Barbara Stauffacher Solomon: Why? Why Not?
January 16 – July 11, 2027
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
A survey of the work of Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, one of the great overlooked figures of American modernism
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
701 Mission StreetSan Francisco, CA 94103The exhibition is located in the YBCA gallery building, with its entrance directly off of Mission Street.
Wednesday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Thursday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
General: $10
Seniors/Students/Educators: $5
Youth (17 and under): Free
Free every Wednesday.
ADA Accessible
In the first posthumous survey of her work, Barbara Stauffacher Solomon: Why? Why Not? positions the artist as one of the great overlooked figures of American modernism. Best known for the supergraphics that made her famous overnight at The Sea Ranch in 1966, the exhibition explores her work as a designer, architect, writer, and landscape thinker whose practice has never been seen in its entirety.
Among the works at the heart of the exhibition is Good Mourning California, Stauffacher Solomon’s searing and playful reckoning with the state she loved: its landscapes, its broken promises, and the myths Americans have always told themselves about paradise.
Drawing on newly accessible archive materials and featuring a new site-specific supergraphic, the exhibition aims to bring together the long arc of Stauffacher Solomon’s career.
Barbara Stauffacher Solomon: Why? Why Not? is curated by Martin Strickland.
Exhibiting Artists
Barbara Stauffacher Solomon
Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, California Landscape #1 (detail), 1990. Colored pencil, graphite, rubber cement, paper; 11 x 8 ½ in. Courtesy of the Barbara Stauffacher Solomon Estate and Anthony Meier, Mill Valley
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) is San Francisco’s home for bold, daring, and breathtaking art. Through contemporary art, performance, dance, film, and public programs, we present essential artistic voices from around the world, while celebrating the vibrancy of Bay Area culture.
Things to Do Around Here
Cafe by day and bar by night, Shoji is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood.
Christa Cesario, Manager of Public Programs, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Pie Punks is an upscale dive bar, great for a quick slice. All different kinds of pizza available—and they even screen B movies and old classics on their giant projector.
Luka Blackmore, Executive Assistant, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Britex Fabrics is a landmark in the world of fabrics, fashion, and design. Go to pick up amazing materials for your next DIY sewing project, or immerse yourself in the bliss of high-end textiles. Just a short walk from YBCA!
Ursula Hunting, Associate Director of Events, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts