artist Lucy Williams. Known for her intricate mixed-media bas-reliefs, Williams reimagines modernist architecture through rich texture, color, and form. Coinciding with the release of her new monograph, the show explores the balance between human intimacy and geometric precision. An artist talk and book release will take place at 4:30PM., moderated by Joseph Becker, Curator of Architecture and Design at SFMOMA, followed by an opening reception from 5-7PM. (Nov. 6th – Jan. 8th, 2026)
*Poster courtesy of Alrad / SWIM Gallery
SWIM Gallery
Thu, Nov. 6th • 5-9PM
SWIM Gallery presents “One Big Room Full of Bad Bitches,” a group exhibition celebrating queer, femme, and women-identifying graffiti artists including Xara Thustra, Lophi, Schatzi, Kolekt, UHOH, and Misia, alongside “Everything Bad Comes Something Good,” a solo show by Alrad. The show highlights diverse creative voices in street art and community resistance, with opening and closing celebrations throughout November. (Nov. 6th – 26th)
Artwork: Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, Spine, 2025. Acrylic, Sumi Ink, Collage on Paper, 57 x 76 in. *Courtesy of Dolby Chadwick Gallery
Dolby Chadwick Gallery
Thu, Nov. 6th • 5:30-7:30PM
Dolby Chadwick Gallery presents “Treasured Bearing,” a solo exhibition by Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann exploring cycles of life, death, and transformation through lush, collaged dreamscapes inspired by Taiwanese ritual and natural forms. Blending sumi ink, paper cutting, and layered color, Mann’s intricate works create immersive, otherworldly landscapes that honor memory, growth, and ancestral connection. (Nov. 6th – 29th)
Artwork: Pamela Jorden. *Courtesy of Romer Young Gallery
Romer Young Gallery
Thu, Nov. 6th • 6-8PM
Romer Young Gallery presents Holds, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles painter Pamela Jorden. Through five large-scale diptychs, Jorden explores balance, tension, and the improvisational nature of painting as both physical and relational act. Her dynamic compositions—where color, gravity, and gesture collide—manifest a dialogue between opposing forces: union and independence, weight and lightness, flow and stillness. (Nov. 6th – 20th)
Artwork: Lois. Left Behind, 2023. Acrylic on Canvas. 8 x 8 x 7/8 in.
Ingleside Gallery at People’s Barber Shop
Thu, Nov. 6th • 6:30-9:30PM
Ingleside Gallery presents Lucid Memories, Fuzzy Dreams, a two-person exhibition by Bay Area artists Lys Yang and Lois exploring the shifting space between dreams, memory, and reality. Through vibrant color and tender emotion, the artists transform fleeting recollections into luminous visions where the surreal feels familiar and the ordinary turns strange. The exhibition opens Thursday, November 6, during the SF First Thursdays Art Party, with art, music, vendors, live tattooing, tooth gems, and a DJ set celebrating creativity and community. (Nov. 1 – Jan. 5, 2026)
*Poster courtesy of SOMArts Cultural Center
SOMArts Cultural Center
Thu, Nov. 6th • 7-9PM
SOMArts Cultural Center presents the 2025 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition, celebrating the next generation of Bay Area artists. Curated by Kevin B. Chen and produced in partnership with the San Francisco Foundation, the show features 15 MFA students whose innovative works push the boundaries of contemporary art and creative expression. (Nov. 7th – Dec. 7th)
Friday, Nov. 7th
Artwork: Catherine Lipsetz Dauer, carborundum2, 2025. Watercolor on Arches Emperor Paper, 60 x 40 in. *Courtesy of Birdhouse Gallery
Birdhouse Gallery
Fri, Nov. 7th • 4-7PM
Birdhouse Gallery presents “the things we hold, the things we carry,” a solo exhibition by San Francisco artist Catherine Lipsetz Dauer, featuring large-scale paintings that explore memory, sentimentality, and the passage of time through personal objects. The show is complemented by artist talks, Saturday sessions, and a live sonic performance by Lenny Gonzalez responding to the work’s visual and emotional themes. (Nov. 7th – Dec. 6th)
*Poster courtesy of Castro Art Walk
Castro Art Walk
Fri, Nov. 7th • 5-8PM
The Castro Art Walk returns with 18 galleries and local businesses opening their doors for a night of art, community, and exploration. Visitors can join guided or self-guided tours to experience the neighborhood’s vibrant creative scene.
*Poster courtesy of Harvey Milk Photo Center
Harvey Milk Photo Center
Fri, Nov. 7th • 5-8PM
Harvey Milk Photo Center presents “Into the Complete Unknown,” featuring five women photographers exploring themes of loss, transformation, and resilience through deeply personal and introspective works. Curated by Melissa Castro Keesor and Katherine Akey, the exhibition reveals strength in uncertainty and the beauty of navigating life’s most profound transitions. (Nov. 7th – Dec. 6th)
Artworks: (left) Joseph Abbati, Tongue Wagger 3, 2024. Acrylic/Gouache on Canvas, 33 x 33 in. (right) Bull Headed, 2024. Gouache/Acrylic on Canvas, 20 x 24 x 1.5 in. *Courtesy of MAG Galleries
MAG Galleries
Fri, Nov. 7th • 5-9PM
MAG Galleries presents “Tongues & Torsos,” a bold solo exhibition by San Francisco artist Joseph Abbati exploring humor, identity, and the body through two interwoven series. Blending playful depictions of selfie culture with surreal, hybrid figures, Abbati’s work celebrates queer expression while challenging conventions of portraiture and form. (Nov. 7th – 30th)
*Poster courtesy of Ian James / Strike-Slip Gallery
Strike-Slip Gallery
Fri, Nov. 7th • 6-9PM
Strike-Slip Gallery presents “Sanctuary,” the first solo exhibition by Ian James, featuring abstract leather portraits that capture the emotional essence of loved ones who provided strength through hardship. The works explore themes of safety, inner conflict, and the transformative power of connection.
Saturday, Nov. 8th
*Poster courtesy of California College of the Arts (CCA)
California College of the Arts (CCA)
Sat, Nov. 8th • 11AM-5PM
California College of the Arts (CCA) hosts its annual Art & Crafts Fair, a free community festival featuring over 180 student, faculty, and local artist vendors, live music, food, and family-friendly activities. Guests can explore handmade art, jewelry, ceramics, and prints, visit the Alumni Booth’s archival sale, and enjoy open galleries including The Wattis Institute.
Artwork: Meghna Sharma, Afternoon Siesta. Oil Painting, 24 x 20 x 1 in. *Courtesy of SFWA Artists Gallery
SFWA Artists Gallery
Sat, Nov. 8th • 2-4PM
SFWA Artists Gallery presents “Home,” its November Member Juried Exhibition, showcasing works by SFWA member artists selected by photographer and curator Patti Chandler. The show celebrates diverse artistic voices and creative excellence from the Bay Area community. (Nov. 4th – Dec. 5th)
Artwork: Matthew Brandt, Panama Pacific International Fair_AAE-02851, 2025. Gum Bichromate Print on Paper with Dust Swept from Richardson Auto Service Garage, 34.5 x 43.5 in. *Courtesy of MAG Galleries
Haines Gallery
Sat, Nov. 8th • 5-7PM
Haines Gallery presents “From the Ashes,” its first solo exhibition with Los Angeles–based experimental photographer Matthew Brandt, whose materially driven works connect imagery to process through innovative uses of cement, dust, metal, and paint. Featuring five interrelated series, the exhibition explores how photography’s physical foundations reflect social, environmental, and political realities. (Nov. 8th – Jan. 10th, 2026)
*Courtesy of The Wattis Institute
The Wattis Institute
Sat, Nov. 8th • 5-7PM
The Wattis Institute presents “8 Hours of Work,” the first exhibition in its 11th research season exploring the theme of labor. The show features archival materials, films, and contemporary works by artists including Tania Candiani, Aria Dean, Harun Farocki, and others, alongside a new student-created weaving commission and a sound installation by Luigi Nono.
*Banner courtesy of Jettison Creative
Jettison Creative
Sat, Nov. 8th • 5-8PM
Jettison Creative presents “Nostalgia なつかしい,” a group exhibition curated by Evan Pun (Dr. Capsoul) featuring works by Jisu, Mechibaz, Nogisan, Ore Ore Ore, and Rudcef. The show captures the warmth and ache of memory through immersive, multisensory works that make the feeling of nostalgia tangible.
Sunday, Nov. 9th
Artwork: Jeff Dikio, Daly City Doelger (blue/gold)]. *Courtesy of STUDIO Gallery
STUDIO Gallery
Sat, Nov. 9th • 12-6PM
STUDIO Gallery presents “tiny,” an annual exhibition of small-scale artworks by local artists celebrating the charm of “small treasures.” The show highlights the idea that good things come in small packages, featuring a wide variety of miniature works for the holiday season. (Nov. 5th – Dec. 22nd)