Six Reasons in '06 to Go to an Art Show

1) Southern Exposure. For its big show of the fall, the Cantor Arts Center presents a major survey of paintings done in the Spanish New World in the high era of colonialism, the 17th and 18th centuries. The focus is on the Viceroyalty of Peru, rather than the Mexican colonial art that is more familiar. In this striking devotional (along with a few aristro portraits), we can see how European styles were transported to the New World and then transformed in style and iconographic. "The Virgin, Saints and Angels," runs Sept. 20-Dec. 31.

2) Suburban Renewal. California artists have always been drawn (even if in dismay) to the modern style of Golden State development—i.e., ditch the city and cover the hills with single-family homes. "Suburban Escape: The Art of California Sprawl" at the San Jose Museum of Art looks at how a wide cross-section of California artists have interpreted the impact of suburbia on the psyche of its residents and the land-use policies of its communities. Includes photos by Larry Sultan and Bill Owens, two of the master bards of suburbia. Sept. 23-March 4.

3) Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. Even when models and sitters are unavailable, painters have always been able to fall back on self-portraits. From the time of Rembrandt, the self-portrait has been a powerful psychological tool for understanding the creative process. For "Beyond the Likeness," the Triton Museum presents an intriguing selection of self-portraits by modern California artists in a variety of styles of media. Among the artists are Katherine Levin-Lau, Kelly Detweiler, Roberta Loach and Bob Gerbacht. Ends Oct. 15.

4) Everything's Different. The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art now occupies its new home at 560 S. First St., San Jose. The renovated space is still being worked on, but the first of three galleries is now open. Stop by before the end of the year, when the shows will cease for a few months while the final build-out is completed. The gallery's annual art auction runs the month of October, culminating in a swank art-buying affair on Oct. 28.

5) Controversy. San Francisco artist Victor Cartagena's installation "Bang! Bang! Toy Gun," which explores his fascination with toy armaments is sure to offend someone. As the artist says, "Cap guns, toy pistols and rifles have always been a favorite toy for kids.? A little toy gun doesn't hurt anyone; it ejects water, darts and plastic bullets. Bang! Bang! It's just a toy gun!" The MACLA show runs Oct. 23-Dec. 23.

6) Not-So-Plein Air. Some ravishing examples of California landscape painting will be on display at "California Impressions: Landscapes from the Wendy Willrich Collection," at the new de Young Museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. The artists range from early titan William Keith to the matchless masters of sunlight and shade, Guy Rose, Granville Redmond and Selden Gile. Nov. 18-Jan. 28.

—Michael S. Gant

Lady in Red: The 18th-century Peruvian devotional painting 'Our Lady of Cayma' shows as part of 'The Virgin, Saints and Angels' at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford, starting Sept. 20.

Museums

Cantor Arts Center
Lomita Drive and Museum Way, Stanford University; Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm, till 8pm Thursday; free; 650.723.4177; museum.stanford.edu
Conflict and Art, images of and about war and confrontation from various periods and countries—ends Aug. 27
Art From Life: Prints by Robert Rauschenberg—ends Sept. 24
Chinese Painting on the Eve of the Communist Revolution, landscapes and figure studies by artists working in and around Shanghai—ends Oct. 29
Chasing History: Art and Provenance, a study of the ownership issues focusing on the museum's own collection—ends Nov. 26
The Virgin, Saints and Angels: South American Paintings 1600-1825 From the Thoma Collection, a major exhibit of works showing the development of painting in the New World—Sept. 20-Dec. 31
A New 19th Century: The Mondavi Family Gallery Reinstalled, including pieces by Monet, Renoit and Sargent—opens Nov. 1
Visions of Dharma: Thai Contemporary Art—Nov. 15-March 4
2007:
In the American West: Photographs by Richard Avedon—Feb. 14-May 6
Bare Witness: Photographs by Gordon Parks—March 21-July 1
Art of Being Tuareg: Sahara Nomads in a Modern World—May 30-Sept. 2

De Saisset Museum
The museum is closed until Oct. 12. Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real; Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-4pm; free; 408.554.4528
Game Face: What Does a Female Athlete Look Like?, a photographic exhibit— Oct. 12-Dec. 9
Acquisitions for Diversity: Recent Additions to the Permanent Collection—Oct. 12-March 4
Faith Placed: Spirituality and Location in Contemporary Art—Jan. 13-March 4
Miniature Worlds: Art From India—April 10-May 25
Small Wonders: Tiny Works From the Permanent Collection—April 10-May 25
ArtsConnect: Arts Council Silicon Valley—April 10-May 25

Art Museum of Los Gatos
4 Tait Ave., Los Gatos; Wednesday-Sunday, noon-4pm; free; 408.395.7375
Soulful Moments, paintings by Barbara Allie and Wayne Wei-Tao Jiang—ends Oct. 7
What's New in Art?—Los Gatos Art Association juried show—Oct. 12-Nov. 11
The Art of Jules Halfant: 60 Years of American Art—Nov. 24-Feb. 25

