MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy
August 1, 2025–January 4, 2026
Group Exhibition
Curated by SOMA Pilipinas and Trisha Lagaso Goldberg.
Image: Cherisse Alcantara. Staircase, 2025. YBCA, San Francisco.
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
701 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
+1-415-978-2787
YBCA Website
YBCA Instagram
YBCA Hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Thursday | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Friday | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Saturday | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Sunday | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm |
Overview
Today’s LOVE LETTER TO ART focuses on YBCA’s MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy, a vibrant celebration of Filipino culture, strength, and creativity in San Francisco’s South of Market (SoMa) and the greater Bay Area. Presented by SOMA Pilipinas in collaboration with YBCA, the exhibition—named after the Filipino term for “collective resistance”—brings together contemporary artworks, community-held objects, and personal histories that honor the intergenerational spirit of Filipino creativity.
Coinciding with the Pistahan and Parol Lantern Festivals, MAKIBAKA, co-curated by SOMA Pilipinas and Trisha Lagaso Goldberg, honors art as activism and community expression. The show features powerful works reflecting cultural resilience and social engagement by Kimberly Acebo Arteche, Cherisse Alcantara, Erina Alejo, Mark Baugh-Sasaki, Jenny Bawer Young, Cristine Blanco, Rea Lynn de Guzman, Khariza Rae Estacio, Amanda Messina Gerodias, Nix Guirre, England Hidalgo, JoJo, Harvey Lozada, Cher Musico, Johanna Poethig, RO3LAY, South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN), Lucille Tenazas, Weston Teruya, Jenifer K. Wofford, and Verma Soria Zapanta.
Preview of MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy. YBCA, San Francisco.
Shown here:
1) MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy explores Filipino culture, creativity, and collective resistance in San Francisco.
2) “Makibaka” is a Filipino term meaning collective resistance—and this exhibition honors that spirit across generations.
3) Staircase by Cherisse Alcantara
4) Presented by SOMA Pilipinas in collaboration with YBCA, the show centers art, community-held objects, and lived histories.
5) It reminds us that SoMa—where YBCA now stands—was once home to a large and vibrant Filipino community.
6) The exhibition features a timeline of pivotal moments in Bay Area Filipino history, including the 1977 I-Hotel standoff in what was once San Francisco’s Manilatown.
7) Works by Jenifer K. Wofford
8) Artist Jenifer K. Wofford (*Don’t miss her VMD/Vicki Manalo Draves mural currently on view at SFMOMA through Sept. 2026)
9) These histories sit alongside the present, connecting past struggles to contemporary cultural life.
10) Works by England Hidalgo
11) MAKIBAKA Curator Trisha Lagaso Goldberg
12) Work by England Hidalgo
13) Work by Weston Teruya
14) Work by Verma Soria Zapanta
15) Works by Cherisse Alcantara
16) Work by DIWA Arts
17) Artist Lucille Tenazas
18) SOMA Pilipinas’ Christine Abiba (middle) & Friends
19) Artist Mark Baugh-Sasaki’s Lighthouse Sculpture
MAKIBAKA is a beautiful and grounding exhibition that includes a timeline of pivotal moments in Bay Area Filipino history, including the 1977 I-Hotel standoff in Manilatown (see below for related films). It’s a critical reminder that SoMa—where YBCA now stands—was once home to a large Filipino community, alongside other Asian American residents and elders, and long before that, Ohlone peoples prior to Spanish colonization. The city’s mid-century urban renewal projects also displaced vast populations of Filipinos, Chinese, and African Americans—context that helps illuminate San Francisco’s ongoing commitment to being a sanctuary city.
Artist Lucille Tenazas shares her philosophy on Filipino identity through a simple but powerful question: “Sino Ka? Ano Ka?”—Tagalog for “Who are you? What are you?”
I have Filipino family members and several close friends who feel like family, and for years my beloved neighbor Elizabeth Valdez—who was half Filipino and half Caucasian, born in 1923—used to walk up and down the block with her elderly husband, who was Filipino, and had once told me it had been illegal for them to marry when she was young, since interracial marriage didn’t become legal until 1948, something I was totally unaware of.
Until seeing Cian Dayrit: Liberties Were Taken at Root Division earlier this year, I didn’t know much about Filipino history in the Bay Area—I didn’t know much about any Asian American history in the Bay Area, even my own Japanese-Chinese American background, since the elders in my family rarely spoke about it.
Since I spend quite a bit of time at the museums in the Yerba Buena Arts District, I find myself hanging out in the gardens before and after many a press preview. On several occasions, I’ve noticed the old Filipino uncles—and sometimes an auntie—sitting on the benches there or playing chess, which channels the spirit of makibaka as the city now must hold space for them.
🗓 MAKIBAKA: A Living Legagy runs until January 4, 2026 at YBCA in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood. It runs alongside Bay Area Then, which closes January 25, 2025 (post to follow soon).
💌 Did you see the show(s) or try any of our recommendations? What did you think? Let us know in the comments (in the Reviews section located on the second tab at the top of the page).
