February 16, 2018 to April 06, 2018
Exhibition

SFAC @ C + M: the ones held tightly in my hands

A solo exhibition with work by Sydney Cain

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) Galleries is pleased to present a new exhibition at C + M Café in the War Memorial Veterans Building from February 16 - April 6, 2018. The ones held tightly in my hands features drawings by Sydney Cain and responds to the SFAC Main Gallery's exhibition The Retrieval by Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle. 

Cain's highly detailed figurative drawings on paper bring to light buried myths and lives of both the ancients and the futurists. Just as carbon is transformed into graphite or diamonds through extreme heat processing, Cain utilizes graphite as a medium to transform our suffering into opportunities to heal, to remember the evolution of spirit, and to gain wisdom.

The use of graphite also reflects on notions of impermanence and transformation. A derivative of carbon, graphite contains within it the same building blocks from which all of life as we know it has come. It is the environment then, which determines the state of carbon's different physical forms. In staying true to the condition of our environment, Cain incorporates smudges, stains and other "stray" markings as evidence of existence. She views them not as flaws, but as a living part of the works themselves.

Within Cain’s work, the unseen presence of the deceased becomes a focal point. Cain characterizes her art practice as, “A told story of suffering transforms into a remembrance of spiritual evolution, healing, and wisdom. Thus, those who have passed on have the space to become reborn as heroes through images creating a new reality.”

Curated by Marilyn Claes 

All works are available for purchase; inquire in the SFAC Main Gallery.

SFAC @ C+M is an exhibition series organized by SFAC Galleries at C+M War Memorial, a cafe located on the ground floor of the War Memorial Veterans Building. The location of C+M is also the site of the former SFAC Galleries, from 1996-2013.

Image credit: Sydney Cain, mastery I, 2018. 7 " x 11". Graphite on paper. Courtesy of the Artist. 

What's Coming Up

Public Meeting

Visual Arts Committee Meeting

April 17
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3:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online
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Executive Committee Meeting

December 18
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1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Hybrid: 401 Van Ness | Rm 125 and Online
Public Meeting

Community Investments Committee Meeting

April 16
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1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online
Public Meeting

Civic Design Review Committee Meeting

April 15
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2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online