3 San Francisco Exhibits That Put the Fun Back into Art
Author:Lindsey ShookWeek after week, there’s no shortage of art openings in San Francisco. But since it’s cold and blustery and we need a little pick-me-up, this week we’re turning our heads to a three-letter word: FUN. Art can evoke numerous emotions but right now we’re craving that which makes us laugh, smile, and maybe even blush. Amuse yourself at one of these three hot openings this week.
Brazil in the Sixties at 111 Minna Gallery
111 Minna Gallery spices things up with a Brazil in the Sixties, a new exhibit of work by Peter Solmssen, who began his career as a photographer for LIFE magazine and spent five years photographing and filming Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Salvador, while serving as an American diplomat in Brazil. From samba dancing to young beauties in bikinis to Carnival celebrations, Solmssen’s work captures the South American country’s color and culture during a very vibrant period. The exhibit opens Thursday, Jan. 19 with a reception from 5 p.m. to “late.”
111 Minna Gallery, 111 Minna St., 415-974-1719.
5th Annual International Juried Plastic Camera Show at RayKo Photo Center
Begone $7,000 lenses and stiff camera snobs, RayKo culls photographs from crappy-camera-toting national and international shutterbugs for its 5th Annual Plastic Camera Show. Chosen from thousands of entries, this year’s show presents only 100 compelling pieces. From Bob Holmgren’s blowup alligator to Daniel Grant’s racy lady’s lingerie, the subjects are fascinating. If you’re a Holga or Diana fanatic, this one’s for you. The exhibit opens Wedneday, Jan. 18 with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. and runs through March 6.
RayKo Photo Center, 428 Third St., 415-495-3773.
Cyclorama 2 at Incline Gallery
Incline Gallery presents Cyclorama 2, a new series of works by Alan Miknis and Jeff Rahuba recreating the original “Cyclorama” through a 30-foot collaborative scroll. With humor and eccentricity, the artists tell a different story of the Civil War through a fantastical, child-like perspective. While Miknis explores personal imagery through the storytelling medium of comics, Rahuba projects unconscious thoughts onto the canvas using found album art. The exhibit opens Friday, Jan. with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. and runs through Feb. 17.
Incline Gallery, 766 Valencia St.
