December Museum Exhibits in San Francisco

Location: SoMa/South of Market - (SoMa Information)
Profile of the Museum of the African Diaspora

See also: San Francisco Museum Map and Guide to SF Museums

The Hewitt Collection of African American Art
To Jan 11, 2009
Exhibition of fifty-eight works assembled over a half-century, from 1949 to 1998, by John and Vivian Hewitt. It is one of the world's largest and most diverse collections of African American art.

Location: SoMa/South of Market - (SoMa Information)
MOCFA Website

See also: San Francisco Museum Map and Guide to SF Museums

The Shape of Things: Paper Traditions and Transformations
To Feb 15, 2009
Explores the history of cut, folded, and molded paper, alongside contemporary artists who introduce fresh perspectives on those traditional forms.

Location: Presidio
San Francisco Presidio Information

See the Presidio on a San Francisco Neighborhood Map

War and Dissent: U.S. in the Philippines 1898 - 1915
To Feb 22, 2009
Mixed media exhibit of photographs, diaries, letters, political cartoons, recordings, maps, and flags looks at the Spanish-American and Philippine Wars from several points of view.

Goldsworthy at the Presidio
To May 3, 2009
Preparatory drawings, color photographs by the artist of spires he has created at other sites, and a 10 foot model of the Presidio spire will provide an informative context for this sculpture

Location: Fisherman's Wharf - (Fisherman's Wharf

Although the Maritime Museum Building is closed for renovation until 2009, the Maritime National Historical Park offers both indoor and outdoor activities throughout the year: The historical ships at Hyde Pier, special events, and guided tours. The Visitors Center (free) also offers informative exhibits on maritime history in San Francisco.

Christmas At Sea Event
December 13 at 3p
special holiday celebration features live music, refreshment, ornament-making, costumed characters from 1901, and a special visit from Santa Claus, arriving by boat.

Photo Tour of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Location: SoMa - (SoMa Information)
Profile of SF MOMA

See also: San Francisco Museum Map and Guide to SF Museums

Double Down: Two Visions of Vegas
To Jan 4, 2009
Presents a portrait of the Las Vegas environment through two recent video works, Olivo Barbieri's site specific_LAS VEGAS 05 and Stephen Dean's No More Bets.

The Art of Participation: 1950 to Now
To Feb 8, 2009
Examines how artists have engaged audiences as essential collaborators in the art-making process.

Brought to Light: Photography and the Invisible, 1840-1900
To Jan 4, 2009
Includes examples of early scientific (and pseudoscientific) photography and considers what it meant in the 19th century to "see" photographically.

See the SF MOMA Website for more events.

Location: SoMa - (SoMa Information)

See also: San Francisco Museum Map and Guide to SF Museums

transPOP: Korea Vietnam Remix
Dec 6, 2008 to Mar 15, 2009
Cutting-edge contemporary art by critically acclaimed artists from three countries whose works explore representations of modernity and popular culture

The Gatherers: Greening Our Urban Space
To Jan 11, 2009
How do we ensure sustainability for growing urban populations? Exhibition that brings together work from a diverse group of practitioners who combine art with cultural activism.

Additional exhibit information at ybca.org

Location: Downtown Oakland
Oakland Museum Website

L.A. PAINT
To Mar 8, 2009
A selective look at the vast and vibrant Southern California art scene via 11 influential artists.

Evolution of a Sacred Space: Dias de Los Muertos 2008
To Dec 7, 2008
Exhibition conveys how the spiritual tradition has changed since its pre-Columbian roots.

2626 Bancroft Way in Berkeley, CA

See also: Map of Berkeley and Guide to SF/Bay Area Museums

See additional exhibits at the museum website

Mahjong: Contemporary Chinese Art From the Sigg Collection
To Jan 4, 2009
141 works by ninety-six artists, representing the historical span of art from the 1970s to today in China.

Bending the Word/MATRIX 226
To Feb 8, 2009
Exhibition brings together four artists—Martha Colburn, Patricia Esquivias, Olivia Plender, and Tris Vonna-Michell—whose work mingles fact and fiction, history and anecdote, reshaping our views of the world through storytelling.

Gas Zappers
To Feb 8, 2009
Kenneth Tin-Kin Hung offers an interactive online game that tackles global warming with political savvy and wry humor