The Recompense for the Righteous, curated by artist and educator Charles Lee, is a group exhibition bringing together photography, performance, sculpture, video, and installation by primarily Bay Area artists who affirm pleasure, presence, and self-determination—especially for bodies and identities historically judged or marginalized. Responding to cultural and religious narratives that frame joy as something deferred or denied, the works reclaim pleasure as an essential part of being alive while challenging contemporary pressures around beauty, gender, and belonging shaped by social media and AI imagery. Centering regional voices, the exhibition creates space for artists to explore intimacy, identity, and liberation on their own terms.

Event Dates & Hours

The Recompense for the Righteous is on view at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society (SF SoMa) from Jan. 22–March 27, 2026. *Club Curiosity is the exhibition’s SF Art Week Opening Party taking place on Jan. 22, 2026 from 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. and includes DJs, dancing, cocktails, games, and more. Tickets start at $35.

*Saint Joseph’s Arts Society is open Monday–Friday from 10:00 a.m.–5:00p.m.