ABOUT THE AUCTION

Over its 46-year history, SF Camerawork has provided early career opportunities for artists. SF Camerawork’s mission and programs are dedicated to engaging and enriching local artists and their creative work. This year's Benefit Auction 2020 See How Beautiful I Am will raise crucial funds that directly support artists now. Donating artists receive up to 50% of the proceeds from work sold.

This year we continue that tradition with an online auction featured on Artsy, and open for two weeks of bidding. Provocative programming and workshops will complement the Benefit Auction.

Chris Johnson, our former Board President speaks to our longstanding support of artists:

“As a young photographer in the 1970’s I quickly discovered that the San Francisco Bay Area was a unique and profoundly rich place to grow as a photographic artist.  Not only could you run into people like Imogen Cunningham at produce markets, the Bay Area also had an organization like SF Camerawork that was created by and for serious fine art photographers.  Just as the F/64 group naturally emerged from the gifted photo artists who lived and worked here, SF Camerawork had artists like Lew Thomas, Donna-Lee Phillips and Hal Fischer, among many others who were constantly making breakthroughs that have strongly imprinted what we now think of as contemporary photography.

From 1980 to 1987 I had the honor to serve as President of the SF Camerawork Board. SF Camerawork has established itself as essential for the mentorship of young emerging artists and as a platform for more mature artists and collectors.

I hope you will join me in supporting the SF Camerawork Benefit Auction 2020!”

In keeping with our ongoing commitment to Black image makers, we’re eager to explore the impact of photography in the world and invest in local artists. This year’s auction will focus on radical inclusion with themes of visibility, equity, and the power of the camera. In this spirit, we derived our title See How Beautiful I Am, from the Langston Hughes poem, “I, Too”.

SF Camerawork is thrilled to be partnered with Artsy, Minnesota Street Fine Arts Services, and Sterling Art Services. Additional guidance and support have been provided by James G. Leventhal, as well as Rick Wester Fine Art, Inc.

PRESS RELEASE | AUCTION TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

AUCTION COMMITTEE

Lindsay Albert
Michelle Branch
Gene Dominique
Rodney Ewing
Erika Gentry

HOST COMMITTEE

2020 SPONSORS