Media
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Ala Ebtekar Luminous Ground
March 26th, 2024
A short film by Griff and Keelan Williams documenting artist Ala Ebtekar's (b. 1978, San Francisco and Tehran) journey of making his monumental artwork Luminous Ground. The short film began before the global pandemic while the artist was working in a Fresno, California clay studio. It was completed in 2024 when the work was commissioned by and installed at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Luminous Ground consists of 1,800 handmade clay tiles imprinted with a vast image of the cosmos using a cyanotype process. Together, Ebtekar’s tiles display an image of deep space taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The work gives us a glimpse of billions of years into the history of the universe.
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Tell Them We Were Here Trailer
July 22nd, 2022
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Jim Melchert "Cracks"
September 22nd, 2021
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Tucker Nichols 'Sneeze' 2020
December 9th, 2020
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Jason Jägel 'La Machine Molle'
February 6th, 2020
A very short film by Jonn Herschend, following artist Jason Jagel as he prepares for his upcoming show, La Mechine Molle, a visual meditation of Robert Wyatt's second band La Mechine Molle and their album Matching Mole.
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Gallery 16, San Francisco, USA Feb 7 to March 27, 2020 -
RICHARD SHAW Documentary Short
December 6th, 2019
A documentary short on ceramic pioneer Richard Shaw by Griff and Keelan Williams
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Rebeca Bollinger ALL PURPOSE
May 2nd, 2019
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Sonny Smith and Dave Huebner Opening Reception
March 13th, 2018
Here's a nice cut of all the activity from the opening!
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Big thanks to Earth Girl Helen Brown and Sonny and The Sunsets.
Filmed and edited by Josh Kates. -
Nathaniel Parsons Studio Visit
November 1st, 2017
Gallery 16 visited Nathaniel Parsons' studio in Oakland, California in anticipation of the artist's solo exhibition, "Together We Make Things Happen." The title of this immersive exhibition is a reflection of the artist’s interest in how we come together to coexist. The artist presents over 100 pieces spanning nearly 25 years of his career, offering viewers an exploration of his unique approach to artmaking. Parsons will transform the gallery with an ambitious installation, a complex web of past and present works that blend into one another. The work can be seen as a type of totem pole that combines diverse stories into one overlapping narrative. In native traditions, totem poles weren’t objects of worship, but devices for community storytelling. Similarly, Parsons’s art, made with found materials, deflects reverence and instead honors coexisting histories.
Nathaniel Parsons’s work has roots in folk art, narrative painting, wood carving and a community-building social practice. He is known for drawing heavily from rural Americana, outsider artwork and naturalist writing. Found and scavenged materials are regularly employed in Parsons’s work as favors those that have a well-worn history. Parsons values the embedded history within each element, seeing this choice as a process of building upon history, rather than creating autonomous objects without a past. Previous projects have involved visitors taking walks with the artist while he works or creating public picnic tables that are carved as a community project. Generosity, friendship and shared vision guide his projects and viewers are able to see themselves in the creation of Parson’s distinct works.
“When does a story get to be a tall tale, how is a moral born, and if the artist has a desire to consider all that, when and where does it become relevant?”
-- Nathaniel ParsonsTogether We Make Things Happen will also have a counterpart group exhibition in Gallery 16’s project space curated by Parsons. True to his desire to share, he’s curated a show within a show. Artists included are Hamlett Dobbins and Tad Lauritzen of Mellow Mountain Coalition, Brooke Inman, Jeff Morris, Lexa Walsh, Billy Ward and David Dunlap.
About Nathaniel Parsons: Nathaniel Parsons was raised in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, among a family of artists. He graduated with a BFA from California College of the Arts (Oakland) in 1993 and with an MFA from the University of Iowa with a concentration in painting, printmaking, sculpture, drawing, and performance. His art practice explores themes of alter egos, visiting parks, shared authorship, and storytelling. As an observational artist, he chooses to work on projects, new, worn and carved from what appears needed to get the job done. Paintings are made on surfaces where some element comes from a found source, stretcher bars, milled wood, cut offs. There is a continual effort to reach Point Sublime. He’s sung songs in a band called Little My, playing shows and making souvenirs for the audience. He has shown projects nationally in Memphis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Oakland and Cleveland and internationally in The Republic of Macedonia. He lives and works in Oakland California.
