Halloween may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dress up all crazy, knock back a few cocktails and enjoy some art. Freak out this weekend at Soap Gallery, get zooted on free coffee with a fresh batch of artists at the Artists X-Change, or party like it’s 2001 with street artists and mural makers at the De Young Museum’s kickoff to a year-long celebration of the hippest and artsiest district mankind has ever seen: the Mission, duh.
All that plus a mock vote, oil paintings and more. This weekend’s gonna rule.
Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo
Celebrate the launch of Anise Jacoby’s new photo book, a 10-year study of contemporary and historical Mission street art called Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo, with famous artists, musicians, poets, and participatory art. It’s all part of the De Young Museum’s weekly Cultural Encounters series, which for the next year will focus on Mission-born art movements and artists. This is the kickoff show so grab your mariachi hat, your Mexican wrestler mask or a neon skirt — the dress code calls for “Mission Festive”— and prepare to soak up some urban art history. Jacoby will be on hand for signings as will many contributing artists including Jet Martinez, Michael Roman, Susan Cervantes and Juana Alicia. Fri., Nov. 6, 5:30-8:45pm. Free. De Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., Golden Gate Park. 415.750.3600
Tri-Product
Opening reception for a three-man oil painting extravaganza featuring work by Brett Amory, Adam Caldwell and David Choong Lee. Let them blow your mind. Fri., Nov. 6, 7-10pm. Free. Fabric8 Gallery, 3318 22nd St. 415.647.5888
November Exhibit at Artist X-Change
Free samples of Weaver’s Coffee, music by DJ Rock C and a buncha new art by Artist X-Change affiliates. Fri., Nov. 6, 7-10pm. Free. Artist X-Change, 3169 16th St. 415.864.1490
Special Election: A First Colony Event
Become a citizen of Bellwether artist Lordy Rodriguez’s fictional colony. Through an intense voting session, visitors (citizens) will decide the fate of their new community. Will it spread into indigenous territories? Will it beef up its army? The answers are waiting at SO/EX. Sat., Nov. 7, 2-4pm. Free. Southern Exposure, 3030 20th St. 415.863.2141
“Lapidary Terrarium: New Works by Mary Conrad”
From Michael Rosenthal Gallery’s website: “In this show, [Mary] Conrad explores the concept of Lapidary Terrarium as the specialized and expertly crafted social and environmental spaces in which we enclose ourselves. Acting as an anthropologist, Conrad mediates a banal and strange world to examine the historical and social impacts on our shared consciousness of language, signs, currency and packaging.” I don’t know what that means, but all the ads for this event have a drawing of a traffic cone attached (see below). So, uh… honestly, I still have no idea what to expect. Why do artists always have to be so mysterious? Sat., Nov. 7, 4pm. Free. Michael Rosenthal Gallery, 365 Valencia St. 415.552.1010
Unfortunate Moment
Light refreshments will be served as New York-based artist Amanda Curreri unveils and discusses her latest project, a window installation of a photograph celebrating early Nazi infrastructure, accompanied by music. Sat., Nov. 7, 5-7pm. Free. Artist’s Television Access Gallery, 992 Valencia St. 415.824.3890
Freaking Out
Freaking out is what you do when you accidentally cut your finger or catch your partner cheating on you. It’s also what happens when you do too many drugs. Good stuff! Join local artist Daniel Hipolito as he uses muralism to turn SOAP Gallery’s walls into a freak-out-a-thon. Music by Hana Lee. Sat., Nov. 7, 6-9pm. Free. SOAP Gallery, 3180 Mission St. 415.920.9199