New SF Exhibits: SOMA, Dogpatch, Potrero, Mission

There is a traffic jam of new exhibits in San Francisco this week. In addition to the new downtown shows, already noted, the following events are notable.

On Thursday, April 6th, TART will step out of its normally pared-down style with a show featuring 13 artists from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. The place will be crowded as an art fair, but none of the work will be for sale. In fact, most of the artists will incorporate elements to be given away. The show was inspired by TART’s recent participation in artLA. The reception is from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. TART is located in SOMA at 47 Lusk St., an alley off Townsend St. between 3rd and 4th Sts.

On Friday, April 7th, Ampersand International Arts will open a group show of seven Brooklyn artists, curated by Patricia Maloney. There is a reception from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. The location is 1001 Tennessee St. (at 20th St.) in the Dogpatch neighborhood.

Gallery 16 has collected Post-It notes, napkin drawings, postcards, and other improvised communications in a show called “Instant Messaging.” The show card was a laugh when I pulled it from my mailbox: the image of a yellow Post-It looked real for a second (photo at top, from the gallery email). The reception is Friday, April 7th, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. The address is 1616 16th St. (3rd floor), at the base of Potrero Hill.

In the Mission, The LAB is presenting “The Man Box and Beyond,” an exhibit about masculinity, curated by Allegra Fortunati. There is a reception on Friday, April 7th, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, with a 7:00 performance by Shaun Leonardo. Male visitors will undergo pat-down searches at the door. Just kidding! The address is 2948 16th St., between Mission St. and South Van Ness Ave.

About a block from The LAB, most artists at the Blue Studio are opening their studios on Friday, April 7th, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, and also on Saturday, April 8th, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. I can recommend visiting Sarah Smith and Andy Vogt (shared studio) and also Kristina Lewis. The location is 2111 Mission St., at 17th St., on the 4th floor. Visitors may need to get buzzed in.

On Saturday, April 8th, Jack Hanley Gallery is presenting (in both SF gallery spaces) Adam McEwen, a British-born artist who lives in New York. McEwen, a participant in the current Whitney Biennial, is noted for his obituaries of living celebrities. The death theme has cropped up in other work too (photo above, from the gallery website). This is the first West Coast solo exhibition for this artist, so art-followers, take heed. There is a reception from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. The address is 395 Valencia St. (near 15th St.).

Quite a week! But wait, there's more. On Sunday, April 9th, the graduate studios will be open at CCA from 12:00 to 5:00 pm. CCA has a strong program, so this will be worth checking out. The address is 1111 8th St. at the base of Potrero Hill. A studio map will be available at the main entrance.