CODAsummit: Art, Technology and Place - Oct 4-6

CODAsummit San Jose is a 2.5 day conference that that explores the intersection of Art, Technology, and Place. For years I have believed that San Jose's best opportunity to differentiate its art scene is to lean into its technological and innovative heritage. Combining art with interactive, digital, and dynamic elements is how we can create a unique brand for ourselves in the global art scene and make San Jose much more lively.

This is why I was incredibly excited when I found out about the CODAsummit. It's a series of presentations, showcases, and discussions to shine a spotlight on how art can transform our urban landscapes. 

I'll throw out some examples of projects in San Jose that have done just that. Of course there is Sonic Runway which attracts hundreds of people at night to experience a light show in a tunnel synced to music right in front of City Hall. The 88 had a fully interactive light system that anyone could control from their cell phone. If you wanted the first four floors of the high-rise to be red, all you had to do is dial the number and enter the right code. More recently, there have been new animated murals that really take things to the next level.

So, I can't wait to see what types of projects around the world will be highlighted at the conference. The target audience is artists that want to explore new mediums, city planners that want to revitalize public spaces, or people that are passionate about the transformative power of art. I fall into the last bucket and will be there to cover the full event for the blog. I'll also be posting real time updates on X / Twitter.

If you are interested in attending as well, you can register for the conference over here.

Sonic Runway in front of San Jose City Hall

Luna Park Chalk Art Festival - Sat, Sep 16 from 10am-5pm at San Jose's Backesto Park

The Luna Park Chalk Art Festival is a colorful family-friendly event celebrating creativity. This annual event, which will take place on September 16th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Backesto Park, showcases the amazing talents of local artists who create stunning chalk murals on the sidewalks and streets.

The festival is more than just a visual feast. It also features live music, food trucks, vendors, and activities for kids of all ages. You can even join in the fun and create your own chalk masterpiece in the designated community areas. The best part is that the festival is free to attend and supports a great cause: the Luna Park Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes art education and cultural awareness in San Jose.

Whether you're an art lover, a music fan, or just looking for a good time, you'll find something to enjoy at the Luna Park Chalk Art Festival 2023. Don't miss this opportunity to see how San Jose's creative community transforms Backesto Park into a colorful wonderland of chalk art. You'll be amazed by what they can do with some chalk and imagination!

South FIRST FRIDAY (+ STREET MRKT) Sep 1st, 2023 in Downtown San Jose

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back today with multiple galleries open from at least 5-10pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, Natural Do Salon, 1Culture, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

In addition to FIRST FRIDAYS it is also a STREET MRKT featuring over 50 artists a beer/fermentation garden, live music, and food trucks.

It all goes down today, September 1st. As usual admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art! Below is a map with all of the galleries to check out across three different districts. Keep scrolling for a list of artists and food trucks.

South FIRST FRIDAYS presents:

STREET MRKT an indie urban art faire 
5pm–10pm, free admission (spend it with the Artists!).
So. 1st St. between San Carlos & William streets

50+ talented artists gather together out on So. 1st St. transforming the SoFA District into a lively outdoor gallery for the evening. We’ll have stunning paintings, unique sculptures, mesmerizing jewelry, chic fashion and even on the spot experiences like custom poems and the Deep Legends Bus with DJ Dirty Beats . Support our amazing artists and help our local art scene thrive!

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Soloman Acosta
Rebecca Anguian 
Bay Area Glass Institute  (BAGI)
The Blunt Letters
Bolo Vintage
Julianne Bonnet 
Budding Art Foundation
Bungalow Glow Candle Co.
Jarold Cadion Art 
Emmanuel Cervantes-Mejía + Michael Rogan 
Crossroads Trading Co.
Curious Shapes / Brian Corbin
Current Tattooing
Jennifer DeChenne
Lorenz Dumuk 
Eraeon Clothing
Faded Visualz 
Flow State Sound Healing & Arts 
Force129 & Betty Proper 
Luisa Garcia
Glass Scout Studio
Cynthia Gonzalez
Ali Hall 
Hand in Hand Henna 
Higher Fire Clay Space & Gallery
Chris Jalufka
Jodi408
KNS Beauty Essentials
La Madre Bruja 
Land and Sky Fine Art / Joe Mandrick
The Local Creative Show  by StageOne
Frankie McFly 
Julianne McKay
Judit Navratil
Roger O. Jr.
OaxaCali Studios
Tania Okay 
Jean -Luc Pedanou
Leslie Perez Jewelry
Purl Bailey (AKA Marilyn Roaf)
Francisco Ramirez
Random Marks- the Art of Doug Edwards
Art of Joseph Richardson 
Mason Roberts 
Rene Schilling Sears
South Bay Ceramics
Suha Suha
Sujata Tibrewala
VMGC Designs
Heylu Wheat

