Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Wayne Thiebaud’s fascination with cakes stems from more than just a personal craving for sweet treats. Through his California upbringing, he grew to see bakeries, diners, and soda fountains as iconic parts of American culture. These places were often associated with childhood memories of celebrations and joy and he aimed to share that same warmth of nostalgia through his paintings. If you look closely, you can see how he plays with texture with thick strokes of paint to create the illusion of frosti Don’t miss your chance to see these delicious works of art in person at “Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art,” on view now. Follow the link below for tickets to this delicious visual treat! https://lnkd.in/gF-sAvzP [Wayne Thiebaud, “Confections,” 1962. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Gift of Byron R. Meyer. © 2025 Wayne Thiebaud Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Photograph: Katherine Du Tiel] [Wayne Thiebaud, “Display Cakes,” 1963. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Mrs. Manfred Bransten Special Fund purchase. © 2025 Wayne Thiebaud Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Photograph: Don Ross, Katherine Du Tiel]

What do your photographs mean to you? For Paul McCartney, the photographs he rediscovered from 1963 and 1964 mean connecting with his past. His photographs offer a personal, nostalgic glimpse into The Beatles' early years, capturing moments of innocence, friendship, and behind-the-scenes life during Beatlemania. These images remind him of his youth, especially his memories with John Lennon, and evoke feelings of joy, loss, and reflection on time passed. To read more about Paul McCartney's reflection on his 1963-1964 photographs, click the link below. Come see “Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm,” for yourself, open through July 6, 2025 📷 https://lnkd.in/g67N9gf2 [Paul McCartney, "Photographers in Central Park," New York, February 1964. © 1964 Paul McCartney under exclusive license to MPL Archive LLP]

The first US retrospective of “Isaac Julien: I Dream a World” opens in a few weeks! Here are 5 works you need to know from the exhibition: 1. "Once Again . . . (Statues Never Die)" (2022) centers a fictional conversation on African art, held between Dr. Albert C. Barnes, a pioneering art collector and advocate for inclusive education, and Dr. Alain Locke, a philosopher and art critic dubbed the “Father of the Harlem Renaissance.” 2. "Lessons of the Hour (2019)" is a tribute to the life and work of visionary African American abolitionist Frederick Douglass, linking historical moments to contemporary social and political issues, with a focus on Douglass’s use of photography in his fight for equality. 3. "Ten Thousand Waves (2010)" confronts the tragedy of Morecambe Bay, in northwest England, where 23 undocumented Chinese migrants drowned while harvesting cockles on the evening of February 5, 2004. 4. "True North (2004)" is a meditation on the role and recognition of Matthew Henson, the Black explorer who joined Robert Peary on a 1909 Arctic expedition. His participation was seemingly erased from history — along with that of the Inuit guides — until he published his own account of the expedition. 5. "Looking for Langston (1989)" is an imaginative and lyrical return to the Harlem Renaissance. Set in the 1990s during the AIDS crisis, the film features the words and voices of Black queer poets Langston Hughes, Richard Bruce Nugent, and Essex Hemphill. To read more about these works, follow the link below and visit our exhibition page to get your tickets to this groundbreaking show now! https://lnkd.in/eAnHY5dK [Isaac Julien, “Black Madonna / New Negro Aesthetic (Once Again... Statues Never Die),” 2022. © Isaac Julien] [Isaac Julien, “The Lady of the Lake (Lessons of the Hour),” 2019. © Isaac Julien] [Isaac Julien, “Maiden of Silence (Ten Thousand Waves),” 2010. © Isaac Julien] [Isaac Julien, “True North Series,” 2004. © Isaac Julien] [Isaac Julien, “Pas de Deux No. 2 (Looking for Langston Vintage Series),” 1989/2016. © Isaac Julien]

