Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory | Oakland Museum of California | June 12–Oct. 18, 2026

Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory

Oakland Museum of California (OMCA)

1000 Oak Street 
Oakland, CA  94607
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Overview

Today’s LOVE LETTER TO ART is OMCA’s Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory, the first major museum survey of the celebrated Bay Area artist, spanning five decades of her influential multimedia practice. Curated by Carin Adams, the exhibition brings together immersive installations, found-object sculptures, archival materials, and new commissions that explore themes of memory, identity, migration, and power in American life. Highlights include Howard’s signature large-scale environments, recent works from her Untold Histories / Hidden Truths for All series, and Moving Stills (2026), a new video installation incorporating never-before-seen family footage. Together, the works offer a deeply personal yet resonant meditation on the stories we inherit, preserve, and choose to remember.

When I heard OMCA was going to host Mildred Howard’s retrospective, I knew it was going to be good—and it’s always a wonderful surprise when it’s that good. Her Villa Sonata (2021) at the 500 Capp Street booth at the SF Art Fair back in April was the perfect teaser (500 Capp is my absolute FAVORITE local space for modern and contemporary abstract art, though I unfortunately missed Howard’s installation there last year), so I was really excited for this show.

The Oakland Museum of California created this great BTS video for the exhibition, documenting the installation of Blackbird in a Red Sky (a.k.a. Fall of the Blood House) (2002), featuring OMCA Senior Curator of Art Carin Adams.

Behind the scenes of Mildred Howard’s Blackbird in a Red Sky (a.k.a. Fall of the Blood House), 2002, from Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory, with commentary by Curator Carin Adams. OMCA, Oakland.

Surrealist qualities manifest throughout Howard’s work, which I find aesthetically beautiful, albeit distant and cold. Glass, a material prevalent in her practice, seems to inform this visual language, suggesting a kind of protective barrier—hard and solid, yet never entirely invulnerable. After sitting on this thought for 24 hours, I realized that the “cold” beauty I initially perceived might just be her way of expressing strength and stoicism. The works are sleek, commanding, and physically seductive; they say, why not have the courage to make beautiful, magnificent things?

A LOVE LETTER TO ART at OMCA

A LOVE LETTER TO ART inside Mildred Howard’s Blackbird in a Red Sky (Fall of the Blood House), 2002. OMCA, Oakland.

Poetics of Memory…when I think about the title of the show and what an artist’s retrospective means, it can be read as a cumulative bank of emotions and memories spanning the past, present, and future—a tarot card spread essentially. Looking back at your life objectively through the lens of joy and sadness, dignity and pride, and hope and growth—that’s the poetry.

I loved seeing glimpses of Mildred’s Berkeley upbringing in the exhibition. Her 1963 Berkeley High School yearbook was a fun surprise, as it reminded me of my late father, who was from the same generation, also Berkeley-raised, and attended Berkeley High (Class of 1965). I often try to envision what the city was like when he was growing up there in the 1950s and 1960s. I wonder if she shopped at the “Co-op,” as my dad used to call it—the Berkeley cooperative where, even after my dad and grandma moved to Alameda, the three of us would go at 5 a.m. to buy our Christmas tree, a tradition my grandma insisted on well into the 1980s. My dad was a blue-collar guy, not an artist, and while they may have moved in entirely different circles, they experienced the same Berkeley during those years. As a journalist, I encounter many “local” artists, but it’s rare to meet one who, like Mildred and my own family, is originally from the Bay Area.

Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory is a stunning and powerful exhibition. Howard’s artistic legacy is a vital part of Bay Area history—Berkeley’s in particular, which seems to get obscured by the college and the magic of Alice Waters. Writing about her use of color, curvature, and scale cannot and will not do justice to these works. Go see them in person. And if you miss the show, go see her public works included below.

The exhibition’s accompanying catalogue by can be purchased at the OMCA store for $55.00/$49.50 (members) and on Amazon as well.

🗓 Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory is on view until October 18, 2026 at OMCA in Oakland’s Lake Merritt neighborhood. It runs alongside several terrific exhibitions (see below), including BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration (post coming soon)—plus the museum’s wonderful permanent collection, which highlights California’s art, history, and natural sciences.

Mark your calendars: OMCA ‘s 2027 White Elephant Sale (Jan. 31–Mar. 7, 2027) tickets GO ON SALE IN MID-DECEMBER. One of my FAVORITE events of the year! Purchase Tickets HERE.

💌 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: OMCA

⭐ OMCA HOURS: Open Wednesday–Sunday 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Open Late Fridays 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY. 

