5 Things to See at SFMOMA This Winter

Diego Rivera, The Flower Carrier, 1935; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Albert M. Bender Collection, gift of Albert M. Bender in memory of Caroline Walter; © 2022 Banco de México Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; photo: Matthew Millman Photography, courtesy SFMOMA

It’s an exciting time to visit the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). This fall and winter offer a robust schedule of exhibitions, underscoring the museum’s commitment to modern and contemporary art from both local and international artists.

1. Explore global artist Diego Rivera’s vision for North America. Immerse yourself in the power of art through more than 150 works in Diego Rivera’s America, reuniting many works for the first time since Rivera's death. The exhibition focuses on Rivera’s work from the 1920s to the mid-1940s, the richest years of his prolific career. During these two key decades, Rivera created a new vision for North America, informed by his travels in Mexico and the United States. On view now through January 3, 2023.
2. Reflect on Black legacies through a vibrant mural by an Oakland-based artist. In the new commission, Bay Area Walls: Sadie Barnette, the local artist uncovers and reanimates personal and shared stories of resistance and resilience from her family archive with references to the materials and objects that recur in Barnette’s work: glitter, spray paint, musical equipment, Hello Kitty, and the artist’s signature pink color. On view now.
3. See how the cultural currents and consciousness-shifting artistic movements of the 1960s continue to be relevant today. Afterimages: Echoes of the 1960s from the Fisher and SFMOMA Collections features intergenerational dialogues between artists whose work engages with the cultural currents of the 1960s to now. Marked equally by hope and loss, the decade ushered in a transformative period of rapid social, political, and technological change. On view now.
4. Enjoy an intimate and emotional performance through an atmospheric video installation. In Ragnar Kjartansson’s popular The Visitors, nine screens transport visitors to upstate New York as musicians from the Icelandic artist’s band perform in various rooms of this historic mansion. Through a flow of cinematic and harmonic compositions, The Visitors reflects a place where reality merges with fiction, contradictory feelings of sorrow blend with happiness, and moments of humor turn to emotional catharsis. Opens November 5, 2022.
5. Experience the artworks of a local legend, including Bay Area landmarks. Comprising of approximately 80 colorful paintings and sculptures, Joan Brown spans the charmingly personal and engaging career of one of San Francisco’s most important local heroes. This exhibition will be a major retrospective and the most expansive presentation of the artist’s work in more than 20 years. Opens November 19, 2022.

Joan Brown, The Night Before the Alcatraz Swim, 1975; GUC Collection, Highland Park, Illinois; © Estate of Joan Brown; photo: Michael Tropea

Seven floors are ready for you to explore at SFMOMA. During your visit, soak in views of downtown when you dine in our sculpture garden at Café 5. Plus, enjoy other onsite amenities like the new Steps Coffee, serving coffee from the iconic Italian roaster illy and other beverages and pastries. Located in San Francisco’s bustling SoMA district, the museum is open Friday – Tuesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Thursday 1-8 p.m.

Contact Info:

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Visit sfmoma.org or call 415.357.4000 for more information.

Steps Coffee at SFMOMA; photo: Adam Jacobs Photography