“The Dust That Binds Us” Celebrates The Creative Spark in Every Human

The Dust That Binds Us – group show opening November 4th

This Friday, November 4th, 40+ artists will showcase over 140 of their work at Foreign Lens in North Beach during a group show called “The Dust That Binds Us”. The opening will align with the monthly First Friday event in the neighborhood, North Beach Art walk. While the art walk starts at 5 pm, this event will likely go well past First Friday’s scheduled closing time of 9 pm – featuring live music, fire performances, and more.

A while back, the show curator and organizer Lori Ayers (known by everyone as sWitch), walked into Foreign Lens to inquire whether she could rent the space for her birthday party in November. She’d met the owner, Tibor Szabo, during a North Beach First Friday event, and had they became fast friends. While talking, sWitch and Szabo agreed that sWitch could organize a group art show featuring her endlessly creative group of friends.

Over the past 20 years of trips to Burning Man, sWitch has collected a diverse community of friends, many of which are talented artists. However, this show isn’t about Burning man art. Rather, it’s about that creative spark that is inside every one of us. The dust of Burning Man binds each of these artists but the diversity of their artistic ability is celebrated in this show.

“The DUST of our beloved Burning Man is notorious. The pilgrimage there is known for igniting/intensifying the creative spark which exists in every human. Our art is not Burn-related but spans a gamut of incarnations: Painting, drawing, sculptures, collages, fashion, and photography.

This show of 40+ artists includes prices which range as widely as the show itself. It was curated with the intention that We the People are able to afford a piece that delights us while serious collectors can also find work which astounds,” says sWitch.

One of sWitch’s favorite parts about organizing this show was all of the visits made to artist studios around The Bay. While sWitch is friends with most of the artists featured in the show, getting to see the creativity behind each artist in their workspaces and the ability cherry-pick the work featured in the show was extra special.

The diversity of “The Dust That Binds Us” is seen here

sWitch still plans on celebrating her birthday at Foreign Lens later this month. Her birthdays have become a bit notorious for a great time. Turning 65 this year, sWitch is celebrating a major milestone. 30 years ago, sWitch was diagnosed with AIDS. “Everybody thought you would die back then… it was very much a death sentence,” says Switch. Her birthday is a time when she and her friends remember to toast to those who are missing and celebrate being alive, community, ways we are all connected, the beauty of creativity, and our diverse art community within The Bay Area.

If you’d like to see the art but aren’t able to attend the opening on Friday, November 4th, you can the work on Friday evenings in November, by appointment as well as each Sunday. After November, the show may move to another location Szabo runs in the Mission.

Panoramic view of “The Dust That Binds Us”

“The Dust That Binds Us” Featured Artists:

Anastasia Louise Aranaga
Andrew Leone
Angelov Franco
Maria Bacardi
Brian Enright
Chuk the Freek
Cooper Hazen
Cory McKenzie
Cory Skeward
Dana Albany
David Smith
Deidre DeFranceaux
Donna Thompson
Doug Rhodes 
Eva Drishal
Joshua Coffy    
Julia Nelson-Gal
Julian Cash
Justin Benttinen
Karima Cheriff
Liya Rhush
Lorenzo Lambertino
Mark Petrakis
Merritt Grooms
Monty Jacq
Nancy Hall
Opal Essence
Pacquerette
Ruby Pearl
Ryan Montgomery
Steven Ra$pa
sWitch

Complete Show Details:

Facebook Event: The Dust That Binds Us
Opening night is November 4 as part of North Beach’s monthly First Friday Art Walk.
The opening event at Foreign Lens’ includes live music, fire performances, and more.
The gallery is open Friday evenings and Sundays after 12pm-10pm.
Show runs through November.
Address: 513 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Cost to attend: FREE