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TUCKER NICHOLS & DAVE EGGERS: All Ages Drawing Session + Artist Talk
October 10th, 2017
On Sunday, October 1st, Gallery 16 hosted an all ages drawing session and conversation with artist Tucker Nichols and writer Dave Eggers. The was a free event, open to the public in coordination with Nichols’ solo exhibition, "Patio Music" (Sept 8–Oct 28).
Music:
"Massamba" by Olu Dara
"Broadway Jungle [2000 Version]" by Toots & the MaytalsCamera Operators:
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Joshua Kates
Austen Pruett -
Opening Reception: Tucker Nichols, PATIO MUSIC
October 4th, 2017
On the evening of Friday, September 8th, G16 opened "Patio Music," Bay Area-artist Tucker Nichols' fifth solo exhibition with the gallery. For this occasion we were fortunate to have musical accompaniment from BIG BOX Jazz Combo. We're happy to share some footage of the reception with you here. "Patio Music" is on view September 8–October 28, 2017.
Camera Operators:
Joshua Kates
Yukihiro Taira (1dot11)
Sayaka Taira (1dot11)Music composition:
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"Hang Time" © Copyright 2017 Carter Scholz. Music performed by Big Box: Dan Falsetto, trumpet; Carter Scholz, piano; Jon Nichols, bass; Jon Remenarich, drums. -
Tucker Nichols + Jonn Herschend
September 8th, 2017
We're getting ready for our the opening reception of Patio Music, Tucker Nichols' fifth exhibition with G16. About an hour before we start welcoming patrons, we're doing a little #fbf with this video from Jonn Herschend starring Tucker Nichols, Griff Williams, Max Schroder and Laurie Gibbons.
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Ala Ebtekar: Equation Of Time
June 28th, 2017
Equation Of Time is a suite of twenty Cyanotype prints, simultaneously exposed by the light of the sun on the gallery rooftop on April 15th, 2017. We will present an installation of the completed prints as well as a film documenting the making of this unique project.
Star gazing, craning our necks to the heavens, is the original source of wonder. This awestruck observation is at the root of this print project. Astronomer John Herschel—noted for coining the term “photography”—invented the cyanotype process in 1839. It is synchronistic that Ebtekar chose the Cyanotype process for this project as imagery for this print was culled from the NASA archive.
Equation Of Time employs a conceit of poetic simplicity: An image of the cosmos / Brought to life by the light of the cosmos / The very thing it describes. The NASA image of the night sky, printed as a negative, was paired and exposed over 24x36 inch sheets by the light of the sun. The Cyanotype process is light absorbed into emulsion on paper afterwhich the image is revealed. At the center of each cyanotype print the artist has cut an intricate void in the shape of a Persian window, under which a shimmering silver leaf is inserted to reflect light outward. The print, at once, infinitely absorbs light and reflects it back out.
The phrase "equation of time" is widely used to describe the difference between solar time and mechanical time. The daily rotation of the Earth is irregular and the small differences in the length of day, build up to produce longer differences between the two modes of timekeeping. Prior to the invention of mechanical clocks in the mid-17th century, sundials were the only reliable and generally accepted, standard timepieces. The sundial functions around the idea that when the sun reaches it’s highest point (meridian), it is noon, and when the sun crosses the meridian again the following day, it is noon, again. Mechanical Time functions around the idea that each day is 24 hours long, a notion that is not actually true.
There are only four dates during a calendar year when solar time and mechanical time align. April 15th—the date these Cyanotype prints were produced—is one of these significant dates in astronomy.
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Jonn Herschend: Your Lost Shoe (or everything that happened since the last time)
February 5th, 2017
"This is the trailer video for the exhibition of the same name, which will take place at Gallery 16 in SF from March 3-April 29. The trailer, which was written and directed by Jonn Herschend, exists as a part of the show, but will only happen on line. Big thanks to Beth Lisick, Packard Jennings, Scott Vermiere, and Kate Rhoades."
Your Lost Shoe is Jonn Herschend’s first solo show since 2011. He wanted you to know that it has been a while. He’s been distracted.
Here’s what it’s about:
It’s about a love triangle between Mark, Lisa and the Narrator of the show.
