As Assistant Director of the Wattis Institute, managed the artist residency program for five years. Herewith, installing the culmination of Nairy Baghramian’s residency, an exhibition titled “Off Broadway”, which reimagines traditional methods of display.
As founder of &Art&, organized a 3-part dinner series at the intersection of art, food, and politics. Inspired by Conflict Kitchen, we served food by regions the U.S. is in conflict with.
This event was hosted in the private room of James Beard award-winning restaurant The Progress; Megan Steinman, Director of the Underground Museum gave a talk; and our chef-activists made an off-menu coursed meal of Middle Eastern food where the saffron was sourced from an all-female collective in Afghanistan that supports education for women in the region. Wine was sponsored by SCRIBE and tequila donated by Casa Dragones.
At Wattis Institute, managed a rotating staff of 30+, developed partnerships locally and internationally, exceeded fundraising expectations, directed finances, event and exhibition production, research and curation, artist-in-residence program, press outreach and communications, and long-term vision.
As Assistant Director of the Wattis Institute, secured funding through the prestigious granting organization VIA Art Fund for Josephine Pryde’s commissioned exhibition, which later won the Turner Prize.
At Wattis Institute, curated an organ performance by Erik Thys as a part of Harald Thys and Jos de Gruyter’s first solo exhibition in the United States.
As founder of &Art&, organized a series where artists and curators give walkthroughs of projects which are not their own, in an effort to build community.
Here, Dena Beard, Director of The Lab, gives a tour of Suzanne Lacy: We are Here, at SFMOMA.
On a panel discussing future generation philanthropy at the Art Museum Development Association annual conference with Abbey Banks, philanthropic advisor for Evan and Sarah Williams, hosted by SFMOMA and OCMA.
Birthed this human after 50 hours of labor.
For &Art&, hosted a dinner with chef Leif Hedendal at HQ to value writers in our community ahead of our publication launch.
For &Art&, a series where artists and curators give walkthroughs of projects which are not their own. Here, Kim Nguyen, curator at Wattis Institute is in conversation with artist Troy Chew at Cushion Works, a curator-run gallery in the Mission.
In 2014, as Interim Director for the Wattis Institute, moved our operations to a new 10,000 square foot office and gallery and opened with two exhibitions including an installation with Claire Fontaine and a 3-channel video installation by Werner Herzog.
As Interim Director, programmed a Cinema Visionary series with Werner Herzog for students at California College of the Arts (not my best photo).
Here with Carlie Wilmans, director of the Wattis Foundation and Laura Sweeney, longtime friends and art patrons at the opening of the Wattis Institute’s new storefront space. Above: Installation of new commissioned work by Claire Fontaine.
Featured in the SF Chronicle as San Francisco’s “New Art Guard,” while at Wattis Institute. Click to read full article.
Moderated a Salon Talk at Art Basel Miami with Juan A. Gaitán, Curator, 8th Berlin Biennale and Franklin Sirmans, Artistic Director, Prospect.3, New Orleans; and Chief Curator at LACMA titled Curating in Context.
Worked with Hank Willis Thomas on his debut exhibition at a major institution. Image: Hank Willis Thomas, Uncle Ben, After 61 Years of Service, I, Ben, Promoted (2008), in Huckleberry Finn, at the Wattis Institute (2010).
In 2012, assistant curator for the 9th Shanghai Biennale in a 20,000 square foot repurposed power plant and different site-activations around the city. Led a tour for patrons through the city of Shanghai.
Assistant to the director for the 12th Istanbul Biennial (2011) focused on four main themes through the work of Felix Gonzalez Torres . Pictured here, a section of the exhibition focused on politics with work by Kris Martin and Matt Collishaw. Infrastructure designed by architect Ryue Nishizawa. Led a tour for patrons through the city of Istanbul.
A now young photo of me, taken on my last day at Regen Projects in 2010 by Walead Beshty for his J|P|R book, Industrial Portraits.
As Director of Altman Siegel, consistently exceeded sales goals, introduced a community of writers, curators, and collectors to represented artists, supported artists in decision-making, managed staff, and advised on strategic long-term plans for the gallery. In 2016, moved the gallery operations to a 5,000 square foot space in the Dogpatch with 50’ high skylights. Pictured: Will Rogan, Scout’s Ruler, (2013).
As a guest curator, organized the first solo exhibition of Zarouhie Abdalian in Los Angeles at LA><ART, an experimental institution led by Hamza Walker, with accompanying catalog.
The second &Art& fundraising dinner event where Rita Gonzalez, Chief Curator at LACMA, spoke about ‘submerged histories’ in the museum’s collection, at a private collector’s home, with food prepared by chef and forager Leif Hedendal. While Rita was here, she was also commissioned to interview an artist for the publication and did studio visits with MFA students at SFAI. Micki has produced VIP experiences and engagement activities through a curatorial lens for over ten years and always considers ways to involve educational activities and partnerships for the Bay Area community.