San Jose Museum of Art
110 S. First St., San Jose; Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm; $5-$8; 408.294.2787
Gustavo Ramos Rivera Paintings: Eternidades del instante, Mexican-born Bay Area abstract master—ends Sept. 10
Kathy Aoki: The Cult of the Cute, pink-girl kitsch in construction zones—ends Sept. 24
Jennifer Steinkamp, figurative and abstraction computer projections—ends Oct. 1
Edge Conditions highlights technology-based works—ends Nov. 26
Suburban Escape: The Art of California Sprawl, an exhibit about how California artists have coped with the idea of suburbia— Sept. 23-March 4
It's a Small World: Scale in Contemporary Photography—Sept. 30-Jan. 28
Family Legacies: The Art of Betye, Lezley and Alison Saar, collages and mixed-media about stereotypes and the African American experience by two generations of artists— Oct. 22-Jan. 7
Special Event: ArtCar Fest '06, 10th anniversary celebration—Sept. 16
2007:
Op Art Revisited: Selections From the Albright-Knox Gallery—Jan. 28-April 22
Il Lee: Ballpoint Abstractions—Feb. 17-July 8

San Jose Museum Of Quilts & Textiles
520 S. First St., San Jose; Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm, Thursday till 8pm; $4-$5; 408.971.0323
Art About Art: Weavings From Virginia Davis—ends Oct. 1
Insecurity: An Installation by Julie John Upshaw—ends Oct. 1
Katherine Westerhout: After/Image—ends. Oct. 1
Dialectrics, sculptural weavings from electronic components by Laura MacCary—ends Nov. 5
Quilt National: 2005, featuring 45 pieces from premiere juried art-quilt show—Oct. 10- Jan. 7
Special Event: The Essence of Art: Quilts, Textiles, Fine Wine, a benefit gala with celebrity artist, demonstrations, auctions, entertainment and dinner—Oct. 8, 11am-4pm, at the 4th St. Summer Center, San Jose.

Triton Museum of Art
1505 Warburton Ave., Santa Clara; Monday-Sunday, 11am-5pm, Thursday till 9pm; 408.247.3745; free; www.tritonmuseum.org
Beyond the Likeness: Self-Portraits of California Artists, with works by two score contemporary California artists—ends Oct. 15
Brian Taylor, photography by the professor of art and design at SJSU—Oct. 28-Dec. 10
Bay Area Abstraction: A Current View—Oct. 28-Dec 17
New Works by California Artists: Lyle Gomes, black-and-white photos of rural and cityscapes—Oct. 28-Dec. 31
Special Event: Blues Bash and Silent Auction—Sept. 24, 1-5pm
2007:
Statewide Watercolor Competition & Exhibition—Jan. 13-March 25

Galleries

Anno Domini
366 S. First St., San Jose; Tuesday-Saturday, noon-8pm; 408.271.5155; www.galleryAD.com
Boris and Bianca, an interactive fairy tale by Brad Isdrab—ends Sept. 16
Collabro, collaborative works by artists' group—Sept. 1-Oct. 21; opening-night SoFA event features music by Be Brave Bold Robot, 8pm-late
Full Coverage, the tattoo artists of NSKOLECTIVE exhibit documents and photos about 33 "living" works of skin art—Oct. 6-28
David Choe, solo exhibit—Nov. 3-25
Holiday Group Show—Dec. 1-Jan. 20

La Galleria
Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose; Tuesday-Thursday, 2-6pm; 408.928.5524; www.mhcviva.org
Zorro Unmasked, a collection of movie memorabilia from Zorro Productions, in conjunction with History San Jose— Sept. 9-December

MACLA
510 S. First St., San Jose; Wednesday-Thursday, noon-7pm, Friday-Saturday, noon-5pm; free; 408. 998.ARTE; www.maclaarte.org
Frontera Electronica, featuring work by Jesus Aguilar, Juan Luna-Avin, Praba Pilar and Torolab—ends Oct. 7
Bang! Bang! Toy Gun, an installation by San Francisco artist Victor Cartagena— Oct. 23-Dec 23.

Mohr Gallery
Community School of Music and Arts at Finn Center, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View; Monday-Friday, 10am-7pm, Saturday, 9am-1pm; 650.917.6800
Stretching the Boundaries: Paper Gem Printmakers—ends Sept. 26
Miriam Hitchcock: Paintings and Drawings—Oct. 4-Nov. 27
Kyle Williams, Moira Murdock and Juan Luna-Avin: Mixed-Media and Installation—Dec. 1-Jan. 25

Montalvo Arts Center
15400 Montalvo Rd., Saratoga; grounds open weekdays, 8am-7pm, weekends, 9am-5pm; gallery open Wednesday-Saturday, 1-4pm and Sunday, 10am-4pm; 408.961.5800; www.montalvoarts.org
Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India—ends Sept. 17
New Geology, environmental art on the grounds by Steven Siegel—through end of 2006