Live Music:
6:30pm & 8pm: Bloc de la Soul (S 1st St and San Salvador intersection)
5pm–10pm DJ Dirty Beats & the Deep Legends Bus

Flipside Lovers DJs in the beer garden, plus delicious food trucks!

BEER GARDEN & FOOD TRUCKS

On Tap…
Clandestine Brewing
Fox Tale Fermentation

plus…

3 Brothers Kitchen
3 Hermanos Mexican Grill
Akita Gourmet Sushi
Chickn Bros.
Lemongrass Lane

New Downtown San Jose mural celebrates AAPI achievements

You can find a beautiful new mural honoring Asian American Pacific Islanders on the side of Pono Hawaiian Grill at 86 N. Market Street. The shark is not-so-suble nod to San Jose. In the upper left you'll see the message Malama Aina which means "care for the land." This is more appropriate and resonant today than ever. 

The artwork was sponsored by the San Jose Downtown Association and the work was done by artist Taylor Reinhold assisted by Erik Smiley and Casey Landaker. You can watch the artists at work below with a 1 minute making-of video.

New mural in East San Jose

It's great to see that even giant national chains adding some local flair to their restaurants. Local artist Hector Covarrubias painted "Patterns of Nature" on the side of a McDonald's on Story Road. Even cooler, there is a QR code inside the restaurant that lets you bring the artwork to life on your phone. I'd love to see more of this throughout San Jose.

Source: SJ Today

 

South FIRST FRIDAY (+ STREET MRKT - August 2023)

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week with multiple galleries open from at least 5-10pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, Natural Do Salon, 1Culture, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

In addition to FIRST FRIDAYS it is also a STREET MRKT featuring over 50 artists a beer/fermentation garden, music, and food trucks.

It all goes down this Friday, August 4th. As usual admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art! Below is a map with all of the galleries to check out across three different districts. Keep scrolling for a list of artists and food trucks.

Hollywood by Fuquan Divine

South FIRST FRIDAYS presents:

STREET MRKT an indie urban art faire 
5pm–10pm, free admission (spend it with the Artists!).
So. 1st St. between San Carlos & William streets

50 talented artists gather together out on So. 1st St. transforming the SoFA District into a lively outdoor gallery for the evening. We’ll have stunning paintings, unique sculptures, mesmerizing jewelry, chic fashion and even on the spot experiences like custom poems and crystal bowl sound baths. Support our amazing artists and help our local art scene thrive!

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Soloman Acosta
Rebecca Anguiano 
Art of Joseph Richardson 
Purl Bailey (AKA Marilyn Roaf)
Bay Area Glass Institute 
The Blunt Letters / Elle and Micaela
Bolo Vintage
Julianne Bonnet 
Bungalow Glow Candle Co. 
Arely Cardenas
Emmanuel Cervantes-Mejía + Michael Rogan 
Curious Shapes / Bryan Corbin
Crossroads Trading Co.
OaxaCali Studios  / Dario Cruz & Steve Gonzalez
Current Tattooing 
Jennifer DeChenne
Sharon Diebert
Designs by Maureen
Lorenz Dumuk 
Flow State Sound Healing & Arts / Lailani Africa
Force129 & Betty Proper 
Jodi408
Faded Visualz 
Cynthia Gonzalez
Ali Hall 
Hand in Hand Henna 
Ken Harmount
Sydney Hessel 
Higher Fire Clay Space 
KNS Beauty Essentials
Land and Sky Fine Art / Joe Mandrick
The Local Creatives Show by StageOne
Luui Arts /Nhi Nguyen
Frankie Mcfly
Julianne McKay
La Madre Bruja
Ocelote Press / Jhovany De Ala
Jean -Luc Pedanou
Tania Okay + Lotte Van De Walle
Leslie Perez Jewelry
Francisco Ramirez
Random Marks- the Art of Doug Edwards
Mason Roberts Artist
Rene Schilling Sears
South Bay Ceramics
Suha Suha
Eric Vasquez
VG Designs
Heylu Wheat 

Flipside Crew DJs in the beer garden, plus delicious food trucks!

