Little Utopias, Inaugural Exhibit for Moth Belly Gallery (SF)

Submitted by the Event Organizer

[OCT 07, 2021] SAN FRANCISCO – Moth Belly Gallery, the Tenderloin District’s premier civic-art gallery, workshop, and event space, is proud to announce its inaugural exhibit, “Little Utopias,” set to open October 7th, 2021, and running through the end of the month. This first exhibit, curated by local artist Messybeck, features a six artist line-up with new work exploring themes of escapism, community, and joy. The exhibit will also serve as the launchpad for new opportunities, workshops, and event space for local artists.

Moth Belly Gallery was established on principles of involvement, inclusion, and sustainability, in its pursuit to be the Tenderloin District’s new hub for artistic collaboration. Founded by renowned local street artists Seibot and John Vochatzer (Calamity Fair), the pair raised money through their successful online auction and fundraiser featuring nearly 100 different artists. Since February, they have been leasing the commercial space at 912 Larkin Street, hard at work cleaning, renovating, and preparing the space for its new purpose. The gallery will engage with the community by hosting monthly exhibits every first Thursday for the TenderLoin Art Walks, creative workshops, drawing nights, pop-up events, and other civic, community, and art-minded activities.

“San Francisco and the Tenderloin have taken blow after blow in the past decade as far as losing so many beloved artists, galleries, and hang-outs. This 2-3 block radius in particular has always been a bit of a hub for lowbrow & indie art forms. Moth Belly is our effort to help keep it that way.” said John Vochatzer, co-founder of Moth Belly Gallery.

Messybeck conceived the concept of the Little Utopias exhibit in early 2020 and has been in development since. Messybeck, a painter, illustrator, and muralist, has primarily been working in the Bay Area. Her work is inspired by women’s complex and dynamic nature, fittingly showcased in this exhibit featuring an all-female roster of Bay Area artists presenting work created in response to the pandemic.

“This show is about spaces, both real and imaginary, that are necessary for our sanity and a renewed appreciation for the ones that felt so wildly out of reach for so long,” said Messybeck.
The other artists featured in Little Utopias are Katie Benn, a multidisciplinary artist from San Francisco; Orlie Kapitulnik, an SF-based freelance illustrator, printmaker, and muralist; Bianca Rivera, a Black Puerto-Rican illustrator currently based in San Francisco; Maria-Nicole Ikonomou, a self-taught illustrator and ghostwriter by day based in Oakland, CA; and lastly Pacolli, a Brazilian-born, SF-based artist and printmaker.

Little Utopias’ public opening reception will take place from 6-9 pm on Thursday, October 7th, 2021. All Covid precautions will be in effect per San Francisco health ordinances, and masks will be required. More information can be found at https://www.mothbelly.org or on social media: @mothbellygallery

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.