Presented on the occasion of The Poetics of Dimensions, currently on view at ICA San Francisco, join curator Larry Ossei-Mensah and exhibiting artists Anthony Akinbola, Melissa Joseph, and Shinique Smith for a conversation on alchemizing everyday materials in artistic practice. Hear how Akinbola, Ossei-Mensah, and Smith all engage and disrupt art historical legacies, transforming overlooked perspectives and materials into powerful creative expressions.

Join art advisor Sabrina Buell, collector Kevin Johnson, and Kristine Bell, senior partner, David Zwirner Gallery for a conversation, moderated by CULTURED Magazine Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson, on refining your eye and taste in contemporary art. They'll share practical advice on building a discerning collection and insights from their personal journeys in the art world. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or new to the scene, this discussion will provide valuable guidance on cultivating a more informed approach to collecting.

Takashi Yanai and Ivy Ross will be in conversation exploring the science of neuroaesthetics that offers proof of how our brains and bodies are transformed when we participate in the arts and aesthetic experiences, and how this knowledge can improve our physical and mental health, help us learn and flourish, and build stronger communities.

Artemisia is a groundbreaking documentary co-directed and produced by award-winning filmmakers Nicole Shipley and Kathryn Everett and Executive Produced by actress and activist Geena Davis. Bridging art history and our contemporary art landscape, the film weaves together Artemisia's extraordinary narrative with contemporary voices in art and culture. Among the experts, curators, private collectors and contemporary artists interviewed are art historian Sheila Barker, Mary Gabriel, founder of FAMM Christian Levett as well as contemporary artists and thought leaders of today. The film explores how collective action by women throughout history has driven social, political, and economic changes—from the fight for access to art academies in Artemisia's time, through the valiant efforts of the Ninth Street Women in a post-war America, to today's struggles for equal pay and reproductive autonomy.

Following the film, a panel of luminaries in the art world will gather for a conversation examining how Artemisia's radical vision continues to resonate with artists and collectors today, while exploring the evolving landscape for female artists in the 21st century. The panel will explore themes including the evolution of female artists' representation, institutional changes in the art world, and the continuing impact of collective action in advancing women's rights both within and beyond the arts community.

Join us for a conversation about how the arts can help revitalize San Francisco’s downtown. As our city faces a pivotal moment, the creative community is uniquely positioned to lead this change. In this panel, SOMArts Creative and Executive Director Maria Jenson, gallerist Jessica Silverman, ICA SF Director Ali Gass, Civic Joy Fund Founder Manny Yekutiel, and Zully Adler, Director of the Further Triennial, will discuss how the arts can drive economic growth, strengthen communities, and enrich the cultural landscape. Hear how their organizations are working to inspire change, connect people, and shape a thriving future for downtown San Francisco.

Join us for an engaging conversation between acclaimed artist Carrie Mae Weems and Christopher Bedford, director of SFMOMA, as they explore how art can challenge and reshape cultural narratives. Weems is known for her transformative work on identity, race, history, and social justice, and this conversation will delve into her creative process and the powerful role of photography and storytelling in reflecting social issues. Together, they’ll discuss how art can inspire meaningful change and invite new ways of seeing the world.

Join us for an inspiring conversation that explores the intersection of art, activism, and Black liberation through the lens of domestic space. In this talk, artists Cheryl R. Riley and Chantal Hildebrand will discuss how they infuse their work with principles of liberation, drawing on the enduring necessity for Black people to cultivate intimate, protective spaces that nurture joy, rest, and revolutionary potential. Moderated by Key Jo Lee, Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Public Programs at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), this discussion will explore how these artists' personal and artistic practices harness the transformative power of space in the fight against systemic oppression.

The talk will be centered around the exhibition Liberatory Living: Protective Interiors and Radical Black Joy, which highlights works that envision domestic spaces as sites of resistance, rest, and radical joy. Featuring designs, artworks, and installations, the exhibition explores how these spaces allow for Black people to dream, gather, play, and imagine new possibilities for liberation. With references to bell hooks’ concept of “homeplace” and Elizabeth Alexander’s notion of the “Black interior,” the exhibition presents a powerful reimagining of the domestic as a site of both political resistance and personal empowerment.

In this engaging conversation with two celebrated Bay-Area artists who work in video, drawing, painting, and translating forms, we will traverse a wide range of subjects such as transculturality, making sense of place, abstracting representational source images, migration and sports and more…