BEER GARDEN & FOOD TRUCKS

On Tap…
Clandestine Brewing
Fox Tale Fermentation
and more...

plus…

3 Brothers Kitchen
3 Hermanos Mexican Grill
Akita Gourmet Sushi
Chickn Bros.

Downtown San Jose Scavenger Hunt

If you're feeling adventurous and want to try something new, sign up for the Downtown San Jose Scavenger Hunt today, which is a fun and interactive way to explore the city. You'll get clues and challenges that will take you to different landmarks and hidden gems in the downtown area. You can play solo or with a team, and you'll have a chance to win some prizes along the way. The scavenger hunt starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park, and you can register online or on-site.

For more info and tickets, head over here.

About this scavenger hunt

Who knew the Capital of Silicon Valley was packed with such spectacular street art? Murals in San Jose are plentiful, and this art hunt will lead you to the best of the best.

Local and international artists make their mark, showcasing a variety of themes. You'll see enormous wall pieces and a few smaller treats. At each stop, we'll offer fun factoids and quiz you with questions related to the artists and subject matter.

Are you ready to be blown away? Buy your tickets and bring your friends. This San Jose art walk is one for the memory books!

You can do our interactive scavenger hunt at any time. Explore the art, and culture of San Jose.

Some of what you'll see: SoFA District, Phylum of the Free, Qualities of Life, RBG

South FIRST FRIDAY (+ SubZERO) - June 2023

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week with multiple galleries (both permanent and temporary) open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, Natural Do Salon, 1Culture, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

In addition to FIRST FRIDAYS it is also the 14th Annual SubZERO Festival. This spans from 5pm-11pm and includes nonstop live music, a beer garden, food trucks, and hundreds of vendors. The events are related so come and enjoy them both at the same time!

It all goes down this Friday, June 2nd and continues on Saturday, June 3rd. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art! Below is a map with all of the galleries to check out across three different districts. Keep scrolling for SubZERO artists, musicians, and food trucks.

FEATURED ARTISTS

1Culture Gallery, Layla Aghaee, Alcala Designs, Rebecca Anguiano, Julie Barrett, Bay Area Glass Institute, Bay Maples Wild California Gardens, Purl Bailey (AKA Marilyn Roaf), The Blunt Letters, Bolo Vintage, Julianne Bonnet, Bungalow Glow Candle Co., Julie Cardenas + Sarah Mahoney, Classic Loot, Bre Contreras, Curious Shapes (Bryan Corbin), Crossroads Trading Co., Current Tattooing, Cypher Dance Company + K408, Nicolaus James Dalton, Jennifer DeChenne, Designs by Maureen, Eleventh Dimension Tattoo Arts (Ron Earhart , D-Rock, Michael Ascarie, Amber Joy) , Eraeon Designs, Ruben Escalante, Faded Visualz, Flow State Sound Healing & Arts,, Force129 + Betty Proper, Francisco Franco, Game Dev Club of SJSU, Cynthia Gonzalez, Heiko Greb, Hand in Hand Henna, Haptic Synapsis, Andrew Heine, Higher Fire Clay Space, House of Inanna Belly Dance Troupe, InterKinetic by SJSU CADRE, thejemalshow, Jodi408, La Madre Bruja, Lady of the Ocean Crafts, Land and Sky Fine Art, Trisha Leeper Productions, Rene Lorraine, Valentino Loyola + Inside Out Clothing, Luui Arts, Frankie Mcfly, Julianne McKay, Rayos Magos, Nicole Margaret, Laurus Myth, nizzotes, Ocelote Press (Jhovany De Ala), OaxaCali Studios (Dario Cruz + Steve Gonzalez), Tania Okay, Gianfranco Paolozzi + Emmanuel Cervantes-Mejía, Francisco Ramirez, Random Marks the Art of Doug Edwards, Joseph Richardson, Mason Roberts Artist, Rene Schilling-Sears, StageOne Creative Space, Suha Suha, Sujata Tibrewala, Eric Vasquez, VMGC Designs, Heylu Wheat

