With the steadily increasing fear of displacement, many artists ask, what is our role and how can we both make space and retain the ones we currently occupy?

“Please know that this issue is much greater than the loss of artists’ space.  It is about the displacement of communities, and cultures of the working class and people of color. We artists see ourselves in these communities” says Truong Tran, a former Studio 17 member says of the harrowing displacement over 70 percent of artists have experienced.  

Resistance, a visual art exhibit, explores answers to these questions and ideas on how we can confront the transforming social landscape.  

API Cultural Center’s annual group exhibition will feature multidisciplinary works of 11 Asian and Pacific Islander artists from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond exploring themes of gentrification, displacement, placemaking, and the artist’s role in the community through installation, performance, video, and more. Curated by Pamela Ybañez, the program will feature special opening performances including a live one-hour long dinner party performance by HuiMeng Wang, as part of her installation piece The Reason We Dine Tonight, and a live reading of new work by Bonnie Wai-Lee Kwong, author of book of poetry Ravel. Other featured artists include: Rea de Guzman, Taro Hattori, Việt Lê, Eliza Barrios, Carlo Ricafort, Janna Añonuevo Langhol, Eryn Kimura, Marcius Noceda, and Pallavi Sharma.

Resistance strives to encourage community members to feel empowered while promoting intersections amongst arts communities in San Francisco, Oakland, and elsewhere to present possible solutions around the complex issues of displacement, a reality that artists and a multitude of others currently face.

May 6th - May 27th

Opening Reception: Friday, May 6th, 7pm - 10pm

Free Event

Main Gallery, SOMArts Cultural Center

934 Brannan St., San Francisco, CA 94103