Image via Complex Original
In the art world, movements come and go. What might seem trendy or new during one season seems outdated by the next. But a city like San Francisco is especially well-suited to throw those rules out of the window. The Bay Area art scene flourishes in the face of difficulty—like rising rent costs and the closing of galleries—to find not only alternative spaces but also new ways of creating. The city’s emerging artists prove that no single style reigns supreme—San Francisco welcomes all varieties of expression. These already-successful artists will inevitably become even more talked about as their signature styles help their creative paths gain recognition in the Bay Area and beyond.
APEX
Website: theapexer.com
The murals of APEX, also known as Ricardo Richey, have appeared in numerous parts of San Francisco. Integral to the street art movement in the Mission area, APEX also boasts a number of exhibitions in major Bay Area art galleries. Already well-known within the street art scene, APEX will undoubtedly remain an important figure in the history of San Francisco’s public art—not to mention the fact that his bright, abstract work catches the eye of any Bay Area wanderers, new or old.
Charmaine Olivia
Website: charmaineolivia.com
Following Charmaine Olivia on Instagram is a little like stepping into a fantasy world. That bears mentioning because her aesthetic merges so easily with her artistic persona. The figures that Olivia portrays in her pieces seem to blend right into the background, all bright colors and drippy details. They are alluring yet unsettling—a style that Olivia does so well.
GATS
Website: gatsone.tumblr.com
Only a chosen few know the real identity of GATS, a street artist that uses a big-toothed, eerie face as a recurring mark. GATS’ work adapts well to the gallery setting, but it thrives in the streets—near BART tracks, on abandoned buildings, and more. Though GATS’ identity might be under wraps, it’s hard to forget the familiar yet ever-shifting face that seems to lurk behind plenty of San Francisco corners.
KeFe
Website: kefeinc.com
Kelly Tunstall and Ferris Plock, also known as KeFe, create fantastical images that seem to float right off their surfaces. Not ones to draw within the lines, they frequently mix gold leaf, spray paint, and pencil in pieces that take inspiration from surrealism, graphic design, and more. They create work separately, too, but their collaborations really take their respective imaginations into memorable heights.
Joel Daniel Phillips
Website: joeldanielphillips.com
Recently praised for his detailed, life-size portraits of homeless people in San Francisco, Joel Daniel Phillips focuses on portraying emotion through pencil and charcoal. His portraits represent specific individuals but try to extract the universal qualities amongst all humans. Phillips has displayed his work in numerous San Francisco galleries and recently exhibited at Scope Art Fair Miami.
Zio Ziegler
Website: zioziegler.com
For an artist who frequently produces large murals, smaller works, and t-shirts designs, Zio Ziegler also travels a lot. That’s because his work has been exhibited everywhere from Japan to London. His intricate figures and vibrant colors continue to evolve, and his ability to adapt to new surfaces makes him one of the most instantly recognizable contemporary artists.
Crystal Liu
Website: cliuart.com
Nature seems less familiar in the work of Crystal Liu, an artist with a penchant for creating imaginative, surreal scenes. Using gouache, gold leaf, watercolor, and more, Liu imbues each of her pieces with a certain exquisite fragility. Trees bend in unnatural ways or are tangled in an unknown material. Liu’s photographs also defamiliarize flowers while maintaining their beauty. Liu’s work is currently in on display at places like the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Progressive Art Collection.
Ala Ebtekar
Website: torandj.com
Pop culture, Persian mythology, and science come together in the intricate work of Ala Ebtekar. He also renders scenes on top of aged Arabic texts, found posters, and more. Through paintings, installations, and drawings, he has made a name for himself in and outside of the Bay Area. Ebtekar takes on the themes of identity, culture, and history in a way that proves especially relevant and ultimately timeless.
