Chihuly-Kahlo Weekend!

Two of San Francisco's museums are opening two pretty major shows this weekend. How major? How about both artists being celebrated don't even need an introduction because they're almost household names. Yes, Dale Chihuly and Frida Kahlo are coming to town! I swear, those New Yorkers are going to be so jealous!

Dale Chihuly at the de Young 

First, the de Young museum opens Chihuly at the de Young - the first major exhibition of Dale Chihuly's work ever seen in San Francisco. The exhibit will show a full range of the artist's career, spanning four decades of work. Chihuly is known for his incredibly complex and whimsical glass sculptures, which have become gemstones of public art throughout the world. Perhaps his most famous is the work entitled Fiori di Como which can be seen on the lobby ceiling of The Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.

The colors, the shapes, the sheer scale of a Chihuly piece are almost too much to be believed - and now they're coming here! As a preview, the de Young installed the vivid Saffron Tower - a 30-foot neon sculpture - just outside of the museum, while over at the Legion of Honor the 15-foot sculpture called Sun has been installed in the Court of Honor.

To open the exhibit tomorrow, Target is hosting an entirely free weekend at the de Young. Now that is what art museums should be all about: beauty, education, culture, and a free entry! Timed tickets to the Chihuly exhibit will be given out at the museum, but while you mill around you can enjoy sure-to-be-dramatic demonstrations from The Crucible of Oakland, as well as fantastic music by different bands.

For a full listing of events for the Chihuly opening weekend, please visit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco website at famsf.org - or by clicking the link.

 
Frida Kahlo at the SFMOMA 

Second, the SFMOMA museum is opening a retrospective on the work of the mythic Frida Kahlo. Kahlo always draws even the passive art-viewer in for more with her colorful, folkloric, and often disturbing surrealism. Since she was not a very prolific artist, just having so many pieces together in one place will no doubt offer some incredible insight into this little woman who truly lived larger than life.

The SFMOMA is also doing timed tickets for this show, which can be arranged by going online here and making an appointment.  

San Francisco is hosting the art scene this summer...don't miss a moment!