April’s Artsy Parties & Openings

April’s art events include hella openings (as usual), new museum exhibitions, and a colorful selection of parties.  Take advantage of the good weather by heading to the Legion of Honor, the East Bay or even as far as San Jose.  Remember– it’s all about “spring(ing) forward,” not holding yourself back!

Re-Engineering Humanity @836M

“We’re living in a time where truth has been diluted and fake news competes with reality”, This group exhibition includes works of augmented reality & artificial intelligence. Organized by yesuniverse and curated by Lady PheOnix. it’s a cautionary tale for the twenty-first century. Featuring works by Anthony Akinbola, Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky) and many more, Re-Engineering Humanity invites us to take a closer look at the social engineering that organizes human thought.

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 28, 2019, 7–9pm
Re-Engineering Humanity @836M
Info

ENDLESS LETTERPRESS SCREENING
Watch a special screening of “Endless Letterpress” and meet one of the film’s directors at this free event at the San Francisco Center for the Book.  The documentary focuses on historical printing presses, and the last graphic mechanic of the country’s printing practice.

ENDLESS LETTERPRESS DOCUMENTARY SCREENING
MONDAY, APRIL 1, 7 – 9PM
SAN FRANCISCO CENTER FOR THE BOOK
INFO & TICKETS

TILDEN TUESDAY
Artist Parisa Ghaderi will be showing some work at the Tilden Hotel with live entertainment, complimentary small bites, and beverages at the opening.  Her serigraphs focus on “Dumpling Girl,” a character that was created in the artist’s youth.

TILDEN TUESDAY ART EXHIBIT
TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 5 – 8PM
TILDEN HOTEL
INFO & RSVP

WILDFIRES BENEFIT
Join Green Apple Books for a special night of poetry readings that will help raise money for victims of the California Wildfires.  All the poets and a few additional authors will be giving away signed copies of their books on a first come, first serve basis and collecting donations for the Wildfire Relief Fund.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES BENEFIT
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 7:30 – 9PM
GREEN APPLE BOOKS ON THE PARK
INFO

MEET DAVE EGGERS
San Francisco-based author Dave Eggers discusses his new novel The Parade at 826 Valencia, a nonprofit organization that supports under-resourced students with their writing.   If you’re planning to buy this book that asks timeless questions about war (and our role in that), then do it at this event– 15% of sales will be donated to 826 Valencia.  

BOOKS INC. PRESENTS DAVE EGGERS
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 7PM
826 VALENCIA
INFO

THURSDAY NIGHT PERFORMANCE
Spend your Thursday Night at the Asian Art Museum and catch this improvised collaboration between acclaimed experimental cellist Okkyung Lee and artist Haroon Mirza.  They’ll be combining video, electrical signals, and the cello during this performance.  

A NIGHT WITH HAROON MIRZA AND OKKYUNG LEE
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 7 – 8PM
ASIAN ART MUSEUM
INFO & TICKETS

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AFTER-HOURS
Although this “A Night at the Museum” event is targeted at people with children, who wouldn’t want sleepover at the California Academy of Sciences?  Roll out your sleeping back in areas like the flooded forest tunnel, the Philippine Coral Reef, or even next to Claude the albino alligator!

PENGUINS + PAJAMAS SLEEPOVERS
FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 6PM
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
INFO & TICKETS  

COLOR PARTY
Inspired by local artist Sofie Ramo’s STUFF(ed) exhibition, the San Jose ICA will host a celebration of color in art, food, beauty, fashion, and emotion! . There will be makers, businesses, and pastry chefs who will be making small bites at the event.  

ICA LIVE! COLOR PARTY
FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 7 – 10PM
SAN JOSE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
INFO

SF’s ‘Underground Symphony’ Gala

The conductorless orchestra that plays in warehouse parties and art galleries is having its annual gala at Heron Arts.  Which means a concert surrounded by art, music lovers, and an open bar.  This year they are playing a world premiere commission by Iranian American composer, Sahba Aminikia, titled “Shahmaran”.  A story of “Shahmaran” is of Persian and Kurdish origin.   Now, if you like to pull a cork, and listen to fascinating, new music, you’re in luck, this is a great way to kick off a Saturday.

OFS 2019 Gala: Storytelling
Saturday, April 6, 2019 / 6:30PM
Heron Arts
Tickets

EARLY RUBENS OPENING DAY
Join curator Kirk Nickel in celebrating the new exhibition about painter Peter Paul Rubens.  The talk will discuss the life and times of the acclaimed Flemish artist. This Saturday also marks the launch of Free Saturdays for San Francisco residents at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.  

EARLY RUBENS – OPENING DAY CURATOR LECTURE
SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2 – 3PM
LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM
INFO

AUBREY LEARNER
San Francisco-based artist Aubrey Learner will be opening her solo show Fly Traps at First Amendment Gallery.  This multidisciplinary artist creates elaborate compositions of flowers and other objects that form new images.  