LIVE MUSIC

—> DAY 1: FIRST FRIDAY, JUNE 2nd

MAIN Stage

(South 1st St. btwn San Carlos & San Salvador St.)

with Stage Poet & Emcee “Mighty” Mike McGee

6:15pm Douglas Von Irvin’s Carnival 

Unique brand of Rock & Roll called “Monster Garage Pop”

7:30pm Silent Pictures

A mix of beachy reverb-jangle, big choruses, swirling strings & more

8:45pm Hyperdrive Kittens

Punkabilly, Burlesque Pop Punk originals. #GlitterPunk

10:00pm O’Craven

High-charged Celtic Pirate Rock

BEER GARDEN Stage

(Located at the corner of S. 1st St. and William St.)

7:00-7:45pm In the Ponds (San Jose)

Instrumental post-rock with ambient vibes and a shot of heavy blues. 

With great music provided by Flipside Crew from 5-11pm

featuring Dougie, Jswizza, No Way Jose & Notorious P.I.G.

—> DAY 2: SATURDAY, JUNE 3rd

Main Stage:

(South 1st St. btwn San Carlos & San Salvador St.)

with Stage Poet & Emcee “Mighty” Mike McGee

6:15pm Mothers Against the Future

MATF is a 3 piece hard rock band that combines elements of grunge, punk, and friendship

7:30pm Dogcatcher

Combines elements of indie rock, soul music, and Americana.

8:45pm Mayya

Inspired by anyone who is unapologetically themselves and aspires to create a positive environment through her melodic, energetic music.

10:00pm The Trims

Indie/Dance/Post-Punk 

—> Beer Garden Stage:

(Located at the corner of S. 1st St. and William St.)7:00-7:45pm Swords of Fatima (Los Angeles)

Many worlds converge into their sound morphing your ideas of Rock or Punk

With great music provided by Flipside Crew from 5-11pm

featuring Dougie, Jswizza, No Way Jose & Notorious P.I.G. 

BEER GARDEN & FOOD TRUCKS

On Tap…

Camino Brewing Co.

Fox Tale Fermentation

21st Amendment Brewing

and more...

plus…

3 Brothers Kitchen

3 Hermanos Mexican Grill

Akita Gourmet Sushi

Chickn Bros.

Road Dogs

South FIRST FRIDAY - May 2023

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week with multiple galleries (both permanent and temporary) open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, Natural Do Salon, 1Culture, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

It all goes down this Friday, May 6th. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art! Below is a map with all of the galleries to check out across three different districts. 

South FIRST FRIDAY - April 2023

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week with multiple galleries (both permanent and temporary) open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, Natural Do Salon, 1Culture, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

One special stop on the art crawl I'd like to highlight this month is Opera San Jose. They are celebrating the launch of Puccini's Tosca and will have a rare sneak peek at rehearsals during South FIRST FRIDAYS! Performances will take place at 5:45pm, 6:45pm, and 7:45pm.

It all goes down this Friday, April 7th. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art! Below is a map with all of the galleries to check out across three different districts. 

Friend Fest 2023

The first weekend in March 2023 marks the return of a bigger and better version of SJMADE'S Friend Fest: An Art, Craft & Maker Celebration of Best Friends, New Friends, Old Friends, "We're Just Friends", "Wanna Be More Than Friends" or whatever! It's our largest ever with over 175 of your favorite creative small businesses.

Happening on Saturday, Mar. 4 and Sunday, Mar. 5 at Westgate Center in the former Walmart Neighborhood Market space at 1600 Saratoga Ave #501, San Jose, CA 95129. Featuring over 175 artists, makers and creators, a special Friend Fest nostalgic photo booth experience, special Friend Fest programming & activities, and most importantly, lots & lots of friendships vibes.

Free admission for attendees. Open from 11 AM to 5 PM each day. This venue is indoors. Face masks strongly recommended. All ages. 

Event Details

This event is free admission to attend. Free on-site parking. This venue is indoors. 

