San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art

See schedule ocollections and purchase of artone of the most important functions of a museum is to develop, care for, and make accessible to the public an outstanding collection of works of art, thereby creating and offering an artistic legacy to the community, nation, and the world. Since 1935, sfmoma has been a pioneer among modern and contemporary art museums in collecting and public programming in the fields of photography, architecture and design, installation, and new media, even as it has assembled premier holdings in the more traditional media of drawing, painting, and sculpture. Sfmoma's art collection is regional, national, and international in scope, and begins in the twentieth century, with the exception of photography, which encompasses the entire history of that medium (1839 to the present). The museum has more than 51,500 works of art in its collection, reflecting the collecting strategies of the museum's curatorial departments and the research library.department of painting and sculpturethe collection of painting and sculpture forms the backbone of sfmoma's permanent collection and represents the full legacy of the museum's activities. Although the department of painting and sculpture was formally established in the mid-1980s, sfmoma has been actively engaged in the acquisition, research, presentation, and interpretation of a diverse range of modern and contemporary works since the museum's founding in 1935. The collection is distinguished by its concentrations in fauvism, german expressionism, surrealism, latin american art, abstract expressionism, pop art, postminimalism, german painting, art from the san francisco bay area, and major large-scale installations from artists working in the 1990s and through to the present. While these masterworks form the foundation of the collection and the museum continues to address historic gaps, the museum is actively building a preeminent collection of contemporary painting and sculpture. The department focuses its current collecting practices toward acquiring the masterworks of tomorrow, following mid-career and emerging artists who are working at the highest levels of artistic maturity, with an emphasis on the broad diversification of our holdings.department of photographysfmoma was among the first american art museums to recognize photography as an art form. The museum has been dedicated to the acquisition, research, presentation, and interpretation of photographs for more than seventy-five years, making sfmoma's holdings one of the oldest collections of photography among art museums nationwide. The photography collection is also the museum's largest collection. The museum's collection is particularly well-regarded for its photography of california and the west, the european avant-garde, and american modernism. Other areas of strength include japanese photography, vernacular photography, landscape photography, and a growing contemporary collection. The sfmoma pritzker center for photography is the largest permanent space devoted to photography in a modern and contemporary art museum.department of architecture and designthroughout its history sfmoma has been an active forum for examining formal and conceptual issues in the fields of design. The museum presented architecture and design exhibitions regularly before an official curatorial department was founded in 1983. Five years later, the museum began collecting works of modern and contemporary design; to date, there are over 7,500 works of architecture and design. As the first a+d collection on the west coast, sfmoma is now recognized as one of the foremost museums invested in collecting, conserving and exhibiting works of architecture, landscape architecture, furniture design, product design, and graphic design. The collection is international in scope while reflecting the distinctive character of california. Over the past two decades, the museum has built significant holdings in contemporary visionary architecture, bay area design, political posters, and product design with digital interface. The department aims to affect positive cultural change, encourage imagination and critical thinking, and present an expansive view of design.department of media artsthe sfmoma department of media arts, established in 1988, was among the first of its kind in the united states. Media arts organizes exhibitions, publications, and select events, and participates in related educational programs. The media arts collection encompasses the diversity of time-based media works and installations, including video, film, slide, sound, computer-based, online projects and performances. Reflecting the history of technological and conceptual developments in art since the 1960s, the media arts collection and exhibition program features local, national, and international artists. Bay area artists are one ongoing focus of the collection and provide a context for understanding the region as a historic center for experimental media. Department of contemporary art established in 2017, the department of contemporary art evidences sfmoma's long commitment to exhibit and collect the art of our time. The department organizes temporary, traveling, and permanent collection exhibitions; performances; and public programs including screenings and symposia. The international contemporary accessions committee (icac) is the newest acquisitions committee at sfmoma, dedicated to contemporary art by practitioners from around the world whose works reflect key issues, modalities, and formal concerns of our times. The icac collects across disciplines and welcomes co-acquisitions with other departments and institutions. Since its inception in 2018, the committee has acquired over two hundred works in diverse media ranging from installation, video, photography, sculpture, and painting by artists based in the brazil, jamaica, germany, korea, lebanon, mexico, puerto rico, u.k., vietnam, and elsewhere. Significant research and acquisitions, including works by artists not previously represented in the collection, contribute to the complexity of the history of art that sfmoma will be able to tell today and in the future.special collections in the sfmoma research librarythe sfmoma research library special collections include rare books, magazines, and printed ephemera. These materials document the history of modern and contemporary art, design and photography. The library also holds a collection of artists' books, dating from the mid-twentieth century to the present. Other collection strengths include historic documentation of exhibitions in the bay area, modern and contemporary photobooks, and international publications relating to influential modern art and design exhibitions and events. This collection contains over 4,000 books, periodicals and ephemera files.

See schedule oeducation and community engagementeducation and community engagement at sfmoma strives to make contemporary art and culture engaging, relevant, and accessible to audiences of all ages and knowledge levels. Together, we create opportunities for learning that serve a wide array of backgrounds and cognitive styles; foster meaningful conversations and shared inquiry; develop interpretive, teaching, and scholarly resources; build partnerships with community members and organizations; and make space for play and experimentation. Major areas of focus include: 1. Education: creates educational experiences for students, families, and professional development for k-12 teachers, with an emphasis on bay area audiences. Offerings include virtual and on-site programs such as tours, workshops, film screenings, artist-commissioned resources, and access. 2. Interpretive media: interpretive multimedia materials that offer thought-provoking insights and creative responses to art from many voices in order to facilitate connections between audiences, artworks and artists. Offerings include videos, podcasts, audio guides, games, and interactive learning lounges. 3. Publications: produce books, catalogues, and digital publications that document and provide context for exhibitions and the museum's collection, showcase the scholarship of our curators, and aim to reach a wide range of readers. Produce in-gallery interpretive texts for museum exhibitions and collection installations. 4. Public engagement: public events for adults that explore the meaning of art in public life. These include an array of virtual and on-site gatherings, such as artist talks, tours, artistic commissions, and performance as well as higher education programs and access. Koret education center the koret education center is a 4,800 square foot multi-use, free public space, accommodating a broad range of activities, and serving as the base of operations for the education and community engagement division. The space is comprised of a large public gallery, two studios, and an office, and accommodates k-12 school visits, teacher professional development, hands-on activities for families, public programs, community exhibitions and more.

Collectors' forumcollectors' forum is an art experience group dedicated to encouraging the collection of modern and contemporary art. Through annual dues, collectors' forum members support the museum's general operating budget. In appreciation of this support, collectors' forum members enjoy programs including in-home panel discussions with artists and experts in the field, and travel opportunities to unique art-centric destinations with a focus on collection-building. Seca (society for the encouragement of contemporary art)seca is an art experience group which celebrates the local art scene and builds community among creatives and the art-curious through educational and social programs. Seca members enjoy tours and talks at local arts organizations, artist-run spaces, and more. Members are also invited to participate in the biennial seca art award by nominating local artists for this prestigious award and exhibition at sfmoma, and visiting the studios of finalists to gain insights on their work.