Another year, another massive number of students about to emerge from their two years in graduate programs in the Bay Area's many colleges. Over a hundred artists will graduate this year from the big schools (the California College of the Arts and theSan Francisco Art Institute) and the smaller classes at Mills,Stanford, UC Berkeley and UC Davis. 

CCA's graduate exhibition opens Thursday at its SF campus, a large airy space. Having been to their open studios we are confident that there will be some excellent fresh work on display.

SFAI... well, SFAI is mixing it up a bit. This year's show is being held in a hotel and is only four days long. Tony Labat, Director of MFA Programs, says in the press release for Vernissage, "The Bay Area has always been at the forefront of artists and curators seeking alternative spaces for exhibition and production, and this exhibition continues that important tradition." We have mixed feelings about this. While we agree with the sentiments of his statement, it seems a bit much to put the students' final show against the institutional whim to have the show in this manner. Lets hope it works out for all involved.

In addition to the graduate shows, there are plenty of art events and openings going on. Here are a few we'd suggest:

In Protest, at the Berkeley Art Museum Wednesday May 9th, 7pm, co-organized by the Kadist Institute. It will feature protest posters (free) designed by artists such as Zarouhie Abdalian, Doug Hall, Paul Kos, Rigo 23, and Martha Rosler among others. Read more about it on Art Cards Review:
artcards.cc/review/

And, as part of CCA's curatorial program's exhibition On Apology at the Wattis Institute, there will be an event Friday May 11th, 2012, from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the International Studies Academy (655 De Haro St., SF), a collaboration between the ISA and Dawn Weleskidescribed as 'an interactive and participatory exhibition of student-authored apologies and commitments to non-action on behalf of the U.S. government.'

Curious Direct Picks

Martina}{Johnston//Keith Wilson: Collapse= Good solo exhibition in this wonderfully laid out home gallery (my first time there, more than worth the surprisingly easy trip). The show worked best as a totatlity, exploring residential developments past and incomplete via photography and video.

&
Hillary Weidemann, an artist on a roll, has an installation at 2314 Telegraph which is easy to miss and subtle, but it is certainly there, and worth a visit. It won't be up long so don't miss it.
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Wednesday:
+ "In Protest" curated by Berkeley Art Museum, Kadist Art Foundation at Berkeley Art Museum

Thursday:
+ Screening: Andrzej Zulawski "The Third Part of the Night (1971)" at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
+ "2012 Graduate Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition" at California College for the Arts (CCA)

Friday:
+ Bryan Morello, Caitlin Denny, Dean Schneider, Jason Benson, Joel Dean, Matthew Endler, Nicolás Colón "The Field as the Frame, the Raster as the Rake" curated by Matthew Endler at Alter Space
+ Screening: "MFA Film Screening" at San Francisco Art Institute (SFMOMA Phyllis Wattis Theater)

+ Performance: Dawn Weleski "I will not bomb Iran (100 times)" at CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts (International Studies Academy High School)

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Saturday:
+ Screening: Andrzej Zulawski "The Devil (1972)" at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
+ Performance: Carey Young "Conflict Management" Living as Form (The Nomadic Version) at Kadist Art Foundation (Hallidie Plaza)
+ Auction: "The Lab's Annual Arts Auction" at The Lab
+ Art Fair: Adrian Wong, Betty Kano, Binh Danh , Carlos Villa, Flo Oy Wong, Gabby Miller, Heman Chong, Hung Liu, Justin Hoover , Kim Anno, Lenore Chinn, Michael Arcega, Nancy Hom, Pallavi Sharma, Ranu Mukherjee , Su-Chen Hung, Takayuki Yamamoto, Taraneh Hemami, Tina Takemoto, Truong Tran "Asian Contemporary Art Week" at Asian Contemporary Arts Consortium
+ Chris Burden, Guy Overfelt, Josh Short, Mauricio Ancalmo, Paul Kos, Tom Marioni "(Invisible) Relic" curated by Andrew McClintock at Park Life
+ Benjamin Lord, Ida Rödén, Merav Tzur "Ficciones" at Krowswork
+ Jennie Ottinger "What To Do With Your Orphan: A Manual" at Johansson Projects

Sunday:
+ Screening: Andrzej Zulawski "On the Silver Globe (1976/1988)" at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Wednesday, May 9

+ "In Protest" curated by Berkeley Art Museum, Kadist Art Foundation at Berkeley Art Museum
Berkeley: 2626 Bancroft Way, at College Avenue, 7-9pm

Thursday, May 10

+ Screening: Andrzej Zulawski "The Third Part of the Night (1971)" at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
SOMA: 701 Misssion Street, at Third Street, YBCA Screening Room, $8 Regular/$6 YBCA members, students, seniors, teachers, 7:30 - 10pm

Vanessa Prager., Yigal Ozeri "Territory + The Moon is Down" at Jenkins Johnson Gallery
Downtown: 464 Sutter Street, Free, 5:30-7:30pm

+ "2012 Graduate Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition" at California College for the Arts (CCA)
Potrero Hill: 1111 Eighth Street , Free, 6-10pm

"California College of the Arts Baccalaureate Exhibition" at California College for the Arts (CCA)
Potrero Hill: 1111 Eighth Street , Free, 6-10pm