Event Dates & Times

• Saturday, Mar. 4, 2023: 11 am to 5 pm
• Sunday Mar. 5, 2023: 11 am to 5 pm

Location & Parking

• The event location is the former Walmart at Westgate Center. Westgate Center is located at 1600 Saratoga Ave, San José, CA 95129.
• We recommend that all attendees park in the section of the center's parking lot near the 49ers Fit located at 1600 Saratoga Ave Suite 46, San Jose, CA 95129. The event venue is located next door to the 49ers Fit. 
• Parking in the Westgate Center parking lot is free. 

About the Venue: Westgate Center

Westgate Center features shopping, dining and services for the whole family. Conveniently located in West San Jose, California between the 85 and 280 freeways. Westgate Center features a multitude of shops, services and restaurants including Nike Factory Store, Target, Nordstrom Rack, Gap Factory Store, 49er Fit, Buffalo Wild Wings, Gen Korean BBQ House and more.

Learn more about Westgate Center: https://shopwestgatecenter.com

South FIRST FRIDAY - March 2023

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week with multiple galleries (both permanent and temporary) open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, Natural Do Salon, 1Culture, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

Below is a map with all of the galleries to check out across three different districts. I would also suggest stopping by the Unzipped Pavillion at 320 S. First Street. One of the coolest pieces of urban art in San Jose has been locking behind a chain-link fence for most of it's existence and it appears to finally be accessible to the public as part of the San Jose Winter Jazz Fest gallery. This space will eventually be used for a high-rise project, so check it out before it's too late!

It all goes down this Friday, March 3rd. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art!

Content Pick-Up Party 15.2 "Sight & Sound"

Content Magazine is releasing their next issue on Friday, March 3rd. As is tradition they are hosting a party to celebrate the release, which is taking place at Open San Jose (38 South Second Street, next to the Improv). Music will be provided by Needle to the Groove and visual art will come courtesy of artists featured in issue 15.2. This also coincides with South First Fridays, so you can enjoy one of the newer art exhibitions at the same time.

The event takes place from 6:30-9:30pm and is free to the public. Content Subscribers also get a complimentary beverage and hors d'oeuvres.

For more info and to RSVP, head over here.

Join us in celebrating the release of Issue 15.2, “Sight and Sound,” at Open San José on Friday, March 3 from 6:30-9:30pm at the next Content Pick-Up Party.

 

Enjoy music and visual art by 15.2 featured artists Danny Fernandez, Jimmy Castañeda, Trinh Mai, Angela Johal, John Todd, San José Photo Walk (Julie Chon, Diana Mae, 35mmallie, Yvonne Yeh, Sheldon Chang), Kelly Peters, Gathering Artisans Collective (James, Clarice, and Jafar Green), Kayla Dinh, Andrew Saman, Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus, Azeem Ward, and Raue (Paige Kalenian and Jax Huckle), and album picks by Needle to the Groove. You can also catch the opening of a new South First Friday exhibition at Chopsticks Alley and an art auction at Works/San José!

 

Become a Content Magazine member today to grab your advance copy of Issue 15.2 at the Pick-Up Party and receive a complimentary beverage and hors d'oeuvres as a toast to your support and 11 years of Content Magazine.

South FIRST FRIDAY - February 2023

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week, kicking off it's 17th year! Galleries (both permanent and temporary) will be open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, Natural Do Salon, 1Culture, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

It all goes down this Friday, February 3rd. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art!

Content Pick-Up Party 15.1 "Discover"

Content Magazine is releasing their last issue of the year on December 7th. As is tradition they are hosting a party to celebrate the release, which caps 10 years in print featuring over 1,500 local creatives. The party will be at the new San Pedro Social on Santa Clara Street. Music will be provided by Needle to the Groove and visual art will come courtesy of Syrarium Studios, Wisper, and others artists in issue 15.1.

The event takes place from 5-9pm on December 7th and is free to the public. Content Subscribers also get a complimentary beverage.

For more info and to RSVP, head over here.

Celebrate the release of issue 15.1 "Discover" with us at the new San Pedro Social on Wednesday, December 7th from 7pm - 9pm.

Spend the evening with your friends and family, toast to issue 15.1 "Discover" - completing 10 years in print, and featuring 1,500+ creative individuals. We have so much to be thankful for and we'd love to share the night with you.

