The weeks are waffling between temperate and cold, and the art scene between busy and sparse; this is one of the less crowded weeks. Having missed the openings, it is a good time to take a leisurable stroll around the SFMOMA for the Jay DeFeo retrospective, Jasper Johns show, Alessandro Pessoli’s ‘New Works’ show, and the Field Conditions exhibition featuring some excellent works all around but especially noteworthy for its drawings by the recently deceased Lebbeus Woods (SFMOMA will be doing a retrospective of his work next year). 

Also exciting: A new show in the Stairwell’s series, “A WELL STIRS" featuring Aaron Finnis, Christine M. Peterson, Emma Spertus curated by Carey Lin, Sarah Hotchkiss opens. I’ve worked with all of these people quite closely recently (and going forward) but I can heartily recommend attending this peculiarly sited show. 
 
Curiously Direct Picks
Eli Ridgway//James Sterling Pitt: On a Clear Day We Were Lightning. = Solo show of sculptural works by Pitt. They each share a scale (the size of a small torso?) and a general form and materiality, but quickly take on individual personalities, its quite easy to fall in love with this or that piece over its similar neighbors for reasons completely ineffable. I am personally interested in this sort of practice which places the viewer uncomfortably at the mercy of their appreciation for or dislike of an object; a sort of new formalism. In a broader sense there is a lack of risk here; the fact I am not bothered sheds light upon a critical inconsistency in my own broader critique; this is unresolved. For me, the little moments, this or that piece touching (or not) another, variations in color, the shoddiness of the wood used, a bench built to accommodate lengthier viewing, made for an excellent show. Highly recommended.

Wednesday:

+ Lecture: "Lecture by Carolee Schneemann" at San Francisco Art Institute

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+ Screening: "The Eternal Frame Hosted by Constance Lewallen" at Kadist Art Foundation
+ Lecture: "Wattis Small Talk with Katie Hood Morgan" at CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts (Kent and Vicki Logan Galleries)
+ Lecture: Karen Kilimnik "Lecture by Melissa E. Feldman, in conjunction with Karen Kilimnik's World of Ballet and Theatre" curated by Melissa E. Feldman at Mills College Art Museum

Thursday:
+ Rosana Castrillo Diaz "Rosana Castrillo Diaz" at Anthony Meier Fine Art

+ Carolee Schneemann "Remains to be Seen" at Gallery Paule Anglim

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+ Gay Outlaw "New Work" at Gallery Paule Anglim
+ Book launch: Carissa Potter, Sabina Nieto "The Amateur Astronomer" at Needles & Pens

Friday:
+ Aaron Finnis, Christine M. Peterson, Emma Spertus "A WELL STIRS" curated by Carey Lin, Sarah Hotchkiss at Stairwell's

Saturday:
+ Panel Discussion: "Traumatic Brain Injury, Memory & Creativity" Medical Clinicians Respond to the Work of James Sterling Pitt at Eli Ridgway Gallery
+ Dustin T. Kelly "A Fan's Notes" at Steven Wolf Fine Arts

Sunday:
+ Levente Sulyok "All the Paranoid Monoliths" at Martina } { Johnston

Monday:
+ Screening: Iwan Schumacher "Film Screening: Urs Fischer Documentary" at San Francisco Art Institute

Tuesday, November 13

Genevieve Hastings, Jason Perry, Lauren McKeon, Leo D. Stillwell, Leslie Rice "The 25th annual Leo D. Stillwell Student Exhibition" at San Francisco State University (Fine Arts Gallery)
Downtown: 1600 Holloway Ave, Free, 4-6pm

Wednesday, November 14

Gwen Manfrin, Narangkar Glover "Narangkar Glover and Gwen Manfrin" at Andrea Schwartz Gallery
SOMA: 525 2nd Street, Free, 5:30-7:30pm

John Roloff "The Sea Within the Sea" at Sherwood Gallery
Downtown: 58 Maiden Lane, 3rd Floor, Free, 6-9pm

+ Lecture: "Lecture by Carolee Schneemann" at San Francisco Art Institute Russian Hill: 800 Chesnut Street, Lecture Hall, Free, 7:30-9:30pm

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Artist Talk: Val Britton "The Continental Interior" curated by Aimee Le Duc at SF Arts Commission Gallery
Civic Center: 401 Van Ness Avenue , at McAllister Street, Free, 6:30-8:30pm

+ Screening: "The Eternal Frame Hosted by Constance Lewallen" at Kadist Art Foundation
Mission District: 3295 20th Street, at Folsom Street, free, 6-9pm

+ Lecture: "Wattis Small Talk with Katie Hood Morgan" at CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts (Kent and Vicki Logan Galleries)
Potrero Hill: 1111 Eighth Street, Free, 7-8pm

