San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI)
800 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
T +1 415 749 4534
Join the San Francisco Art Institute in May for dynamic year-end celebrations recognizing the diverse accomplishments of its graduating artists and scholars. Events are free and open to all.
PRINCIPAL
MFA Exhibition
The Old Mint, 88 5th Street
Thursday, May 15–Saturday, May 18, 2014, 11am–6pm
Opening: Friday, May 16, 7–9pm
SFAI artists transform the Old Mint, a National Historic Landmark, with installations in the historic bank vaults, ballrooms, brick-lined hallways, interior courtyards, and every crevice between. The exhibition annually garners critical attention for its dynamic presentation of multidisciplinary work and its relevance to the future of contemporary art.
Exclusive preview tickets are still available for Gala Vernissage on May 14, SFAI’s premier annual scholarship fundraiser. Join the Art for Dessert Glitterati—leaders in art and culture in the Bay Area—at a late-night dessert celebration, with tickets starting at 200 USD.
MA Thesis Symposium
SFAI Lecture Hall, 800 Chestnut Street
Thursday, May 15, 10am–5pm
Engaging a diverse and interdisciplinary range of topics across global contemporary art practices, the MA Thesis Symposium represents the capstone of a two-year process of research, critical inquiry, and writing, and presents the emerging generation of SFAI scholars to the Bay Area academic community. Moderated by Claire Daigle, Chair, MA Department.
BFA Exhibition
SFAI, 800 Chestnut Street
Thursday, May 15–Saturday, May 24
Opening: Thursday, May 15, 5–7pm
View the multidisciplinary work and performance practices of emerging artists from the BFA, BA, and Post-Baccalaureate programs.
PRINCIPAL: The Moving Image
SFAI Lecture Hall, 800 Chestnut Street
Thursday, May 15, 2014, 7–10pm
In conjunction with the MFA Exhibition, PRINCIPAL: The Moving Image presents a curated screening of moving-image media from emerging MFA artists across disciplines, with explorations ranging from narrative films and short videos to digital animations and pioneering hybrids of sound/image.
136th Commencement Ceremony
Nourse Theater, 275 Hayes Street
Saturday, May 17, 10am
The 136th Commencement Ceremony celebrates SFAI’s graduating artists and scholars. Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts Recipient Jack Whitten and Douglas G. MacAgy Distinguished Achievement Award Recipient Rebecca Solnit will address the class of 2014 and the public.
About the San Francisco Art Institute
Founded in 1871, the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) is one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education in the practice and study of contemporary art. As a diverse community of working artists and scholars, SFAI provides its students with a rigorous education in the fine arts and preparation for a life in the arts through an immersive studio environment, an integrated liberal arts and art history curriculum, and critical engagement with the world. Committed to educating artists who will shape the future of art, culture, and society, SFAI fosters creativity and original thinking in an open, experimental, and interdisciplinary context.
SFAI strongly believes that a rigorous artistic and intellectual community is enriched by diversity and inclusion. SFAI promotes artistic and intellectual freedom by fostering environments that value our diverse students, faculty, and staff and provide all community members with a respectful and challenging space in which to address divergent opinions and ideas. The full SFAI Diversity Statement can be found at sfai.edu/sfai-diversity-statement.
SFAI offers BFA and BA degrees, MFA (academic year and summer options) and MA degrees, a dual MA/MFA degree, a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, and a range of continuing education and public programs. The institution enrolls approximately 680 students in the degree programs and employs 21 full-time tenure/tenure-track faculty, 5 emeriti faculty, and some 150 part-time faculty. Notable past faculty and alumni include Lance Acord, Ansel Adams, Kathryn Bigelow, Enrique Chagoya, Angela Davis, Richard Diebenkorn, Paul Kos, George Kuchar, Annie Leibovitz, Barry McGee, Catherine Opie, Peter Pau, and Kehinde Wiley.