Enjoy music by Needle to the Groove, and visual art by Syrarium Studios, Wisper and other 15.1 featured artists.

Issue Featuring: Alan Frenz Music | Andrew Espino of 1Culture | Consuelo Jimenez Underwood | Hero Tent | Ian Santillano | John Mavroudis | Phil Leonard "Syrarium Studios" | "Reclamation: Art and Culture of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribal Council" featuring Monica V. Arellano | Wisper | SVCreates Arts Leadership Roundtable: Anna Watts, Executive Director of Starting Arts; Joshua Lanam, Executive Director of Vivace Youth Chorus; Pedro Aquihua Perez, Second Palabra of Calpulli Tonalehqueh; Rosalinda Sanchez, Executive Director of The Audacity Performing Arts Project; Sinjin Jones, Executive Director of Pear Theatre; and Verónica Meza, Artistic Director of Teatro Nahual

This event is free to the public. Content Members receive a complimentary beverage as a toast to their support of Content Magazine.

All magazine membership purchases directly support the work that we do and allow us to continue to tell the stories of the creative individuals in the South Bay Area. Become a member at bit.ly/contentmembership and enjoy the perks of membership including the satisfaction of supporting our local arts community.

We look forward to celebrating with you on December 7th!

Thank you Event Parters: San Pedro Social, San Jose Jazz, and Needle to the Groove

San Pedro Social brings games, food, drinks, entertainment, and FUN to the historic heart of Downtown San José. They offer a choice of bowling, arcade games, pinball, pool, skee ball, shuffleboard, hoops, karaoke, DJs, and streamed sports. Join San Pedro Social for that next celebration or company gathering for groups of all sizes.

South FIRST FRIDAY - December 2022

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week! Galleries (both permanent and temporary) will be open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, and newcomers Chopsticks Alley Gallery and Natural Do Salon.

Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art!

South FIRST FRIDAY - November 2022

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week! Galleries (both permanent and temporary) will be open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, and MACHU PICCHU.

Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art!

Wayfinder

The San Jose Museum of Art recently unveiled artwork by SJ-based artist Juan Carlos Araujo called "Wayfinder." This work celebrates the history of lowrider culture in San Jose--which may grow now that the cruising ban is lifted.

Auaujo's banners are installed along East Santa Clara Street between Market and 20th, connecting East San Jose with Downtown. You can find more info about the project over here.

South FIRST FRIDAY - October 2022

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back this week! Galleries (both permanent and temporary) will be open from at least 5-9pm. The Street Mrkt urban faire featuring artists, special performances, live music, food trucks, and a beer garden will be running in parallel until 10pm. Two local breweries--Camino Brewing Co. and the Fox Tale Fermentation Project are the stars of the beer garden this month.

Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, and MACHU PICCHU.

Admission is free and all ages are welcome.

Click here for a preview of featured art and list of all street vendors.

SJMA presents Kelly Akashi: Formations, the artist's first major touring exhibition

The San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA) is hosting the first major touring exhibition of Kelly Akashi. The exhibit includes nearly a decade of work featuring sculptures, glass, cast bronze, and photography. She is known for her hybrid works that are compelling both formally and conceptually. The exhibit also includes a new series where Akashi explores the inherited impact of her family's imprisonment in a Japanese American incarceration camp during WWII. For more information, please read the full press release below.

Kelly Akashi: Formations will be available at the SJMA until April 23rd, 2023 and then will travel nationally.

SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF ART TO PRESENT KELLY AKASHI: FORMATIONS, THE ARTIST'S FIRST MAJOR TOURING EXHIBITION

