September 1, 2017

San Francisco: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA); things to do

San Francisco

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art


The SFMOMA is currently exhibiting “Edvard Munch: Between the Cock and the Bed,” which runs through October 9.  Separate admission tickets are required; there is a $6 surcharge.  Though not an upper, this is sort of a series of selfies that includes some badly out of focus images.  But that is a flip description.  The collection is a series of 44 images that were painted by a man who declared, “I was born dying.”  Munch had a rough life, and he did what artists do--he illustrates it with his paintings.  Personal favorites from the show are “Self-Portrait with a Bottle of Wine,”

“Self-Portrait with a Bottle of Wine" by Edvard Munch at SFMOMA in San Francisco
“Self-Portrait with a Bottle of Wine" by Edvard Munch at SFMOMA
in San Francisco


“Starry Night” (which does resemble the VanGogh of the same title),

“Starry Night" by Edvard Munch at SFMOMA in San Francisco
“Starry Night" by Edvard Munch at SFMOMA in San Francisco


and “The Storm”--a detail of which resembled a wedding party that was re-enacting “The Scream” (which is not in this show).

detail from "The Storm" by Edvard Munch at SFMOMA in San Francisco
detail from "The Storm" by Edvard Munch at SFMOMA in San Francisco



“Soundtracks” runs through January 1, 2018.  It sprawls through the 7th floor of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, throughout the rest of the museum, and out into the streets!  Get the free brochure/map when you enter the museum and take a look at it before you start.  The exhibit explores sound, beginning in my case with small wood sculptures with moving parts.  After, I wandered into another room with a spectacular pond on which white ceramic bowls float and make clanging music as they randomly bump into each other.  I almost missed “The Visitors,” a fascinating multi-screen musical piece that is a joy to hear and watch and figure out.  I only watched for about 15 minutes and felt I had seen the entire piece, but then later I found out it runs for an hour.  Make sure you see the ending.  I did see people sitting on the floor watching, but I think this piece requires walking around and standing in front of each of the nine screens for a while to absorb its particular contribution to the whole.  My favorite is the guy in the bathtub.  This exhibit is a don’t miss--don’t you miss it!

"Cantilena" in "Soundtracks" exhibit at SFMOMA in San Francisco
"Cantilena" in "Soundtracks" exhibit at SFMOMA in San Francisco



The largest painting ever presented at this museum--“Howl eon (I,II)” by abstract painter Julie Mehretu--consists of two 27-foot by 32-foot pieces that are hung on either side of the first floor lobby staircase.  It is a permanent exhibit.  I had the additional pleasure of watching it being put into place.

“Howl eon (I,II)” by Julie Mehretu at SFMOMA in San Francisco
“Howl eon (I,II)” by Julie Mehretu at SFMOMA in San Francisco



I also stopped in at the Sightglass at SFMOMA cafe, which serves up coffee and pastries, to check out "On Collaboration: SFMOMA and Adobe Rethink the Selfie"--a free selfie interactive photo booth that is set up there.  You get a free copy of your artwork.  This is mine:

self-portrait made in Sightglass cafe at SFMOMA in San Francisco
self-portrait made in Sightglass cafe at SFMOMA in San Francisco


More about the SFMOMA.

More things to do South of Market (SOMA).

More things to do in San Francisco

Way more things to do in San Francisco.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

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