San Francisco's New Art Scene

San Francisco's de Young Museum.

PHOTO: Maura McEvoy

Big Shots

Towering over Golden Gate Park is the brightest new star, the Herzog & de Meuron–designed de Young Museum (shown), clad in a perforated copper skin inspired by dappled sunlight. Though its collection stretches from the Colonial period through the present day, the museum's greatest strengths are its 1,000 American paintings and its encyclopedic gathering of Oceanic and New Guinean art. Take the elevator to the rooftop observatory for a 360-degree view of the surrounding park, the rolling hills and the ocean just beyond. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr.; 415-863-3330; deyoungmuseum.org.

In 2003, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco relocated to a 1917 Beaux Arts–style building that had been redesigned by renowned Italian architect Gae Aulenti (known for her makeover of Paris's Musée d'Orsay, a former railroad station, and of the Palazzo Grassi, in Venice). The palatial structure's thirty-four galleries display nearly 2,500 objects from all corners of Asia, ranging from tiny carved Chinese jades and vivid Indonesian shadow puppets to monumental Hindu deities carved in stone. Keep an eye out for the changing exhibitions, like the seventy-six rarely shown Japanese bamboo baskets, on view through May 6. 200 Larkin St.; 415-581-3500; asianart.org.

Decidedly old-school (it's been around since 1924), the Legion of Honor is housed in a Beaux Arts building whose windows frame the Golden Gate Bridge. The focus is on ancient and European art; "Masterpieces of French Jewelry," running through June 10, culls 153 wearable objets, including Art Nouveau works by René Lalique, Art Deco pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels and contemporary designs by Paris jeweler JAR. Lincoln Park, 34th Ave. and Clement St.; 415-863-3330; legionofhonor.org.

Yerba Buena Cultural District

A fleet of museums have sailed into a corner of SoMa (South of Market Street) that was recently coined the Yerba Buena cultural district. Centered on the Yerba Buena Gardens, the area is anchored by the iconic San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (151 3rd St.; 415-357-4000; sfmoma.org), celebrated for its wide-ranging collection of modern and contemporary art, and the risk-taking Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (701 Mission St.; 415-978-2700; ybca.org), which concentrates on emerging, mostly local, artists working in a variety of disciplines, from painting to performance to video.

Among the latest arrivals is the Museum of the African Diaspora (685 Mission St.; 415-358-7200; moadsf.org), whose interactive exhibits explore Africa's influence on art and culture throughout the world. Open in this location since October 2006, the nonprofit gallery called San Francisco Camerawork (657 Mission St., 2nd fl.; 415-512-2020; sfcamerawork.org) focuses on cutting-edge forays into photography and digital media. Shows change every couple of months; a roundup of photographs of women in the Arab world can be seen through May 5.

On the horizon: a Contemporary Jewish Museum (opening in spring 2008; thecjm.org), designed by Daniel Libeskind and carved out of the historic Jessie Street Substation, and the neighboring Mexican Museum (mexicanmuseum.org), by acclaimed Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta. Diversity, after all, is the city's lifeblood.

Gallery Guide

Because most of San Francisco's major galleries are clustered in and around two downtown towers, gallery hopping is easy. If you're looking to tap into the social scene and mingle with artists, students and young collectors, time your visit for the first Thursday of the month, when the galleries take on a party atmosphere, staying open until 7:30 P.M. and dispensing the requisite wine in plastic cups.

Start at 49 Geary Street, which is packed with more than a dozen galleries, including two of the city's top venues: the Haines Gallery (5th fl.; 415-397-8114; hainesgallery.com), dedicated to fostering local talent alongside Joel Sternfeld, Andy Goldsworthy and other internationally recognized artists, and the Fraenkel Gallery (4th fl.; 415-981-2661; fraenkelgallery.com), which represents important photographers from the 19th century to the present day. Across the street, the Gallery Paule Anglim (14 Geary St.; 415-433-2710; gallerypauleanglim.com) showcases a broad range of established artists, such as Jess, Tony Oursler and Deborah Butterfield, and those lesser known.

Next, go to the second floor of 77 Geary Street, where the Heather Marx Gallery (415-627-9111; heathermarxgallery.com) mounts solo shows by budding and midcareer artists--egg tempera and gold leaf paintings by Taravat Talepasand, a young American of Iranian descent, are on display May 3 through June 2--and the eminent Rena Bransten Gallery (415-982-3292; renabranstengallery.com) exhibits acclaimed artists, like Vik Muniz, John Waters and Candida Höfer. Diebenkorns, Thiebauds and other blue-chip modernist works can be found at the John Berggruen Gallery (228 Grant Ave.; 415-781-4629; berggruen.com) and Picassos, Hockneys and Lichtensteins at the nearby Meyerovich Gallery (251 Post St., 4th fl.; 415-421-7171; meyerovich.com).

The Mission District

To discover rising talents that have yet to fetch hedge-fund-bonus prices, head south to San Francisco's Mission District, an area celebrated for its Latino culture and vibrant street art. Though it retains much of its grittiness, surprisingly sophisticated enclaves of cutting-edge art have sprouted among its taquerias and mural-adorned alleys. The Jack Hanley Gallery (395 Valencia St.; 415-522-1623; jackhanley.com) is the place to find provocative work by up-and-coming artists. Among the first to show John Currin and Raymond Pettibon, Hanley focuses on solo shows by Tauba Auerbach, Colter Jacobsen and other Bay Area artists.

New Langton Arts (1246 Folsom St.; 415-626-5416; newlangtonarts.org) is where art patrons come to catch innovative interdisciplinary works. Shoebox-sized Ratio 3 (903 Guerrero St.; 415-821-3371; ratio3.org), located in two rooms of curator Chris Perez's apartment, in a Victorian house, exhibits pieces by new and established artists. Open on Sunday and by appointment, it's become a destination for curious locals and major collectors alike.