+ Lecture: Karen Kilimnik "Lecture by Melissa E. Feldman, in conjunction with Karen Kilimnik's World of Ballet and Theatre" curated by Melissa E. Feldman at Mills College Art Museum
Oakland: 5000 Macarthur Boulvard, Free, 7-9pm

Thursday, November 15

Misho, Soad A. Kader, Wendell Shinn "Buenos Aires-San Francisco Two Cities, One Spirit?" curated by Misho at Misho Gallery
SOMA: 680 8th street, Suite 230, 5-9pm

Ezra Jack Keats "The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats" at Contemporary Jewish Museum
SOMA: 736 Mission Street, Third Street, 5:30-7:30pm

+ Rosana Castrillo Diaz "Rosana Castrillo Diaz" at Anthony Meier Fine Art
Downtown: 1969 California Street, at Octavia, floor 1, free, 6-8pm

Evan Holm and Jason Michael Aumann "Time Machine" curated by Scott S. Jennings of mosshouse at 5 Claude Lane
Downtown: 5 Claude Lane, floor 1, Free, 6-9pm

Hung Liu "Happy and Gay" at Rena Bransten Gallery
Downtown: 77 Geary Street, floor 2, Free, 5:30-7:30pm

+ Carolee Schneemann "Remains to be Seen" at Gallery Paule Anglim Downtown: 14 Geary Street, floor 2, free, 5:30-7:30pm

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+ Gay Outlaw "New Work" at Gallery Paule Anglim
Downtown: 14 Geary Street, floor 2, free, 5:30-7:30pm

+ Book launch: Carissa Potter, Sabina Nieto "The Amateur Astronomer" at Needles & Pens
Mission District: 3253 16th Street, Free, 7-9pm

Friday, November 16

"Come Out & Play SF Festival and Exhibition" at SOMArts Cultural Center
SOMA: 934 Brannan Street, 6-9pm

Clifford Ross, David Levinthal, David Salle, Kara Maria, Lawrence Weiner, Marcel Dzama, Pamela Hanson, Peter Doig, Todd Eberle "The Best of Everything" at Electric Works
SOMA: 1360 Mission Street, Free, 6-8pm

Panel Discussion: "An evening with Bill Berkson, Renny Pritikin and Martin McMurray" at Gallery 16
SOMA: 501 Third Street, Free, RSVP required at katy@gallery16.com, 6-8pm

Lecture: "Lecture by Liz Cohen" at San Francisco Art Institute
Russian Hill: 800 Chesnut Street, Lecture Hall, free, 4:30pm

Book launch: Brian McMullen and Jason Jägel "Hang Glider & Mud Mask Book Launch Party" at Southern Exposure
Mission District: 3030 20th Street , 6-8pm

+ Aaron Finnis, Christine M. Peterson, Emma Spertus "A WELL STIRS" curated by Carey Lin, Sarah Hotchkiss at Stairwell's
Bernal Heights: 8 Samoset, 6-9pm

Saturday, November 17

+ Panel Discussion: "Traumatic Brain Injury, Memory & Creativity" Medical Clinicians Respond to the Work of James Sterling Pitt at Eli Ridgway Gallery
SOMA: 172 Minna Street, free, 4pm

Doubleparlour "Trinity" at Modern Eden
North Beach: 403 Francisco st, san francisco ca, 1st floor, Free and Open to the Public, 6-10pm

Apex "Reflected" at 941 Geary
Tenderloin: 941 Geary Street, floor 1, 6-9pm

+ Dustin T. Kelly "A Fan's Notes" at Steven Wolf Fine Arts
Mission District: 2747 19th Street, at York St., floor 1, A, Free, 6-8pm

John Seabury "The Devil Has Work for Idle Hands" at Steven Wolf Fine Arts
Mission District: 2747 19th Street, at York St., floor 1, A, free, 6-8pm

Closing reception: "Big Cat Quick Draw" at Bedford Gallery (Walnut Creek)
East Bay: 1601 Civic Drive, floor 1, $5, 2-5pm

Sunday, November 18

Lecture: "Gayle Rubin Lecture: Yerba Buena, the Tool Box, and the Politics of Urban Space" at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
SOMA: 701 Misssion Street, at Third Street, 2-4pm

+ Levente Sulyok "All the Paranoid Monoliths" at Martina } { Johnston
Berkeley: 1201 Sixth Street, 2nd , free, 4-8pm

Monday, November 19

+ Screening: Iwan Schumacher "Film Screening: Urs Fischer Documentary" at San Francisco Art Institute
Russian Hill: 800 Chesnut Street, Lecture Hall, Free, 7:30pm-9pm

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.