QUICK GUIDE: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
⭐ EXHIBITIONS:
- ON VIEW: MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy chronicles Filipino history and cultural influence in the Bay Area. Runs Aug. 1–Jan 4, 2026.
- ON VIEW: Bay Area Then features 20+ artists who shaped the Bay Area art scene in the 90s-2000s. Runs Aug. 1–Jan. 25, 2026. *Post to follow soon.
- UPCOMING: P. Staff’s The Prince of Homburg features a 23-minute video installation and sculptural works examining freedom, state control, and the pressures placed on queer and trans bodies today. Opens Jan. 17, 2026.
⭐ HOURS: Open Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Monday–Tuesday.
⭐ ADMISSION: General Admission Tickets Adults $10; Seniors 65+, Students, Educator $5; Accessibility caregiver and 17 & Under FREE. Membership starts at $165.
- FREE WEDNESDAYS & 2ND SUNDAYS
- Museums for All (show your EBT or Medi-Cal card/ID)
- FREE Admission for Military Personnel
- FREE Admission for Museum employees + 1 guest w/current valid staff ID
- PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE ($20-$125): The Christmas Ballet feat. Smuin Contemporary Ballet from Dec. 18–28, 2025 (Blue Shield Theater)
- FREE with Gallery Admission: Curator-Led Tour with Trish Lagaso of MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy on Jan. 3, 2026 from 12:00–1:00 p.m.
- FREE Art Workshop: Mask-Making on Jan. 7, 2026 from 2:00–4:00 p.m. (This workshop is inspired by artist Gina Osterloh’s work Dream Death Mask, Yellow Woman in the exhibition Bay Area Then.)
- FREE Art Workshop: Yarn Weaving on Jan. 14, 2026 from 2:00–4:00 p.m. (This workshop is inspired by artist Alicia McCarthy’s work in the Bay Area Then exhibition.)
- FREE with Registration: Bay Area Then and Now Poetry Series on Jan. 17, 2026 from 12:00–4:00 p.m. features poetry and spoken word reading by Bay Area poets Kevin Dublin, Magick Altman and Tongo Eisen-Martin.
- FREE Art Workshop: Cityscape Diorama on Jan. 21, 2026 from 2:00–4:00 p.m. (This workshop is inspired by artist Margaret Kilgallen’s work in the Bay Area Then exhibition.)
- FREE with Registration: Yerba Buena Museum Morning: The Prince of Homburg Artist-led Tour with P. Staff on Jan. 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Curator Jeanne Gerrity and artist P. Staff will lead visitors through the exhibition, offering insight into the work’s themes, process, and relevance today.
- FREE with RSVP: The Prince of Homburg Opening Celebration on Jan. 23, 2026 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
- PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE ($35): End Point | Open Time: Liss Fain Dance on Jan. 23, 2026, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 24, 2:00 p.m.; Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. (Blue Shield Theater)
- FREE with Registration: The Body as a Site of Resistance: A Panel Discussion with P. Staff, Mel Y. Chen, and Mara Hassan, moderated by Jeanne Gerrity followed by a tour of The Prince of Homburg with artist P. Staff on Jan. 24, 2026, 12:00 p.m.
- Free Art Workshop: Sanctuary City Print Shop on Jan. 25, 2026 from 12:00–4:00 p.m. (For its final activation as part of Bay Area Then, Sanctuary City Project will collaborate with Refugee and Immigrant Transitions to design, print, and sell 100 tote bags emblazoned with the message “I AM AN IMMIGRANT.”)
⭐NEARBY ART:
- PUBLIC ART: Revelation, the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial fountain and several others at Yerba Buena Gardens (see LINK for additional works at Yerba Buena Gardens) | 1-min walk
- MUSEUM: SFMOMA: ON VIEW: *Jenifer K Wofford: VMD/Vicki Manalo Draves mural (Floor 3) | Closes Sept. 2026. Suzanne Jackson: What is Love | Surveys six decades of the artist’s visionary career, highlighting her innovative paintings, interdisciplinary practice, and enduring themes of beauty, connection, and nature. *Post to follow soon. (Floor 7) | Closes March 1, 2026. KAWS: FAMILY | Presents the artist’s first major West Coast survey, showcasing three decades of paintings, sculptures, collaborations, and iconic characters that blend pop culture with themes of kinship, emotion, and shared experience. *Post to follow soon. (Floor 4) | Closes May 3, 2026. FREE Kara Walker’s Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine) *Post to follow soon. | Closes June 7, 2026. UPCOMING: RM x SFMOMA | This landmark exhibition curated by RM of BTS with SFMOMA curators, brings together 200 rarely seen works from RM’s personal collection and SFMOMA to place modern Korean art in dialogue with contemporary art from around the world. | Oct. 2026–Feb. 2027 | 1-min walk
