Art Destination: San Francisco, California
San Francisco has no shortage of ways and places to see art. Just walking out the door every day, you’re setting yourself up to stumble onto any number of mind-melting visuals (or half naked guy fast asleep on the sidewalk, for that matter). I’ve been living in this densely vibrant city since 2006 when I moved here from Charleston, SC, and I love continuously discovering new needles in this haystack. It would take a coffee table to cover all of the greats, so I chose a few of my favorite galleries that are continually bringing fresh perspectives to the bay.
Guerrero Gallery, image provided
Guerrero Gallery
2170 19th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
www.guerrerogallery.com
Andres Guerrero’s good eye and keen sense for the craft keeps Guerrero Gallery ahead of the game. Founded in the spring of 2010, this beautiful space demands a high standard and Andres’ selections are constantly raising the bar. With its high ceilings, skylights and sprawling square footage, this gallery should be on any art lover’s short list during a visit to San Francisco.
Park Life
220 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
415.386.7275
www.parklifestore.com
Going to an opening reception at Park Life is always a good time and its undeniable allure ensures a well-mixed crowd to mingle amongst. It’s a blood pumping bike ride from my house in the Mission – weaving through the wiggle (a series of left and right turns through Duboce Triangle and Lower Haight to avoid steep hills), on into the Panhandle and finally zigzagging across Golden Gate Park over to Clement Street to arrive thirsty for a cold, and yes, complimentary beer. Established in 2006 by Jamie Alexander and Derek Song, Park Life is half publishing company and half well curated retail shop selling severely unique gadgets and clothing, and a small mountain of books that demand to be thumbed through. Adjacent to the retail space is a gallery devoted to presenting the continuation of what has become a long lineage of tasteful exhibitions.
Golden Gate Bridge, image: Phil Coblentz
Ever Gold Gallery
441 O’ Farrell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.396.3676
www.evergoldgallery.com
Just on the edge of the infamous Tenderloin sits Ever Gold. This modest sized space doesn’t let a simple thing like size restraint get in the way of lining up a solid schedule—and don’t be surprised to find them putting their money where their mouth is in a booth at any number of art fairs throughout the year. Instead of speculating, I decided to ask one of the guys behind Ever Gold to answer a couple of general questions…
Kevin Taylor: When did the gallery open its doors?
Ever Gold: Ever Gold Gallery opened in the Tenderloin district in San Francisco in January 2009. The gallery took its name from the jewelry store that used to make gold fonts (teeth) and used to buy stolen gold.
KT: Who is Ever Gold?
EG: Ever Gold is owned, directed, and curated by Andrew McClintock and Gregory Ito.
KT: What is Ever Gold?
EG: Ever Gold Gallery’s programing allows contemporary conceptual artists to explore and push their visions through solo-based exhibitions in all mediums. The gallery also offers a bi-annual residency and a yearly historical survey exhibition of avant garde movements such as Mail Art, Fluxus, visual artists of the Bay Area “Beat” generation, and an upcoming Gutai survey in 2013.
KT: Any major plans other than keeping the doors open?
EG: Continuing to push the envelope of what a typical commercial art gallery shows, more art fairs, some scientific based programing in 2013, and some planned pop ups/exchanges with other cities.
words: Kevin Earl Taylor
images: Phil Coblentz
Pier 7, image: Phil Coblentz
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