Observations from the art fair

San Francisco Art Fair 2025

Image from inside the studios of Arion Press. I asked them what it meant and they said it was just representative of the humor of the people who work there. It used to say “the answer is maybe.”

Last weekend was the San Francisco Art Fair. Their website says “Art Market San Francisco is now San Francisco Art Fair. This evolution is a direct affirmation of the fair’s commitment to the thriving arts ecosystem that defines the Bay Area.” So they removed the word “market” from the branding of the event. A market is an area or arena in which commercial dealings are conducted. A fair is fun!

I emailed the fair and asked for a press pass as a writer for a very important publication called The Museum of Small and Important Things, and they granted me one. I enjoyed prancing around the fair on Saturday with the goal of just noticing things. I jotted down notes and performed that I was an investigative journalist.

The fair showcases an ecosystem of art and craft and the people who produce, consume…