Here’s also what it will be about:
It’s about everything that happened since the last solo show (which took place at Steven Wolf Projects in 2011 and was called The Book You Said I Never Returned, which attempted to prove—in the form of a gallery exhibition—that the narrator had in fact returned a book that he borrowed from Lisa). One can consider it a sort of update on how things have shaken out with Mark, Lisa and the Narrator.
The show will also involve Mark’s lost shoe.
The show is also a sort of adaptation of Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
It can also be said that the show will be a further exploration of narrative structure, entertainment and veracity.
The narrative will involve the following:
● 10 oil paintings
● 8 watercolors
● 1 sculpture
● A PowerPoint presentation
● A quarterly report
o Intro by the writer Anthony Discenza
● An on-line exhibition trailer featuring the talents of
o Packard Jennings
o Kate Rhoades
o Scott Vermiere
o Beth Lisick
It can be said that Herschend is thinking of Eisenstein's Soviet Montage Theory of editing when he is thinking about how the viewer will engage these disparate elements.
Also for this show, there will be two events:
1) A film screening of films by Herschend and also not by Herschend (March 2017)
2) An evening of sad comedy, complete with a musical guest (April 2017)
For inquiries regarding this exhibition, please contact info@gallery16.com
Facebook event for the opening reception Jonn Herschend: Your Lost Shoe Opening Reception 3/3 6–9pm
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Lounge Lessons: A Musical Journey of Life Reflections and Motivation Through Song
December 7th, 2016
Cliff Hengst performance as Bobby Coupon on December 10, 2016 featuring Becky Calinsky on the keyboard. Lounge Lessons: A Musical Journey of Life Reflections and Motivation Through Song—a lounge act meets motivational seminar of Hengst’s own creation—first debuted earlier this year in three consecutive sold-out shows at Machine Project in Los Angeles.
This performance was in conjunction with the Scott Hewicker and Cliff Hengst's exhibition at Gallery 16, Golden Prisn.
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An Evening With The Color Organist
November 8th, 2016
On Thursday, November 17th, Gallery 16 hosted An Evening With The Color Organist, a gathering comprised of readings, performance and music about color by Bay Area artists, poets, and writers. Hue-listic channeling and musical tonalism conjuring harmonic and connecting energies to move through darkness towards light.The Readers:Alice Shaw Anne McGuire Bruno Fazzolari Caroline Goodwin Cliff Hengst Colter Jacobsen Dodie Bellamy Jocelyn Saidenberg Karla Milosevich Kevin Killian Laurie ReidLinda Geary Margaret Tedesco Norma ColeRebeca Bollinger Rumi Koshino Sydney Cohen The Musicians: Scott Hewicker Steven Seidenberg Wayne Smith Color is defined in our world through contrast and context, harmony and discord, beauty and ugliness, darkness and light, connection and opposition. Yet It is not in the color wheel's constrained binary balance that reflects the truth of our perceptions but in its many tonal blends, layers and degrees that build our own unique perspectives. Color is a sense. Color is a space. Color is a sound.
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TABITHA SOREN for APERTURE FOUNDATION
October 22nd, 2016
Tabitha Soren has a beautiful work up for auction on Paddle 8, benefitting Aperture Foundation. Make sure to check it out today, October 24th before 10:15pm ET.
Image: Tabitha Soren, The Gun Club, 2009, Archival pigment print, 12 x 12 inches.
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MICHELLE GRABNER: ARTIST TALK ON VIMEO
October 8th, 2016
It's hard to believe a month has already passed since Michelle Grabner was here to present her current exhibition at the gallery. Grabner Gingham opened with a great reception as well as an artist talk hosted by Griff Williams.
Williams opens the evening by sharing, "This is twenty years of exhibiting her work at Gallery 16, this started in 1996." It's a great opportunity to see two artists, both friends and arts professionals, articulate the successes and downfalls of participating in the contemporary art world over the past two decades. Please enjoy this video of Grabner and Williams in conversation on Friday, September 9th, 2016.Grabner Gingham will be on view through Saturday, October 29th. For inquires regarding this exhibition, please contact the gallery.
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Libby Black Studio Visit
June 9th, 2016
We visited Libby Black's studio ahead of her solo exhibition A Light That Never Goes Out, 2016 .
