San Francisco Art Institutions Announce Fall 2025 Exhibitions

San Francisco's premier art institutions, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), have announced their fall 2025 exhibition schedules, showcasing a diverse array of modern and contemporary art that reflects the city's rich cultural heritage.

SFMOMA's lineup includes several significant exhibitions:

• "People Make This Place: SFAI Stories" (Opening July 26, 2025): This exhibition honors the legacy of the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) by showcasing works across various media from its alumni and former faculty, emphasizing the institution's history of artistic experimentation.

• "Suzanne Jackson: What Is Love" (Opening September 27, 2025): The first retrospective dedicated to Suzanne Jackson, featuring over 80 paintings and drawings from the 1960s to the present, celebrating her groundbreaking artistic vision.

• "KAWS: FAMILY" (Opening November 15, 2025): This exhibition explores the distinctive universe of pop culture–inspired characters created by Brian Donnelly, known globally as KAWS, marking his first major West Coast museum exhibition.

• "Alejandro Cartagena: Ground Rules" (Opening November 22, 2025): The first retrospective for the acclaimed photographer, whose works examine environmental and social issues across a broad range of photographic processes.

YBCA will inaugurate its fall season on August 1, 2025, with two major exhibitions:

• "Bay Area Then": Featuring works by 21 artists who shaped the Bay Area's creative legacy in the 1990s, this exhibition includes monumental wall installations, photographic portraiture, and interactive spaces. Artists featured include Nao Bustamante, Carolyn Castaño, Bill Daniel, and others.

• "MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy": Celebrating the culture and resilience of the Filipino community in the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood, this exhibition presents contemporary artworks alongside community-held objects and memories. Co-curated by SOMA Pilipinas and Trisha Lagaso Goldberg, it features artists such as Erina Alejo, Kimberly Acebo Arteche, and Jenifer Wofford.

These exhibitions underscore the Bay Area's commitment to celebrating its rich artistic heritage and diverse communities. By highlighting both historical and contemporary works, SFMOMA and YBCA provide platforms for underrepresented voices and foster a deeper understanding of the region's cultural dynamics. The focus on artists from the 1990s and the Filipino community in SoMa reflects a broader movement towards inclusivity and recognition of diverse narratives in the art world.

Both institutions have planned a series of public programs and artist talks to complement the exhibitions, aiming to engage the community and provide deeper insights into the artworks and their cultural significance. Details of these programs will be announced closer to the exhibition openings.

For more information on the exhibitions and related events, visit SFMOMA's and YBCA's official websites.