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Another Wave

Posted by Robin Wander on October 20, 2010

The Wave, 2005, by Kay Sekimachi

In 2005, Bay Area artist Kay Sekimachi gifted the museum a seminal work, a miniature book—The Wave. The Wave comes from her series of accordion books that were inspired by the Japanese artist Hokusai prints from his own series Hundred Views of Mt. Fuji. Woven in natural linen, Sekimachi used a painted-warp technique to imprint the repetitive pattern of the wave on the book’s covers and pages and a double-weave technique to create the accordion folds. The meditative quality of Sekimachi’s work belies the complexity of her techniques. Her work reflects a combination of influences— from the Japanese aesthetic comes her purity of form and reverence of nature and from her early Bauhaus training the control of geometry and symmetry, as well as, the exploration of the double-weave technique. 

Jill D'Alessandro, Curator, Textile Arts

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An interview with Dan Taulapapa McMullin, October Artist-in-Residence

Posted by Cynthia Inaba on October 12, 2010

What is your background as an artist?

My father's family (in Leone Village, Tutuila Island, US Territory of American Samoa) were architects, shipbuilders, and tapa (barkcloth) painters, also my grandmother and great grandmother on my mother's side were tapa painters and I used to help them when I was a small boy in Samoa.  As a young man I studied conceptual art at Cal Arts for a couple years but was disenchanted and ended up working in television in Los Angeles for years.  About seven years ago I began painting again while living in Samoa and living on money from a script I wrote.  Since then I'm in love with painting and its my life long work now.

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John Buchanan and Guy Cogeval Discuss Post-Impressionism on KQED's Forum

Posted by Andrew Fox on September 29, 2010

Starry Night Over the Rhone by Van GoghThis past Monday, September 27, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco director John Buchanan and Musée d'Orsay president Guy Cogeval appeared once again on KQED's popular Forum radio program. This time they discussed Post-Impressionism and the exhibition Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay, on view at the de Young through January 18, 2011.

If you missed their live appearance earlier this week, fret not. Although you can't phone in or email with our questions, you can listen to Monday's segment on KQED's Forum audio archive. In fact, the episode is embedded below in this blog post for your listening convenience (after the jump).

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Celebrate Mexico’s Bicentennial for Free

Posted by Cheryl McCain on September 14, 2010

On Friday, September 17, in celebration of Mexico's bicentennial, the de Young is offering free admission to the permanent collection galleries from 5–8:45 pm in conjunction with Friday Nights at the de Young. In honor of the bicentennial, the de Young proudly presents an evening of film, fashion, dance and music to celebrate Mexico's artistic achievements. This event is organized by the Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco.

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Introduction of September Artists-in-Residence by Gregory Stock, Education Intern

Posted by Cynthia Inaba on September 2, 2010

Generally the de Young’s artist studio is the home of one artist and their process. Museum patrons can engage in a specific artist’s technique and area of expertise. For the month of September, four artists of the Kearny Street Workshop (www.kearnystreet.org <http://www.kearnystreet.org> ) transform the Kimball Education Gallery. Throughout the month, one to four artists will be involving the public in their different processes. There is the visual art of Julie Chang (www.juliewchang.com <http://www.juliewchang.com> ) and Ala Ebtekar (www.torandj.com <http://www.torandj.com> ), the science and poetry of Pireeni Sundaralingam (http://wordandviolin.com/pireeni) or the choreography of Erika Chong Shuch (www.espproject.org <http://www.espproject.org> ).  Come and check out the community projects that will unfold over the month and be a part of all the art disciplines. 

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"Silhouettes and Conversations with Alexandra Blum, August Artist-in-Residence" by Naomi Huth, Education Intern

Posted by Cynthia Inaba on August 19, 2010

On August 19th, I sat down with current Artist-in-Residence, Alexandra Blum, to learn more about her artistic background and the connection between teaching and creating art. Ms. Blum strives to humanize the private expereince by bringing in different techniques that transform museum going into a shared technique.

(Naomi Huth currently works as an intern for the Public Programs Department at the de Young.)

You can also watch the video on our FAMSF YouTube page.
Check out our Cultural Encounters Facebook page.

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