657 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
TEL: 415 512 2020
FAX: 415 512 7109
sfcamera@ sfcamerawork.org
Contacts:
Chuck Mobley 415.863.1001 chuck@sfcamerawork.org
SF CAMERAWORK OPENS NEW GALLERY IN OCTOBER 2006
New Location at 657 Mission Street at Third;
Download PDF here
Bay Area’s Only Non-Profit Photography Gallery Focused on Emerging ArtistsSan Francisco, CA– 19 June 2006 –SF Camerawork’s Board of Directors announced today the relocation and significant expansion of their new gallery space at 657 Mission Street, above the Cartoon Art Museum, in San Francisco’s thriving downtown cultural district. On October 5, 2006, SF Camerawork will open its new gallery to the public becoming the newest addition to a growing artistic enclave of museums, galleries and,arts and entertainment centers which include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Museum of the African Diaspora, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Yerba Buena Gardens, Zeum, the Metreon, and the future home of the Contemporary Jewish Museum and the Mexican Museum.
Founded in 1974, SF Camerawork has historically been an artist-driven organization focused on supporting emerging and mid-career photographers, pushing the boundaries of what constitutes photography and image-making, as well as serving as a launching pad for careers in photography. While SF Camerawork has been offering exhibitions and programming in a gallery space it formerly shared with New Langton Arts at 1246 Folsom Street for the past 5 years, the decision to relocate began in 2001 after leaving their previous long-term site at 115 Natoma. President of SF Camerawork’s Board of Directors, RJ Muna notes, “As the Bay Area’s only non-profit focused on exhibiting new works in the field of contemporary photography, we knew this new location would be ideal. 657 Mission will enable us to be far more accessible to people, because of its close proximity to a large portion of San Francisco’s cultural attractions, public transportation, and heavy foot traffic, plus we’ll be able to offer so much more in terms of programming and exhibitions because of the increased space.”
Designed by Donna Schumacher of X: architecture/Art and with lighting design by Rebecca Foster, SF Camerawork’s new location (6,500 sq. ft.) features a new 3,000 square foot gallery space, which can be divided into several separate gallery areas depending on the exhibition schedule, nearly doubling SF Camerawork’s previous exhibition and programming spaces. The remainder of SF Camerawork’s new space is dedicated to an Education Center and Library, with gallery and forum spaces to engage and to exhibit work by students from First Exposures, SF Camerawork’s photography mentoring program for at-risk youth. The 3,000-volume photography Reference Library includes many rare and out-of-print publications, with future plans to develop a searchable data-base of SF Camerawork’s archive and past exhibitions. SF Camerawork’s sale of related art books and their award-winning publication, Camerawork: A Journal of Photographic Arts will be at available at the new location and online at www.sfcamerawork.org.
In addition to SF Camerawork’s new gallery space at Mission and Third Street, Board President Muna, announced that the organization is to come under the new leadership of Sharon Tanenbaum. Ms. Tanenbaum recently accepted the position of Executive Director for SF Camerawork and will begin her position on July 1, 2006. Says Muna, “We are extremely fortunate to have Sharon’s expertise and enthusiasm as we move into this new phase of growth and expanded programming at Camerawork.”
Ms. Tanenbaum, according to Muna, has contributed greatly to the growth and enhancement of SF Camerawork for many years. Tanenbaum worked closely with SF Camerawork for more than ten years in areas of fund development, program planning,
and financial management; served as Interim Director, following the death of SF Camerawork’s longtime former Executive Director Marnie Gillett; and oversaw the organization’s decision to move to its new facility at 657 Mission Street.
Ms. Tanenbaum states, “This is an exciting time for SF Camerawork with our move this upcoming October, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to lead the organization
and support the development and presentation of dynamic new works in our gallery space. From the moment we open our doors to the public in October, we will be presenting and offering nearly double the exhibitions, activities, and gallery space than
we have ever had the opportunity to do in our history. But more intrinsic to Camerawork’s mission, are our plans to launch a New Works program aimed at supporting emerging artists in the creation of their work and to present quality contemporary exhibitions that showcase innovative and exciting ways that artists from around the world are utilizing the photographic medium.”SF Camerawork’s inaugural exhibition, Ghosts in the Machine, 5 October–18 November, guest curated by David Spalding, explores how elements of the past return to haunt the present in works of contemporary photography and digital media. Artists in this exhibition include: Mildred Howard, Anthony Hooker, Claudia Kunin, Dinh Q. Lę, Jorma Puranen, and Walid Ra’ad, in addition to the premiere of a commissioned installation by Ann Carlson and Mary Ellen Strom.
Says Muna about the organization’s future, “When you walk into Camerawork’s gallery you will see images that force you to think about contemporary image-making, and what photography is all about. It’s always intriguing. We’re all excited for Camerawork’s new space to be the first place people think of and go to when they want to see, experience, create, and explore new works in the field of photography and digital media.”
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Mission Statement
Founded in 1974, SF Camerawork encourages emerging and mid-career artists to explore new directions in photography and related media by fostering creative forms of expression that push existing boundaries. Through exhibitions, publications, and
educational programs, Camerawork stimulates public dialogue and inquiry about contemporary image-making in the context of current social and aesthetic issues.
Until September 22, 2006
SF Camerawork
1246 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
415.863.1001
After September 22, 2006:
SF Camerawork
657 Mission Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.sfcamerawork.org
415.512.2020
Gallery Hours: Tues.– Fri. 12 - 5 PM
Media sponsorship for SF Camerawork's Grand Opening in October 2006 is provided by 7X7 Magazine, ABC7/KGO-TV, San Francisco Bay Guardian, and SF Station.
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