Friday, May 11

Johnny Botts, Misho ""Spaced Togheter" at Misho Gallery
SOMA: 680 8th street, Suite 230, 6-9pm

+ Bryan Morello, Caitlin Denny, Dean Schneider, Jason Benson, Joel Dean, Matthew Endler, Nicolás Colón "The Field as the Frame, the Raster as the Rake" curated by Matthew Endler at Alter Space
SOMA: 1158 Howard Street, floor 1, 7-10pm

Eric William Carroll "2012 Baum Award Exhibition - Eric William Carroll" at SF Camerawork
SOMA: 1011 Market Street, floor 2, Free, 5-8pm

Adrian Wong "Orange Peel, Harbor Seal, Hyperreal" curated by Abby Chen at Chinese Cultural Center
Downtown: 750 Kearny Street, floor 3, 5-7pm

+ Screening: "MFA Film Screening" at San Francisco Art Institute (SFMOMA Phyllis Wattis Theater)
Downtown: 151 Third Street, Free, 1-3 pm

Joel Daniel Phillips ""No Regrets In Life"" at Satellite66
Tenderloin: 66 6th Street, free, 7-10pm

+ Performance: Dawn Weleski "I will not bomb Iran (100 times)" at CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts (International Studies Academy High School) Potrero Hill: 655 De Haro Street, Free, 6-8pm

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Saturday, May 12

"Consequences National Juried Show" at Arc Studios & Gallery
SOMA: 1246 Folsom Street, 7-10pm

+ Screening: Andrzej Zulawski "The Devil (1972)" at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
SOMA: 701 Misssion Street, at Third Street, YBCA Screening Room, $8 Regular/$6 YBCA members, students, seniors, teachers, 7:30 - 10pm

Adrian Wong "Orange Peel, Harbor Seal, Hyperreal" at Gallery 1.5 (Chinese Culture Center)
North Beach: 750 Kearny Street, 3rd Floor, Free, 1-4pm

Adrian Wong "Orange Peel, Harbor Seal, Hyperreal" at Gallery 1.5 (Chinese Culture Center) North Beach: 750 Kearny Street, 3rd Floor, 1-4pm

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Adrian Wong "Orange Peel, Harbor Seal, Hyperreal" at Gallery 1.5 (Chinese Culture Center) North Beach: 750 Kearny Street, 3rd Floor, 1-4pm

view image »

+ Performance: Carey Young "Conflict Management" Living as Form (The Nomadic Version) at Kadist Art Foundation (Hallidie Plaza)
Downtown: junction of Powell and Market Streets, Free, 10am - 6pm

Word to Mother "Can’t Afford to be Broke" at White Walls
Tenderloin: 835 Larkin Street, floor 1, Free, 7-11pm

Samuel Lowder "Time Machine" at Shooting Gallery
Tenderloin: 839 Larkin Street, Free, 7-11pm

+ Auction: "The Lab's Annual Arts Auction" at The Lab
Mission District: 2948 16th Street, Tickets: $20-$40, sliding scale, 6:30 - 10 pm

Kevin E. Taylor , Taravat Talepasand "Kountәr Pärt + Pathetique" at Guerrero Gallery
Mission District: 2700 19th Street, Free, 7-11pm

+ Art Fair: Adrian Wong, Betty Kano, Binh Danh , Carlos Villa, Flo Oy Wong, Gabby Miller, Heman Chong, Hung Liu, Justin Hoover , Kim Anno, Lenore Chinn, Michael Arcega, Nancy Hom, Pallavi Sharma, Ranu Mukherjee , Su-Chen Hung, Takayuki Yamamoto, Taraneh Hemami, Tina Takemoto, Truong Tran "Asian Contemporary Art Week" at Asian Contemporary Arts Consortium
Mission District: 1111 Eighth Street, Various times

+ Chris Burden, Guy Overfelt, Josh Short, Mauricio Ancalmo, Paul Kos, Tom Marioni "(Invisible) Relic" curated by Andrew McClintock at Park Life
Richmond District: 220 Clement Street, Free, 7-10pm

+ Benjamin Lord, Ida Rödén, Merav Tzur "Ficciones" at Krowswork
Oakland: 480 23rd Street, at Telegraph Avenue, Side Entrance, Free, 6-9pm

Charlie Milgrim, Jill McLennan, Julianne Wallace Sterling, Mary Curtis Ratcliff , Terryl Dunn "Dark Alliances + this body + From Here to There" at Mercury 20 Gallery
Oakland: 475 25th Street, at Telegraph Avenue, floor 1, Free, 6-9pm

+ Jennie Ottinger "What To Do With Your Orphan: A Manual" at Johansson Projects
Oakland: 2300 Telegraph Avenue, at 23rd Street, Free, 5-7pm

Sunday, May 13

+ Screening: Andrzej Zulawski "On the Silver Globe (1976/1988)" at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
SOMA: 701 Misssion Street, at Third Street, YBCA Screening Room, $8 Regular/$6 YBCA members, students, seniors, teachers, 2-4 pm

Artcards San Francisco is a weekly email publication led by editor Jackie Im and Aaron Harbour. Email event submissions to sfinfo@artcards.cc or use our submission form. New: you can now add an image to your listing by using the submission form.

+ = Editor's pick
? = Opening not confirmed - check site for updates.