Shimon Attie’s Sightings: The Ecology of an Art Museum is a multiple-channel, high-definition video installation that explores the relationship between works of art and museum visitors and staff. Attie’s particular interest is giving visual form to the heightened moment of mutual encounter between art viewer and art object. The exhibition is part of the museum’s Collection Connections series, which invites artists to create new work that reinterprets traditional objects from the FAMSF collections.

Al Farrow’s current body of work continues to appropriate and reinterpret the traditional iconography of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religious institutions and beliefs, and their historic links to complex political, cultural, and military issues and events. The Spine and Tooth of Santo Guerro (2007), is Farrow’s most important work in both technical and aesthetic terms.  At first glance, this elaborate construction appears to be only a beautifully crafted scale model of a European Gothic cathedral, albeit not one that is historically identifiable.

Bouquets to Art celebrates its 25th year in 2009! Bouquets to Art is the largest fundraiser held to benefit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and one of the country’s premier floral events. In addition to the nearly 150 floral exhibitions displayed in the de Young’s galleries, the week-long event features an entertaining speakers’ programs, elegant lunches and teas, and a spectacular gala night.