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Tucker Nichols Studio Visit Video
June 7th, 2016
We visited Tucker Nichols at his studio, located above a tuxedo rental shop in San Rafael. Tucker describes his inspirations, fears or lack there of ahead of a solo exhibition in NYC and completing a commissioned body of work for the In Situ, the new restaurant opening Summer 2016 at the SFMOMA.
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Jason Middlebrook The Small Space In Between Exhibition Walk-through
March 30th, 2016
Exhibition walk through video for Jason Middlebrook's "The Small Space In Between" at Gallery 16 March 25 - May 6, 2016
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Interview with Shaun O'Dell
June 23rd, 2015
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GRABNER KILLAM 2014
June 25th, 2014
GRABNER KILLAM 2014 // May 23 - July 31
It has been a month since we opened Grabner Killam 2014 and it is hard to believe! But, in that time, we have put out some great supplementary material for an amazing show. First, we have the exhibition catalog, which gives a great overview of Michelle and Brad's respective practices, their collaborations and various artistic projects over the years - as well as the entire exhibition list for the show!We also would like to share a few interviews with Michelle Grabner that really caught our attention: one from TheHighlights.org, one from The Brooklyn Rail in 2012, and the exhibition catalog from her show I Work From Home at MOCA Cleveland
OYSTER EDITION
We also released a catalog for the limited edition which the artists produced, in collaboration with Gallery 16 for the exhibition. The piece, titled "Oyster Multiple" is a small-scale version of some of the larger recently produced sculptures. To see the piece and read about its conception, click below.
ARTIST TALK ON OPENING NIGHT
It was a treat to have the opportunity to host a discussion between Patricia Maloney of Art Practical / Daily Serving and Michelle and Brad the night of our opening, on May 23rd. Those who were able to attend would probably agree. For those who weren't able to come to the opening and hear the discussion in person, it was not a totally missed opportunity - because we filmed it! Below is a link to the entire conversation which is worth the 40 minute listen.
Patricia Maloney in conversation with Michelle Grabner and Brad Killam
[excerpt]
PM: Do you draw boundaries and distinctions between your own lives and the work that you do? Because it’s hard to see them if you do.
BK: I do. Yea. I have a teaching job – I call it a day job. I don’t think of that as my art practice, I think of it as my teaching job. I have a studio. I make paintings. I make sculptures. I make videos – sometimes photographs. I have a daughter. I have two sons. I have a wife. I have two cars that need fixing. All these things are just things that exist. Do I have to schedule them every day? Yes. Do I think of them as one artistic practice? No. But Michelle might be different.
MG: We are different. No, it’s true, I do think of these things as all interconnected and it’s very hard for me to separate them out. And, you know, the stability or instability – and we can actually talk about the work in the physical, kind of impact – whether it’s beating down garbage can lids, or the football collision bits .. the real body, the real gravitational forces of every day is really important in terms of just materiality, in terms of body. And we can parse that later when we start thinking about the work, but in terms of – (it’s fair and I will answer the hopes and dreams question) as Brad is saying we have a family structure, we have our teaching jobs – but teaching I don’t see as a day job, I see it in a much different way and much more related into my learning as opposed to teaching or tutorial. But in terms of thinking about expansion, it’s actually the project up in Wisconsin – The Poor Farm, this other exhibition space which is much larger than the two small spaces we have in Oak Park, which as a kind of very loose feeling. I don’t like to use the word residency but if someone has a good idea and needs to come to rural Wisconsin and stay there we try to say yes and that’s really interesting to me. It’s timeframe is on a protracted, seasonal level – it’s very different than how the day-to-day life of the house, the management that Brad is talking about whether it’s the cars and the Suburban – fit tightly into that. So, it’s kind of thinking through retirement, quite honestly, and thinking through what happens when those day to day negotiations leave – when our daughter graduates from high school and moves to college. What is that time and space and how do we use that – and how do we get there and evolve it until then. So that’s exciting for me to think about. The Suburban, despite its current damaged scenario, is a managing scenario. We’ll slug on, and artist will come to us and do amazing or prosaic things until whenever Ceal graduates and until we retire… and that’s kind great. Those limitations are welcome.
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