Highlighting the room of enchanting portraits, also known as Gallery 28! The first two of these striking figurative paintings were created by Robert Henri, a key figure in American realism, who drew on his real-life experiences in his works. In "Lady in Black with Spanish Scarf" Henri has his model 'O' (his wife Marjorie Organ) standing with her hip forward, exuding confidence. The flowing lines of her uncorseted black dress highlight her strong, independent character—challenging traditional portrait norms and embodying the 'New Woman' of the time. William Merritt Chase also used his family members as subjects in his painting. In the final painting, "Portrait of Miss D.," Chase captures his daughter, Alice, in a strong pose, wearing a gray coat and a Pilgrim hat with a decorative buckle. These seventeenth-century-inspired garments were popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s, reflecting America’s fascination with its colonial past. As Alice grew older, she gradually replaced her mother and namesake as a favorite model, perhaps in part because she increasingly resembled her mother at the age she met the artist. [Robert Henri, "'O' in Persian Costume," 1913] [Robert Henri, "Lady in Black with Spanish Scarf (O in Black with Scarf)," 1910] [William Merritt Chase, "Portrait of Miss D.," ca. 1900]

"Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art" opens tomorrow! Don’t miss your chance to see the exhibition for yourself, open March 22 until August 17 🍦 To watch the full film, follow the link below. https://lnkd.in/gpjhH5PB

Over the last 25 years, pioneering artist and filmmaker, Isaac Julien, has created immersive, multichannel video installations that are celebrated for their poetic visual narratives. Julien explores power, politics, and personal experience through the lens of race, class, gender, and sexuality. This exhibition is the first comprehensive look at Julien’s work in a museum setting and his first retrospective in the United States! His themes range from global migration to the collection and appropriation of African artists and art by Western museums to the celebration of cultural figures who overcame racial oppression. Shot across Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, and Asia, Julien’s works untangle the complex web of post-colonial conditions that has shaped the lives of individuals and societies across the globe. Don’t miss your chance to see these incredible works in person at “Isaac Julien: I Dream a World,” open from April 12 - July 13, 2025 https://lnkd.in/gUEEjJiQ

Have you bought your Late Night tickets yet? We have just 3 more weeks to go before the best night of the year! Follow the link below to learn more about Late Night 2025. https://lnkd.in/gZtiJ9nZ #LateNight2025 #RavynLenae #BayAreaEvents #BayAreaMusic #BayAreaArt #SanFranciscoEvents

FAMSF is excited to welcome David Oakey as the new Curator in Charge of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture! With a background in 18th- and 19th-century French and British furniture and ceramics, Oakey will oversee collections ranging from late medieval to modern times, including works by Auguste Rodin at the Legion of Honor. His extensive curatorial expertise, including roles at prestigious private collections and museums, will enhance the museum's focus on decorative arts and sculpture. Oakey’s scholarly interests in cross-cultural exchanges and technological advancements align perfectly with the innovative spirit of the Bay Area. Welcome to the team, David! Follow the link below to learn more. https://lnkd.in/g2_QFgAp [Salon Doré installed at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. Photography by Henrik Kam]

Thank you to our wonderful installation team, Paul McCartney, and the National Portrait Gallery for all your hard work bringing this very special exhibition to San Francisco. “Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm” open now until July 6, 2025! Don't forget to bring your phone and headphones so you can listen to Paul McCartney himself speak about his works in the fantastic audio tour. https://lnkd.in/ec9YUekn [Paul McCartney, ”Self-portraits,” Paris, January 1964. © 1964 Paul McCartney under exclusive license to MPL Archive LLP] [Paul McCartney, "George With Two Hats," London, 1964. © 1964 Paul McCartney under exclusive license to MPL Archive LLP]

We are so excited to announce Ali Rybczyk will be joining us for Late Night 2025! Specializing in Live Event Painting, Ali captures people with her five minute speed portraits and is known for her fashion illustrative, contemporary bright brush strokes. Ali travels all over the world offering her speed portraits as a unique activation for a variety of galas, weddings, brand launches and art fairs. She most recently had an exhibition during Miami Art Week, Art Basel, debuting her abstract show, "Signs." Ali has been drawing her entire life and we are so excited to have her join us for Late Night 2025! Don't miss your chance to get your portrait drawn by Ali and buy your Late Night tickets ASAP - link below. https://lnkd.in/gZtiJ9nZ