OPENING RECEPTION: SOLO EXHIBITION BY AUBREY LEARNER
SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 12 – 10PM
FIRST AMENDMENT GALLERY
INFO

SUNDAY OPEN MIC AT THE WELL
Check out the Well, a healthy eatery in Oakland, and its weekly open mic series!  Their Open Mic Night happens every Sunday, with sign-ups at the door starting at 7:30.  

SUNDAY OPEN MIC AT THE WELL
SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 8 – 10PM
THE WELL, OAKLAND
INFO

AMERICAN TATTOO AUTHOR CHAT
Best-selling author Eddy Portnoy will be speaking about the history of Jews in the early twentieth-century in New York.  This lecture is meant to be in conversation with the current exhibition, Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo.

GALLERY CHAT: EDDY PORTNOY
MONDAY, APRIL 8, 12:30 – 1PM
CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM
INFO & TICKETS

HAPPY ENDINGS
HAPPY ENDINGS, a monthly reading series that showcases new writing, will be bringing five writers to the Make-Out Room.  This month’s prompt is DEATH & TAXES, and audience members will be able to judge the best piece of writing!

HAPPY ENDINGS: DEATH & TAXES
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 7 – 8:30PM
MAKE-OUT ROOM
INFO

PACE PALO ALTO
Check out the world famous photographer Irving Penn’s work in the Bay Area at this new exhibition at Pace Gallery in Palo Alto.  His photos from his stay in San Francisco in 1967 celebrate hippie couples, motorcyclists, radical nude dances, and other luminaries of his time.

OPENING RECEPTION: IRVING PENN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 4 – 7PM
PACE PALO ALTO
INFO

50 YEARS OF FILMMAKING AT SFAI
The San Francisco Art Institute Film Department and Canyon Cinema has teamed up to present a series of screenings to celebrate 50 Years of filmmaking at SFAI.  This week’s edition places the spotlight on Mike Henderson, a painter and filmmaker.

SFAI FILM DEPARTMENT X CANYON: MIKE HENDERSON
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 7:30 – 9:30PM
SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE
INFO

TRADITION INTERRUPTED
Head over to Bedford Gallery for the opening reception for Tradition Interrupted, an exhibition that explores the ways that contemporary artists mix their ideas with traditional arts and crafts.  Age-old customs like rug- and quilt-making, and materials like metal and ceramic are featured in the exhibition.

OPENING RECEPTION: TRADITION INTERRUPTED
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 6 – 8PM
BEDFORD GALLERY, WALNUT CREEK
INFO

SOFAR SOUNDS
Join local act IN-SIDES, a music project from Oakland musician and producer Stephen Fong, for a secret show with the SoFar Sounds concert series.  The location in North Beach will be announced shortly before the show.

SOFAR SAN FRANCISCO
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 7:30 – 8:00PM
SECRET LOCATION IN NORTH BEACH
INFO

OUT OF LINE OPENING
Out of Line is an exhibition that features drawings made with anything but pen or pencil: light, fabric, seeds, architectural drafting software, and heavy metal particles.  The artists in this group show all create shapes in new and interesting ways.

OPENING RECEPTION: OUT OF LINE
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 6 – 9PM
EMBARK GALLERY
INFO

AUDIO GARDEN
Enjoy an evening of wandering, listening, and interacting with experimental sound design.  The Laundry will be showing active listening experiences with minimal screens from a group of artists.  

AUDIO GARDEN
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 8 – 11PM
THE LAUNDRY
INFO & TICKETS

BOOK CLUB ARTIST RECEPTION
Brett Kaufman will be celebrating his show of biographical assemblage and photo collage artworks at this event.  His work takes the essence of a particular reading and transforms it into a visual dialogue using other books.isco

ARTIST RECEPTION FOR “BOOK CLUB”
SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 4 – 7PM
AVENUE 12 GALLERY
INFO

PLAY ME · LOVE YOU
Check out Chinese artist You Ada’s first art show in the United States during this immersive exhibition at SWIM Gallery.  The playful artist’s characters will be brought to life through a virtual reality component. There will be drinks and live DJs at the opening.   

OPENING RECEPTION: PLAY ME · LOVE YOU”
SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 7 – 10PM
SWIM GALLERY
INFO

PUSH IT FORWARD 4
San Francisco Skate Club presents Push it Forward 4, an art show fundraiser for EduSkate at Luggage Store Gallery. The fourth edition of this popular auction features decks that have been customized by over 80 artists, so be sure to stop by and place a bid!

PUSH IT FORWARD 4: FUNDRAISER FOR EDUSKATE
SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2- 6PM
THE LUGGAGE STORE GALLERY
INFO

415 PIECES OF ART
Youth Art Exchange opens its walls to everyone– you’re invited to drop off a piece at their space to try and reach their goal of 415 pieces in the show.  The (415) Public Gallery will be at the [x]space Arts Hub and host a happy hour.  

(415) PUBLIC GALLERY HAPPY HOUR
MONDAY, APRIL 15, 7 – 9PM
[X]SPACE ARTS HUB
INFO & RSVP