Geras Tousignant Gallery : Group Show 2008.

Artists: Christina Mazza, Taylor Tschider, Denise Laws, James Scott Geras, Daniel Tousignant, Jose Antonio Torres, Monika Steiner, Christina Koci Hernandez, Matt Colagiuri, Eric Saxby, Russell Pachman, Gary Stocker, Piotr Perski, Angele Etoundi Esamba, Jorge Zambrano, Jay Tyrrell, Irene Pena, Jeff Hesser, Buck Ellison, Norm Halm, Ellen Granter, Michael Knud Ross.

Comment by AB: Geras Tousignant gallery is intensely dense with art and artsters for their annual group show. Plenty of worthy art plus a portion of the proceeds goes to Wokai , a non-profit organization dedicated to providing microfinance opportunities for budding businesses in China.

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Velvet DaVinci : Anna S. King - New Work.?

Comment by AB: For her first solo show in America, Anna S. King presents an impressive selection of baskets and jewelry, plus an installation. The baskets, particularly worth noting, incorporate atypical ingredients like feathers, plastic, and buttons in addition to more traditional materials. And as for the jewelry, King's orgami necklaces are sure to delight.

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Bucheon Gallery : David Gremard Romero - Auto-Da-Fe.

Comment by AB: David Gremard Romero offers up a rainbow burst of works, entirely Mexican influenced, including pastels, brilliant costumes, and ceramic sculptures. Romero designed the costumes and ceramics especially for this show and had them made in Juchitan, Mexico. According to the fact sheet, "Juchitan is a city where gays and transvestites live with complete acceptance and are actually considered a third gender by the Zapotecans. They call effeminate gay men 'Muxe' and are considered to bring good luck to families." A number of the pastels in the show are of "Muxe." To max it out, Romero's friends model his fashions and circulate throughout the gallery. Good show; go see.

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Ratio 3 Gallery : Kiki - The Proof Is In the Pudding.

Artists: D-L Alvarez, Lutz Bacher, Nayland Blake, Jerome Caja, Kota Ezawa, Vincent Fecteau, Cliff Hengst, Scott Hewicker, Rick Jacobsen, Chris Johanson, Keith Mayerson, Karla Milosevich, Yoko Ono, Catherine Opie, Rex Ray, Brett Reichman, Michelle Rollman, Wayne Smith, Jim Winters, more.

Comment by AB: One of the more impactful shows I've seen in a while-- a fascinating and comprehensive look back at Kiki, a presciently progressive and gender inclusive Mission District venue that opened in the summer of 1993 and lasted for eighteen months before Founder and Director Rick Jacobsen (1961-1997) closed due to health issues brought on by AIDS. What's striking here is how such a diversity of work by such a spectrum of artists unifies to convey an overwhelmingly cogent sense of conviction-- an enduring tribute to Jacobsen's vision and influence. Worth a visit... without question.

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Mina Dresden Gallery : RISD's One Night Stand Opening.

Comment by AB: "A one night only group show featuring the work of Bay Area alumni of the Rhode Island School of Design. The work spans mediums and the artists span generations." It's that simple and no more complicated, and really really crowded. Seems like most of Rhode Island is here.

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Adobe Systems San Francisco : Richard L. Perri - Javaganza.

Comment by AB: A multimedia presentation featuring three 25-foot big screens blends Richard Perri's nostalgic "Javahut" paintings with imagery from classic films set in San Francisco... or at least that's what they tell me, 'cuz I get there shortly after the deal ends and the joint's in the process of vacating. And Perri's miffed, but hey... I tried. I always try. Y'all know that.

That said, I do have this to report-- Adobe appears to be interested in increasing their involvement with the arts, perhaps producing several shows per year in the expansive main floor common area of their corporate complex, the historic former Baker Hamilton hardware building at the corner of Seventh and Townsend.

So it's like me, Richard Perri, and Ron Turner (of Last Gasp notoriety), hangin' out, chewing the proverbial fat, cerebrating the situation, when I realize it's time for a photo op. Perri and Turner proceed to position themselves at opposite sides of Perri's famed "Red's Java House," but the lighting sucks, but Ron Turner has a solution. And the rest, as they say, is history.

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Space Gallery : Graff Fetish.

Artists: Mark Bode, Stan 153,Rome, B BOY B, Mario Gonzalez (zore), HYDE, DGONZ, MIKE FEAR, POEM, RISK, Hollie, Venus, Marrissa, Lanie Labrie, Cassandra, Siobhan, Destiny, Forbidden Fruit.

Comment by AB: It's mainly hot babes in various states of undress tricked out to varying degrees in graffiti. That would be about what the show's title indicates, so we got a match.

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