⭐ OMCA EXHIBITIONS: 

• Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory | June 12–Oct. 18, 2026
• BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration | Sept. 18–Dec. 27, 2026
• Black Power | Ongoing
• Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic | Ongoing
• Collecting a Moment | Ongoing
• You Are Here: California Stories on the Map | Ongoing
• OMCA Kids: Nature Playspace  | Ongoing

⭐ OMCA ADMISSION: 

• General Admission Tickets Adults 18-64 $25 (*Includes access to special exhibitions)
• Seniors 65+ *$22
• Youth 13–17, Students, Educators with vaild ID *$18
• Ages 12 and Under FREE
• Membership starts at $99 GA/$79 Senior

⭐ OMCA DISCOUNTS: General Admission is FREE/DISCOUNTED through the following programs:

• FREE 1ST SUNDAYS (Next one is Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026)
• Discover and Go (Free w/library card – may not apply to all counties)
• Museums for All $1 ADMISSION (No need to show ID/EBT card. Just say “Museums For All” at ticket counter.)
• Museums on Us (show your Bank of America/Merrill card/ID) on the FIRST weekend of month
• Blue Star Museum Discount (FREE Admission to U.S. military personnel and veterans plus up to 5 family members from the 3rd Sat in May until the 1st Monday in Sept.)
• $9 General Admission for individuals with disabilities.
• $3 General Admission for Alameda County Courthouse active jurors (show proof).

⭐ OMCA MUSEUM DINING: Town Fare Cafe (California cuisine with a Southern flair). Open Wednesday–Sunday 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

⭐ OMCA EVENTS:

• Friday Nights at OMCA with CHIKA DI on Oct. 9, 2026 from 5:00–9:00 p.m. (FREE)
• Friday Nights at OMCA with MacArthur Maze | 60th Anniversary of the Black Panther Party on Oct. 16, 2026 from 5:00–9:00 p.m. (FREE)
• Spotlight Sundays: Roadsongs for Dorothea Lange on Oct. 18, 2026 from 1:00–4:00 p.m. ($10)
• 32nd Annual Día de los Muertos Community Celebration on Oct. 25, 2026 from 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. ($10)
• Special Guest Gallery Chat with Traditional Medicine Practitioner Batul True Heart on Oct. 25, 2026 from 1:00–1:45 p.m. ($10)
• Friday Nights at OMCA with LA GENTE SF on Oct. 30, 2026 from 5:00–9:00 p.m. (FREE)
• OMCA Architecture Walk and Talk: Oct. 4, 2026; Nov 1, 2026; Dec. 6, 2026 from 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. 
• *OMCA 2027 White Elephant Sale: Jan. 31–Mar. 7, 2027. Purchase Tickets HERE.

⭐ MILDRED HOWARD PUBLIC WORKS:  See Howard’s public works throughout the Bay Area, including works in San Francisco, Berkeley, San Leandro, and Richmond. See map + locations below.

⭐ OMCA NEARBY ART:

• GALLERY: Pt.2 | ON VIEW: Shannon Rogers: Myriad  | Opens Sept. 13, 2026 | UPCOMING: Alicia McCarthy | Opens Nov. 7, 2026 | EVENT: *Opening reception is Nov. 7, 2026 from 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. | 4-min drive • 15-min walk 
• GALLERY: Creative Growth | ON VIEW: Stereo Dynamic explores the relationship between music and art through handcrafted instruments, music videos, customized vinyl records, and portraits of musical legends. | Sept. 18–Nov. 21, 2026 | 4-min drive • 15-min walk 
• GALLERY: Johansson Projects | ON VIEW: Gregory Rick // Night Watch | Sept. 30–Oct. 31, 2026 | 9-min drive • 29-min walk 
• GALLERY: Transmission Gallery | ON VIEW: William Rhodes: Fear Not | Sept. 17–Oct. 31, 2026 | UPCOMING: Ellen Bepp The Ghosts We Carry | Sept. 24–Nov. 7, 2026 | EVENT: Ellen Bepp Artist Talk on Oct. 31 at 2:00 p.m. | 7-min drive • 32-min walk 
• GALLERY: Rock Paper Scissors Collective (Store Hours: Wed. 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. & Thurs. 4:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.) | UPCOMING: TBA | 7-min drive • 28-min walk 
• GALLERY: Pacific Saw Works | UPCOMING: TBA  | 8-min drive • 63-min walk 
• GALLERY: CULT Bureau | UPCOMING: TBA | 9-min drive • 67-min walk 

⭐ NEARBY DINING (around Lake Merritt + Uptown • within a 10-min drive):

• Grand Lake Kitchen | Popular all-day neighborhood café + bistro for brunch, burgers, sandwiches, dinner + cocktails.
• Sirene | Stylish seafood spot serving seasonal seafood, wood-fired dishes + an award-winning beverage program.
• Tada Ramen & Yakitori | Cozy Japanese spot specializing in ramen + grilled yakitori.