- MUSEUM: MoAD: Continuum: MoAD Over Time marks the Museum of the African Diaspora’s 20th anniversary, looking back at its foundational role in the Bay Area while pointing toward its evolving future as a global platform for art of the African Diaspora. | Closes March 1, 2026. UNBOUND: Art, Blackness & the Universe invites visitors to reimagine Blackness not as fixed or earthbound, but as infinite—expansive, unknowable, and cosmically rich | Closes March 1, 2026 | 2-min walk
- GALLERIES: Berggruen Gallery ON VIEW: Lucy Williams: Radiant City; Jane Hammond: Chocolate Cosmos: String of Pearls; Interiors | Closes Jan. 8, 2026. UPCOMING: Heather Day: Blue Distance | Closes Feb. 26, 2026. Women in Abstraction and Editions and Works on Paper | Closes March 5, 2026 | 4-min walk
⭐ NEARBY DINING
- Tropisueño | Casual taqueria vibes by day and a full-service restaurant and bar by night. | 2-min walk
- Delarosa | Pizza and pasta. BOOK DELAROSA ON OPEN TABLE HERE | 2-min walk
- Amber India | Upscale Indian food w/ *Mon–Fri LUNCH SPECIALS starting at $18 & $32 Lunch Buffet! BOOK AMBER INDIA ON OPEN TABLE HERE | 4-min walk
- Metreon Food Hall | Budget-friendly assortment of food vendors i.e. burgers, salads, poke bowls, wraps, ramen. | 4-min walk
- The Harlequin | Cocktail bar w/Brooklyn vibes serving lunch (Thurs., Sat., Sun.) and dinner. *Check out their FABULOUS HAPPY HOUR 4:00–6:00 p.m. daily featuring $2 oysters and $11 cocktails. BOOK THE HARLEQUIN ON OPEN TABLE HERE | 4-min walk
A LOVE LETTER TO ART’S CASUAL DINING PICKS
- Jane on Third at SFMOMA | Amanda Michael’s local café chain named for her daughter, serves housemade baked goods, breakfast, sandwiches, and salads—perfect for a quick snack or leisurely lunch. Open to the public, MUSEUM ADMISSION NOT REQUIRED. | 1-min walk
- Ippudo | Cozy, modern ramen restaurant with a full bar. *Check out their DAILY HAPPY HOUR from 3:00–6:00 p.m. | 3-min walk
- Oren’s Hummus | Delicious Israeli food in a casual friendly setting. *Check out their AMAZING HAPPY HOUR Mon–Thurs 3:00–5:00 p.m. | 3-min walk
- Fang | Cantonese cuisine from the Fang family of House of Nanking. As seen on Chef Dynasty: House of Fang (oh, I like that Peter Fang!), chefs Kathy and Peter Fang blend tradition with charm. BOOK FANG ON OPEN TABLE HERE | 4-min walk
💖 A LOVE LETTER TO ART’S ROMANTIC DINING PICKS
- The Pied Piper | Old world bar + food + Maxfield Parrish’s Pied Piper painting in SF’s historic Palace Hotel. BOOK THE PIED PIPER ON OPEN TABLE HERE | 6-min walk
- The Cavalier | I love the English hunting lodge meets chic gastropub vibes, thanks to the vision of designer extraordinaire Ken Fulk. *CHECK OUT THEIR FANTASTIC HAPPY HOURS: Mon–Sat 4:00–6:00 p.m.; Fri & Sat 9:00–10:00 p.m. Includes $10 Cocktails & Apps under $20! The MARLOWE BURGER is a SF classic. BOOK THE CAVALIER ON OPEN TABLE HERE | 7-min walk
More nearby suggestions are always welcome. Feel free to add in the comments!
A LOVE LETTER TO ART RECOMMENDS
SEE MORE ART AT YERBA BUENA GARDENS
🦋 FREE: There also are quite a few public artworks on display at Yerba Buena Gardens (750 Howard Street | map | 2 min walk), including the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial fountain, Revelation, a powerful work by sculptor Houston Conwill, poet Estella Conwill Majoza (great interview with her in the link), and architect Joseph DePace.
DINING AT YERBA BUENA GARDENS
🌳TIP: I really enjoy just chilling out and having a bite to eat in Yerba Buena Gardens, where you can either sit on the benches, grass, or on the Metreon’s Dining Terrace (tables and chairs available seasonally). *For kids, I would recommend grabbing takeout from one of inexpensive restaurants in the Metreon (the steps from Yerba Buena Gardens lead right into the food court). The park hosts FREE LIVE MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES on many weekends of the year, which is really FANTASTIC in the spring and summer. Such great vibes!!
ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AT YERBA BUENA GARDENS
Activities for kids at Yerba Buena Gardens include: Yerba Buena Gardens, Yerba Buena Gardens Children’s Creativity Museum and the LeRoy King Carousel, the Yerba Buena Children’s Garden playground, and the Yerba Buena Ice Skating and Bowling Center.
NEARYBY ART
NEARBY DINING
RELATED POSTS
RELATED VIDEOS
MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy by SOMA Pilipinas. YBCA, San Francisco.
Vox’s Missing Chapter: San Francisco’s I-Hotel, 2020 by Ranjani Chakraborty
The Fall of the I-Hotel Trailer, 1983 by Curtis Choy
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Author: ALoveLettertoArt
