Why You Should Check Out Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco This Weekend

We understand if you want to escape some of Fleet Week San Francisco madness this weekend and have the perfect outing: the 2nd annual Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco, taking place Oct. 8-11 at the San Mateo County Event Center. The international contemporary and modern art fair showcases important artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries in collaboration with some of the world’s most respected galleries and art institutions. This year’s contributors take advantage of exhibiting in the tech world’s backyard and feature works that sit at the intersection of art and tech. Last year, Art SV/SF drew more than 12,500 attendees, collectors and buyers—including avid art collector George Lucas. We don’t know if Lucas will once again attend the VIP private platinum preview on Oct. 8 but here’s what we do know:

New for the 2015 edition, Art SV/SF is working with guest curator Christine Duval to present a special thematic exhibit that introduces new media artists who use, create or leverage on software. In addition, London-based artist duo Walter & Zoniel will debut its latest artwork, Prelude To Spectra, a site-specific installation. This large-scale practice performance piece welcomes the public to participate and engage with the facade of the San Mateo County Event Center by catapulting colorful paints onto the entrance of Art SV/SF. Once the installation is fully complete, the project will be performed in its full entirety in 2016 in the U.K. whereby the facade of a historical building will be covered with biodegradable paint by the audience.

This year’s program will feature a carefully selected group of international art galleries exhibiting:

• a wide range of contemporary and modern art and design
• curated exhibitions
• projects showcasing the latest works in technology + art and new media
• educational programs designed to cultivate new and established collectors

If you attended last year, you may notice some changes this year.

“While the breadth and quality of the show remain very high, we’ve scaled the second annual Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco so there’s a good balance between international exhibitors and attendees,” said Nick Korniloff, director, founder and partner with Art Miami LLC. “In addition, returning dealers who participated in the inaugural fair now have a more accurate perspective on the collecting audience and the potential that this special market offers. We’re also extremely proud of our affiliation with ScholarMatch as our VIP beneficiary, as well as the continued support of all Bay Area cultural institutions and the art dealing community.”

Art SV/SF supports the community via cultural and non-profit partnerships. This year’s VIP nonprofit beneficiary is ScholarMatch. Founded by author Dave Eggers, ScholarMatch began as a simple crowdfunding platform and grew into a full-service, college-access organization. Its mission is to make college possible for underserved youth by matching students with donors, resources, colleges and professional networks. The Art SV/SF partnership will provide needed funds for program participants and communicate the importance of education to a large cultural network.

Art SV/SF is also a child-friendly art fair. Children can take advantage of the Kids Center–a supervised playroom on-site for children ages 3-13, where they’ll be introduced to art and have exclusive access to participate in art explorations, games, puzzles and storytelling.

Tickets to Art SV/SF start at $15. A VIP private preview takes place on Thurs, Oct. 8 from 7:30-10 p.m., while a platinum VIP preview kicks off the evening between 6-7:30 p.m. Art SV/SF has partnered with Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley which offers its guests complimentary shuttle service to and from the fair. For more information, visit www.artsvfair.com.