🔥 A LOVE LETTER TO ART’S NEW + NOTEWORTHY PICK:

• Bar Skula | Cevichería + grill from the team behind the much-missed Luka’s Taproom, with seafood, cocktails + Luka’s burger and fries. $2 oysters all day Mondays!

😊 A LOVE LETTER TO ART’S CHEAP & CHEERFUL PICK:

• Comal Next Door | Casual counter-service sister spot to Berkeley’s Comal serving burritos, tacos, tortas + cocktails across from Lake Merritt.

❤️ A LOVE LETTER TO ART’S DATE VIBES PICKS:

• Lucuma Kitchen + Bar | Modern Peruvian cuisine + pisco cocktails in an intimate, stylish setting.
• Viridian | Sexy, neon-lit cocktail bar serving creative cocktails + contemporary Asian-American bites.
• Bardo Lounge & Supper Club | Retro mid-century supper club serving seasonal fare + cocktails.

Currently On View at OMCA

Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory | June 12–Oct. 18, 2026

Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory is the first major museum exhibition to celebrate the work of beloved Bay Area artist Mildred Howard. Spanning Howard’s five-decade practice, Poetics of Memory brings together her renowned collages, found-object sculptures, and immersive installations that explore memory, identity, and the African American experience. New and never-before-seen pieces punctuate the exhibition, while archival materials from Howard’s Oakland studio illuminate the cultural currents and lived experiences that shape her practice.

BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration | Sept. 18–Dec. 27, 2026

Can looking closely at photographs change what we see, know, and feel about this history? Japanese artist Masaki Fujihata explores this very question in BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration. Through immersive installations of historic images and augmented reality (AR) experiences, the exhibition brings visitors into the moments of 1942—before Japanese Americans in Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles were transported to concentration camps during World War II.

Black Power | Ongoing

Uncover the history of the Black Power movements in California with a compelling addition to the Gallery of California History. In response to the widely-popular 2016 exhibition All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50, this installation illustrates the creative ways Black anti-racist activists in California supported their communities and challenged the U.S. government.

Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic | Ongoing

Fairyland’s rich history is highlighted this spring at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) in an installation titled Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic.

Collecting a Moment | Ongoing

Remembering Artist Hung Liu at OMCA honors the life and legacy of beloved artist, Oakland resident, and cultural bridge-builder, Hung Liu.

You Are Here: California Stories on the Map | Ongoing

You Are Here: California Stories on the Map, on view at OMCA's Gallery of California Natural Sciences, looks at what has happened where we live.

OMCA Kids: Nature Playspace | Ongoing

Little learners unleash their curiosity and imagination in the newly created OMCA Kids: Nature Playspace at OMCA.

Mildred Howard Public Works

OMCA’s video highlighting Mildred Howard’s public works around the Bay Area.

📍 Below are the public works featured in OMCA’s video, followed by additional works around the Bay Area. Click the titles for more information and addresses for Google Maps.

🟊 Frame–Refrain, 2010 (Mildred Howard with Walter Hood)
Hunters Point Shipyard
101 Horne Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124
Located along the pedestrian path.

🟊 Locks & Keys for Harry Bridges, 2021
Yerba Buena / Stevenson Street
3rd & Stevenson Streets, San Francisco, CA 94103

🟊 The Music of Language, 2008
Glide Family Housing
125 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Visible from the street.

🟊 Delivered, Mable’s Promissory Note, 2024
Ashby BART Station
Martin Luther King Jr. Way & Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA 94703

🟊 Curiosity, 2021
San Leandro Main Library
300 Estudillo Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94577

🟊 Moving Richmond
Richmond BART Station
1700 Nevin Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Located outside the station parking garage.

🟊 Promissory Notes, 2022
Southeast Community Center, Southwest Plaza
1550 Evans Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124

🟊 Three Shades of Blue, 2003
Fillmore Street Bridge
Fillmore Street & Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94115

🟊 Salty Peanuts, 2000
San Francisco International Airport, Dianne Feinstein International Terminal, Boarding Area A, Level 3
San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, CA 94128
Post-security.