For Immediate Release

SAN JOSE, CA (June 28, 2022)—From September 3, 2022 through April 23, 2023, the San José Museum of Art (SJMA) will present the first major touring museum exhibition of Los Angeles–based artist Kelly Akashi (born 1983, Los Angeles). Organized by senior curator Lauren Schell Dickens, Kelly Akashi: Formations presents an overview of nearly a decade of work, including glass and cast bronze objects, multipart sculptural installations, and photographic work. It also includes a newly commissioned body of work that explores the inherited impact of the artist’s father’s imprisonment in a Japanese American incarceration camp in Poston, Arizona during World War II. The exhibition will debut at SJMA and then travel nationally. “Since its founding, SJMA has provided a platform for emerging artists. We are honored to present Kelly Akashi’s first touring museum exhibition and encourage deeper exploration of her work and unique practice,” said S. Sayre Batton, Oshman Executive Director, San José Museum of Art. Originally trained in analog photography, Akashi is drawn to fluid, impressionable materials and old-world craft techniques, such as glass blowing and casting, candle making, bronze and silicone casting, and rope making. She often pairs hand-blown glass or wax forms with unique and temporally specific bronze casts of her own hand, each a unique record of the slow-changing human body. Akashi’s interest in time—embedded in the materiality of many of her processes—has led her to study fossils, geology, and botany, locating humankind within a longer geological timeline. Drawing on scientific research and theoretical inquiry, she explores fundamental questions of existence—about being in the world and being in time—cultivating relationships among a variety of materials and subjects to investigate how they actively convey their histories and potential for change.   “Akashi uses a familiar language of craft—of skilled experience and material knowledge—in a way that draws from tradition, but reveals internal encounters, juxtapositions, and relationships that push towards transformation. In one sense, you could say she’s encouraging a material empathy—looking at stones as witnesses to human trauma—while she’s also looking to interactions with materials, to geologic records, to make sense of her own history, as a human, and as a Japanese American,” said Lauren Schell Dickens, senior curator, San José Museum of Art. The newly commissioned Conjoined Tumbleweeds (2022) is a monumental bronze cast of intertwined plants collected from Poston, Arizona—the former site of an incarceration camp for Japanese Americans where the artist’s paternal family, along with thousands of others, were relocated and imprisoned during World War II. It is presented with a variety of sculptures from throughout Akashi’s career on rammed earth pedestals, such as Be Me (Californian—Japanese Citrus) (2016), a stainless-steel cast of the cultivated fruit whose hybrid identity reflects the artist’s own heritage. The title “Be Me” is given to an ongoing group of works: an empathetic entreaty to dissolve boundaries between object and viewer, self and other. Particular subjects, weeds, flowers, shells, as well as traditional craft forms—footed vase, candle cup—reoccur, each encompassing particular morphologies and lineages in botany, paleontology, and histories of craft. Akashi’s interest in thinking about cultivation, botanical time, and their relationship to self could first be seen in Local Weed (2017). The artist has an ongoing series of weed sculptures from the weeds in her backyard, drawn from life with meticulous tracings and entombed through lost-wax bronze casting. The exhibition will also include several large multifaceted sculptures—called “Complexes”—which incorporate their own systems of display. Evocative of scientific specimen tables, cabinets of curiosities, and domestic display furniture, these complex and detailed arrangements reveal the tenuous frailty of systems of classification and order. CATALOG The exhibition catalog—the first scholarly monograph on the artist—will feature essays by Lauren Schell Dickens, Ruba Katrib, Dr. Jenni Sorkin; and a conversation between Akashi and painter Julien Nguyen. The book will also feature a special photography project by Akashi, created specifically for this publication.     ABOUT THE ARTIST Born in 1983, Kelly Akashi holds an MFA from the University of Southern California (2014) and a BFA from Otis College of Art and Design (2006); she also studied at the Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste—Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The artist’s work was featured in the 2016 edition of the Hammer Museum’s biennial, Made in L.A. Other notable group exhibitions include TITLE, Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit (2017); LA: A Fiction, Musée d’art contemporain de Lyon, France (2017); Take Me (I’m Yours), curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Jens Hoffmann, and Kelly Taxter, Jewish Museum, New York (2016); and Can’t Reach Me There, Midway Contemporary Art, Minneapolis (2015). Winner of the 2019 Carolyn Glasoe Bailey Foundation Art Prize, the artist will have a residency and solo exhibition at the foundation in Ojai, California. Other residencies include ARCH Athens (2019) and Headlands Center for the Arts, Sausalito, California (2019). Akashi’s solo exhibition Long Exposure was curated by Ruba Katrib at the SculptureCenter, New York (2017), and her first solo New York gallery exhibition was held at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery in February 2020. Kelly Akashi’s work can be found in the permanent collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; CC Foundation, Shanghai; M WOODS, Beijing; The Perimeter, London; David Roberts Art Foundation, London; and Sifang Museum, Nanjing, China, among others.