Southern Exposure (art space)

Coordinates: 37°46′05″N 122°25′22″W / 37.768040°N 122.422740°W / 37.768040; -122.422740
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Southern Exposure
Map
Established1974[1]
Location3030 20th Street, San Francisco, California United States
Typenon-profit arts organization
Websitewww.soex.org

Southern Exposure (SoEx) is a not-for-profit arts organization and alternative art space founded in 1974 in the Mission District of San Francisco, California.[2][3] It was originally founded as a grassroots, cooperative art gallery in conjunction with Project Artaud which was a live/work artist community.[4][5] By the 1980s, they converted the gallery to a community space for supporting emerging artists.[4]

Programs[edit]

Exhibitions and projects[edit]

Southern Exposure's exhibition program is curated by a committee of artists from the community.[6] Each year, SoEx has a juried exhibition with an open call. The show is curated by a respected international curator. Past curators of the annual exhibition have included Magali Arriola, Tom Finkelpearl, and Kristan Kennedy.[6]

Grant Program: Alternative Exposure[edit]

One of SoEx's main goals is to support the professional development of artists so they are able to live and work in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Alternative Exposure Grant program “supports the work of unincorporated groups, burgeoning art and gathering spaces, publications, Web sites, collectives, events and artists making work in a variety of ways.”[7]

Alternative Exposure, was founded in partnership with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, provides more than $65,000 of grants each year to individuals who work to promote other artists through exhibition spaces, publications, websites, critical writing and other activities.[8][9] The Alternative Exposure program was initiated by former SoEx Executive Director Courtney Fink who first came to Southern Exposure in 2003 and departed in 2015.[10]

Public programs[edit]

Since moving away from Project Artaud in 2006, Southern Exposure has supported "offsite" public art projects which happen in the city of San Francisco.[11][12] SoEx's Artists in Education (AIE) program provides intensive art education programs to hundreds of underserved youth each year.[4]

SoEx provides access to affordable art through its annual Monster Drawing Rally event, auctions and sale of limited editions art works.[13] In 2020, the gallery served as an official polling location during the Consolidated General Election, aimed at improving civic discourse and justice.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Dolin, Jane Stauffer (1982). Bay Area Gallery Guidebook: A Concise View of the Bay Area Exhibiting Scene. Bay Area Gallery Guidebook. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-9607460-0-2.
  2. ^ Ault, Julie (2002). Alternative Art, New York, 1965-1985: A Cultural Politics Book for the Social Text Collective. Drawing Center New York City, Social Text Collective. U of Minnesota Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-8166-3794-2.
  3. ^ Sherman, Frederic Fairchild (July 2002). Art in America. Vol. 90. Brandt Art Publications. p. 63.
  4. ^ a b c Hunters Point (Former) Naval Shipyard Disposal and Reuse: Environmental Impact Statement. Vol. 1. United States Department of the Navy. March 2000. pp. B-154.
  5. ^ Stich, Sidra (2003). Art-SITES San Francisco: The Indispensable Guide to Contemporary Art-architecture-design. Art-SITES Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-931874-01-4.
  6. ^ a b Harmanci, Reyhan (2007-11-08). "'Grounded?': Southern Exposure's juried show gives all artists shot". SFGATE. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  7. ^ "Southern Exposure awards". Artweek. 39 (8): 3. 2009.
  8. ^ Frock, Christian L. (2014-06-11). "Alternative Exposure grants assist S.F. experimental artists". SFGATE. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  9. ^ Hotchkiss, Sarah (December 14, 2020). "It Shouldn't Take an Emergency to Fund Artists' Basic Needs". KQED. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  10. ^ "Arts Shake Up: Longtime Executive Director Leaves Southern Exposure". KQED. 2015-07-15. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  11. ^ Harmanci, Reyhan (2006-05-25). "MOVING ON / 'Between the Walls' / Southern Exposure is shedding its skin with help from artistic friends". SFGATE. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  12. ^ Juul, Justin (2009-10-17). "Southern Exposure's New Home". Mission Local. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  13. ^ "Visual Arts / Sudden Art". SFGATE. 2006-02-23. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  14. ^ "Five Ways Bay Area Artists and Arts Orgs Are Getting Out the Vote". KQED. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-31.

External links[edit]

37°46′05″N 122°25′22″W / 37.768040°N 122.422740°W / 37.768040; -122.422740