A LOVE LETTER TO ART RECOMMENDS

NEARBY ART

pt.2: | 1523b Webster St, Oakland, CA 94612

Downtown Oakland contemporary art gallery showcasing emerging and established artists, with a strong Bay Area focus.

Creative Growth Art Center | 355 24th Street, Oakland, CA 94612

CREATIVE GROWTH is a non-profit organization based in Oakland, California that advances the inclusion of artists with developmental disabilities in contemporary art and strengthens community by providing a supportive studio environment and gallery representation.

Johansson Projects | 2300 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612

Johansson Projects is a contemporary art gallery that represents established and up-and-coming artists through exhibitions, online platforms, art fairs and programming. The gallery's curatorial emphasis gravitates toward artists who explore mysteries embedded in our current time, often using unorthodox materials and methods to symbolize universal experiences. Located in uptown Oakland, Johansson Projects is a locus for curators, collectors, and artists to connect and engage in dialogue with the larger art community both regionally and nationally.

Transmission Gallery | 770 W Grand Ave Suite A, Oakland, CA 94612

Transmission Gallery
shows primarily fìgurative and socially engaged art and unconventional work with a point of view.

Rock Paper Scissors Collective | 2120 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94612

The Rock Paper Scissors Collective is an Oakland-based, all volunteer-run organization that fosters creativity and collaboration to strengthen local communities and encourage sustainable practices and alternative models. They promote the sharing of ideas, skills, and resources through the celebration of art, craft, education, and performance. 

Pacific Saw Works | 401 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94609

Pacific Saw Works is an artist-run gallery in Oakland, CA showcasing contemporary artists living in California.

CULT Bureau | 482 49th St D, Oakland, CA 94609

CULT Bureau, the East Bay sister gallery of CULT Aimee Friberg Exhibitions, showcases contemporary art and design in an intimate, salon-style setting in Oakland’s Temescal Alley.

Oakland Palestine Solidarity Mural | 400 26th St, Oakland, CA 94612

oaklandmurals.com is a collaborative site featuring murals, street art and legal walls of Oakland, California.

NEARBY DINING

Grand Lake Kitchen | 576 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610

Visit Grand Lake Kitchen in Oakland, CA at 576 Grand Avenue. Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 11 am - 9 pm, Friday - Sunday from 9 am - 9 pm.

Sirene | 3308 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610

Sirene is a seafood-focused restaurant with a creative menu that ranges from oysters, crudo, mussels, and whole fish to unexpected dishes like fried chicken and steak frites. The restaurant has a particularly strong wine and cocktail program—named Best Beverage Program by the San Francisco Chronicle—and also operates as a daytime café, making it a stylish option near Children’s Fairyland for anything from coffee and lunch to a full seafood dinner.

Tada Ramen & Yakitori | 3415 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610

Welcome to Tada Ramen, where our dedication to excellence and loyalty to our craft define everything we do. Tada, in Japanese word ただし (Tadashi), means loyalty-loyalty to quality. We b...

*A LOVE LETTER TO ART’S NEW + NOTEWORTHY PICK | Bar Skula | 542 Grand Ave. Oakland, CA 94610

Bar Skula is an Oakland Cevicheria and grill. We focus on fresh, local ingredients creatively composed. Flavors are inspired from Alta California through Mexico and Guatemala all the way to Peru and Chile, as well as the influence of the Iberian diaspora.

*A LOVE LETTER TO ART'S CHEAP & CHEERFUL PICK | Comal Next Door | Mexican Food

Comal Next Door, with locations in Oakland and Berkeley, serves burritos, tacos, and tortas as well as housemade aguas frescas, salads, and more!

*A LOVE LETTER TO ART'S DATE VIBES PICK | Lucuma | 1700 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612

Modern Peruvian restaurant from partners Renzo Roca and Garrett Morris, blending Roca’s Peruvian heritage with fresh California influences. Expect vibrant Peruvian flavors, cocktails, and a stylish, intimate setting designed for a night out.

*A LOVE LETTER TO ART'S DATE VIBES PICK | Viridian | 3343 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland, CA 94610

Viridian is Oakland's premier bar and restaurant for Contemporary Asian-American cocktails and food. Our accolades include: The World's 50 Best Discovery, Esquire "Best Bars in America", and Tales of the Cocktail regional nominations for Best New American Cocktail Bar, Best U.S. Bar Team,

*A LOVE LETTER TO ART'S DATE VIBES PICK | