Metropolitan Remix- San Francisco Galleries Off the Square

By Patter Hellstrom

San Francisco galleries offer smart contemporary art that shines through the fog to heat up summer in the city. The art scene by the bay excites artists, curators and designers alike with a sassy metropolitan style. Geary Street galleries off Union Square offer gems within the summer exhibitions.

The Gregory Lind Gallery offers photographs by Chris Gentile. He creates sculptural constructions using everyday objects then photographs them offering a fresh view.

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“Diamond Eyes” (at top) is made with Avery dot labels and “You Can’t Win” (above) created from cutout cardboard shingled to a wall.

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A form of recycling also is seen at the Jack Fisher Gallery. Offering a unique sensibility with series of nine needlepoint pillows entitled the “Dallas” by Richard Bassett.

These works use stills from the 1963 Zapruder film of the John F. Kennedy assassination in Dallas. The images touch the core of our collective American experience. Bassett uses the now emblematic Jackie O pink pillbox hat to symbolize both the hope and despair of our history.

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Another intriguing take on photography is seen at the FreyNorris Gallery in their Summer Group Exhibition. Two of Koh Myung Keun’s photo sculptures are included in that show. His photographic sculptures on clear acrylic engage the viewer’s imagination as each sculpture is filled with light.

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Brian Gross Fine Art exhibits a Linda Fleming drawing in which light is the focus. She mesmerizes the viewer with a sparkling inner light in her abstract patterned piece.

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The Micaela Gallery presents HOT+COLD 2009, a glass art show which features leaf installations by Susan Longini. They grace the wall with meditative movement.

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.Also hung in the backroom there is a color filled brilliant four-paneled glass piece, which is reminiscent of a window form by Gary Clemencoau.

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Finally, do not miss Deborah Butterfield’s poised horses at Gallery Paule Anglim. Her use of bronze cast drift wood in these emotive works explore the breadth of human experience. The drift wood texture gives the work an element of Trompe-l’œil (trick the eye). Concurrent with the gallery exhibition there is a charming outdoor presentation on view at 425 Market Street in a plaza through September.