Palo Alto Art Center
1313 Newell Rd., Palo Alto; Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, Thursday till 9pm, Sunday, 1-5pm; 650.329.2366
IDEO Prototypes the Future—ends Sept. 10
Creative Commerce: German Lithographic Labels, 1920-1938—ends Sept. 10
The First Illusion: The Transitional Object—Sept. 28-Dec. 22
Re-Pair & Imperfection, pieces created by art jeweler Kiff Slemmons from fragments by other artists—Sept. 28-Dec. 22
Great Glass Pumpkin Patch—Oct. 3-8

San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art
560 S. First St., San Jose; Tuesday-Friday, 10am-5pm, Thursday till 8pm, Saturday, noon-5pm; free; 408.283.8155
NextNew2006: Art and Technology, a pairing of five veteran tech-using artists with five up-and-coming artists—ends Sept. 16
Fall Exhibition and Auction—Oct. 6-28
Was and Is Not and Is to Come, a mural installation by Darren Waterston—Nov. 17-Jan. 6

Steller Somerset Gallery
539 Bryant St., Palo Alto; Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-6pm; 650.328.6688
Laura McIntosh, paintings—ends Sept. 30
Jock Sturges: In Color, photography— Oct. 3-Nov. 25
Steve Achimore, paintings—Nov. 28-Jan. 28

Natalie & James Thompson Gallery
San Jose State University, Art Building, San Jose; 408.924.4328
Marko Peljhan: Spectral System, Civil Counter Reconnaissance—Aug. 29- Sept. 22
Charles Krafft: Ceramic Sabotage— Oct. 3-Nov. 3
Industrial Design Alumni Exhibition— Nov. 14-Dec. 15

WORKS/San Jose
30 N. Third St., San Jose; 408.295.8378
American Seven, 13 artists address the seven deadly sins, American style—ends Sept. 16
Mind Strata: The Collision Point, featuring artists Bryan Hewitt, Peter Foucault and Vita Mei Hewitt—Sept. 29-Oct. 28
Auction Exhibit—Nov. 21-Dec. 2

San Francisco/East Bay

Asian Art Museum
200 Larkin St., San Francisco; Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm, till 9pm Thursdays; $6-$10; 415.581.3500
A Curious Affair: The Fascination Between East and West, art works showing influences across cultures—ends Sept. 3
Hidden Meanings: Symbolism in Chinese Art, using porcelains and jades from the collection as examples—Oct. 7-Dec. 3
Pioneers of Philippine Art: Luna, Amorsolo, Zóbel, nearly two score paintings by three major 20th-century artists—Oct. 20-Jan. 7
2007:
The Art of India's Mewar Kingdom—Feb. 2-April 29
Cotsen Japanese Bamboo Basket Collection—Feb. 2-April 29
Osamu Tezuka: The Marvel of Manga—May 26-Sept. 9
From Edo to Meiji: Yoshitoshi's Strange Tales—May 26-Sept. 9

De Young Museum
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco; Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30am-5pm, Friday till 8;45pm; $6-$10, first Tuesday of month free; 415.863.3330
Chicano, Life, Culture and Painting—ends Oct. 22
The Quilts of Gee's Bend—ends Dec. 31
The Sculpture of Ruth Asawa: Contours in the Air—Nov. 18-Jan. 28
California Impressions: Landscapes From the Wendy Willrich Collection—Nov. 18-Jan. 28

Legion of Honor
100 34th Ave., Lincoln Park, San Francisco; Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30am-5pm; $7-$10, first Tuesday of the month free; 415.750.3600
Monet in Normany—ends Sept. 17
Claude Lorrain—The Painter as Draftsman: Drawings From the British Museum—Oct. 14-Jan. 14

SFMOMA
151 Third St., San Francisco; daily 11am-5:45m, Thursday till 8:45pm, closed Wednesday; $7-$12; 415.357.4000
Matthew Barney: Drawing Restraint—ends Sept. 17
Mexico as Muse: Tina Modotti and Edward Weston—Sept. 2-Jan. 2
Philip Collins, new work by British artist—Sept. 16-Jan. 21
Alexander Girard: Vibrant Moder—Oct. 14-Feb. 25
Anselm Kiefer: Heaven and Earth—Oct. 20-Jan. 21

Oakland Museum of California
Tenth and Oak streets, Oakland; Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, Sunday, noon-5pm; $5-$8; 510.238.2200
New Acquisitions: Video Work by Bill Viola—Aug. 26-Dec. 31
Sports: Breaking Records, Breaking Barriers—Sept. 23-Jan. 7
Laughing Bones/Weeping Hearts: Días de los Muertos 2006—Oct. 11-Dec. 3
California as Muse: The Art of Arthur and Lucia Mathews—Oct. 28-March 25
Oakland to the Rescue!—ends Dec. 31

UC-Berkeley Art Museum
2621 Durant Ave., Berkeley; Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm, till 7pm Thursday; $5-$8; 510.642.0808
Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India—ends Sept. 17
Centers of Artistry: Indian Paintings from the Collection—ends Oct. 22
The Bancroft Library at 100: A Celebration, 1906-2006—ends Dec. 3
Semina Culture: Wallace Berman and His Circle—Oct. 17-Dec. 10
A Rose Has No Teeth: Bruce Nauman's Formative Years—Jan. 17-April 15

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