It was a more dramatic year than usual in the local visual arts scene: we witnessed cuts to federal funding, institutional layoffs, gallery closures, and (lest we forget!) an actual art heist.

Amid all the uncertainty and upheaval, the greatest balm remained the art itself. So many great shows and events were spread across the Bay Area this year that I could only cover a fraction of it. Here, in loose chronological order, are the best things I saw but didn’t get a chance to write about in 2025:

Best distraction from a very bad January

Dynasty Handbag, ‘The Bored Identity’ The Lab, San Francisco Jan. 17 and 18, 2025

2025 kicked off in the worst way possible, with multiple fires raging across Southern California, ripping through the Palisades and my hometown of Altadena. Each day after J

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