Join us on August 4th for a special spotlight featuring Al Wong, San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) alum (MFA 1972) and former faculty, in conversation with curator and writer Tanya Zimbardo. This discussion will explore Al Wong’s life in art, the evolution of his practice, and his reflections on teaching, experimentation, and legacy. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a pioneering voice in West Coast conceptual art and experimental film.
A native San Franciscan, Al Wong has spent over five decades creating art across a wide range of media—from film and installation to sculpture and drawing. His artistic journey began at the San Francisco Art Institute, where he earned his MFA and later returned as a faculty member. Wong also taught at Mills College and in the California State University system, shaping generations of artists.
His work has been exhibited at major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Whitney Museum of American Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), and the UC Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive. His art has toured widely across Europe, South America, and Japan. His films are distributed by the Canyon Cinema Foundation.
Wong is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the American Film Institute grant, National Endowment for the Arts grant, Guggenheim Fellowship, Flintridge Foundation Visual Artist Award, and most recently, the California Arts Council Legacy Individual Artist Fellowship.
The exhibition "Al Wong: Twin Peaks," organized by Rudolf Frieling, is currently on view at SFMOMA through summer 2026. Experience Wong’s 1977 film Twin Peaks—a mesmerizing journey around San Francisco’s topographical center—presented for the first time on a digital LED screen in SFMOMA’s Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Atrium.
Tanya Zimbardo is a San Francisco-based curator and writer. She has featured Al Wong’s films in screening programs at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and Artists' Television Access, and published an interview with the artist.
SFAA Spotlight is a monthly online talk series featuring a San Francisco Art Institute alum on the first Monday of the month at 10 AM PT. Talks are recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Through these conversations, artists explore themes of community, connection, and artistic practice.
Online program: August 4, 2025 at 10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time
Eventbrite ticket: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sfaa-spotlight-al-wong-tickets-1358522369979
Free with RSVP
Zoom link provided upon registration