Art
A Floating Noise and Drag Club Celebrates San Francisco’s Lost Underground
The club was concocted by Constance Hockaday and The Lab in conjunction with — and as a subtle resistance to — the first Untitled art fair in San Francisco.
San Francisco
Art
After the Ghost Ship Tragedy, Bay Area Artists Fear Crackdown on DIY Spaces
The deadly fire at the Oakland art space earlier this month has brought intensified scrutiny to live-work warehouse complexes, many of which are illegal or not up to code.
Art
Who Profits from Waste? A Tale of Two Bay Area Cities
In San Francisco, artists in residence at the city dump are valorized for their work. In West Oakland, homeless people who rely on independent recycling centers are criminalized.
News
On Anniversary of the Patriot Act, Artist Passes Out Pocket Knives at the Airport
Last week, performance artist Michele Pred handed out small pocket knives passengers arriving at San Francisco's International Airport to replace those that have been confiscated since the passage of the Patriot Act 15 years ago.
Interview
Grace Jones's Indelible Influence on Contemporary Art
SAN FRANCISCO — The Jamaican-born supermodel, actress, singer, songwriter, and record producer Grace Jones has been a unique force in many worlds, which has led her to be both a subject and inspiration for much contemporary art.
Art
Charting Chinese History with 17th-Century Jesuit World Maps
Mounted on remnants of the old Ming Dynasty city wall, which once surrounded Beijing, are Western clocks and astronomical instruments for observing celestial bodies.
Books
The Many Identities of Raphael's "Lady with a Unicorn"
The 16th-century "Portrait of a Lady with a Unicorn" by Raphael was altered twice: first by the artist, who replaced a lap dog with a tiny unicorn; then in the 17th century, when the sitter's bare shoulders were covered and the broken martyrdom wheel of St. Catherine of Alexandria was painted over t
News
Display of Canned Parrot Meat Ruffles Feathers in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO — PETA and animal lovers can relax: the meat within the metal isn't real. The cans are (of course) part of an art installation.
Books
Crowded by Beauty: A Biography of Philip Whalen
Identified as a member of both the Beat Generation and the San Francisco Poetry Renaissance of the mid-1950s, Philip Whalen (1923-2002) wrote poems and two novels marked by a sensibility that was his alone.
Art
San Francisco Is Losing Its Artists
SAN FRANCISCO — One of this city’s most-discussed recent performances took place on the morning of April 1, 2014.
Art
In the Bay Area, Adjuncts and Artists Unite to Unionize
SAN FRANCISCO — It is no longer a stretch to draw connections between adjunct professors and other workers in the service economy. The corporate university model is deeply invested in the notion that treating all of its employees as disposable labor can maximize profits.
Art
Tracing the Origins of San Francisco's Gentrification
You might call the South of Market area in San Francisco the cradle of gentrification.