Brace yourself for summer in the city. Because urban life, as filtered through some very personal lens, appears to be theme emerging at this month's First Thursday shows.
“Dream Portal”
Welcome to their fantasy. Organic landscaping gives way to fabulist abstractions at this collaboration between Paul Kalcic and Jellystone. Opening June 3, 7-10 p.m. Kokoro Studio, 682 Geary St., SF. kokorostudio.tumblr.com
“Frederick Hayes -- Cityscape: Drawings, Installation and Paintings”
Rendering his portraits of African Americans in bold, colorful strokes and his landscapes of city streets in austere, sooty charcoal, Hayes documents bits of his everyday experience with a certain strange power. As Roberta Smith wrote last year in **The New York Times,** his “subject might be defined as both the richness and harshness of urban life.” Reception June 3, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Through June 26. Patricia Sweetow Gallery, 77 Geary St., mezzanine, SF. 415-788-5162, patriciasweetowgallery.com
Chelsea James
San Francisco, Utah, and Africa are abstracted, transformed into desolate expanses, by a painter who only recently received her BFA. Opening June 3, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Through June 26. Dolby Chadwick Gallery, 210 Post St., SF. 415-956-3560, dolbychadwickgallery.com
“Positive Reception: Bohac, Damron, Reis”
Takashi Murakami-style pop meets neo-geo-patterned fantasy-scapes and curious artifacts of roadside Americana in new works by Nicholas Bohac, Jim Damron and Klari Reis. Reception June 3, 6-8 p.m. Through June 15. Hang Art, 567 Sutter St., SF. 415-434-4264, hangart.com
Christopher Romer, Serena Mitnik-Miller, Jamie Spinello and Edmund Wyss
These local artists cast their nets far and wide: Romer works in wood and paint and draws from the Bay Area Funk movement, Mitnik-Miller connects to the sea via her large abstract watercolors, Spinello evokes manufactured environments with his specimen-like sculptures, and Wyss delves into camera culture through his paintings. Opening June 3, 5:30 p.m. Through July 9. SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Bldg. A, Fort Mason Center, SF. 415-441-4777, sfmoma.org/artistsgallery
“Who Needs Friends When You Have a Partner in Crime”
Tag photographer-designer-publisher Austin McManus and artist Brandon Chuesy as the partners in crime mentioned in the exhibition title. The former uncovers two photography projects: one centered on Oakland graf artist Jurne and his adventures in Bay Area underground tunnels, the other looking at newbie female taggers. The latter combines paper collecting and an obsession with concert-poster typefaces in vivid collages. Opening June 3, 6-9 p.m. Ever Gold, 441 O’Farrell St., SF. evergoldgallery.com
