IMAGES HERE

Witness a Half Century of History Through San Francisco’s Art Scene

 ArtSpan exhibition, on view Sept. 12 through Nov. 17 at San Francisco Main Library, features 142 diverse types of media and ephemera from SF Open Studios

SAN FRANCISCO — Through the decades, San Francisco has undergone many transformations, attracting visionaries, thinkers and dreamers from all around the globe—and the arts community has been here all along to document, process and interpret these shifts. Since 1975, ArtSpan has supported artists through its San Francisco Open Studios program, which invites City residents and visitors into artists’ workspaces for an intimate experience and an opportunity to engage with creators firsthand. In a first-ever anniversary celebration, San Francisco Public Library has partnered  with ArtSpan to host an exciting exhibition, From Disco Days to the Tech Craze: 50 Years of ArtSpan SF Open Studios, which opens Thursday, Sept. 12 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 17 in the Library’s Jewett Gallery.

Experience the history of the largest and longest-running open studios program of its kind in the nation. Come see a diverse array of multimedia artworks from nearly 40 ArtSpan artists. Hear firsthand accounts from legacy artists who first opened their studio doors to the public in the ’70s and ’80s and enjoy ArtSpan ephemera including maps, press clippings, brochures and photographs of past open studios from the ArtSpan and SFPL’s Arts, Music & Recreation collections.

Highlights of the exhibition include a wall montage devoted to Pauline Crowther Scott’s life and work as an artist. In a timely inclusion for September’s Banned Books Week, a large footprint is devoted to a stately and imposing 3D installation by Vince Koloski featuring a bookshelf of banned books tied with barbed wire. The legendary Lawrence Ferlinghetti—founder of City Lights, past San Francisco Poet Laureate—also makes a star turn, notably in a photo of him at work painting from a live model. The painting—acrylic and oil-based pigment on paper—is also featured in the exhibition.

Another can’t-miss piece is a mural by the late artist Josh Coffy, whose work adorns numerous facades in San Francisco. Visitors inspired to see more of his work don’t have to travel far, as his iconic debut work Bird Song #3 is located on the exterior of a building near the intersection of Market Street and Van Ness Avenue.

"We're excited to showcase not only the longevity of ArtSpan as an organization supporting artists through significant periods in San Francisco's history, but also to present key works by artists like Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Liz Mamorsky and Jun Yang,” said Megan Merritt, the exhibition’s co-curator.

For ArtSpan, supporting local creators is a responsibility, integral to preserving San Francisco's status as a global hub of creativity, counterculture and free-thinkers. Check sfpl.org for more ArtSpan-related upcoming programming.

From Disco Days to the Tech Craze: 50 Years of ArtSpan SF Open Studios  

Sept. 12– Nov. 17, 2024, Main Library, Jewett Gallery, Lower Level and Art, Music & Recreation Center, 4th Floor 

Opening Reception – Sept. 12, 5:30 p.m., Main Library, Jewett Gallery and Jewett Lobby, Lower Level 

Meet ArtSpan staff and local artists, and get inspired. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP: bit.ly/50thCelebration-SFPL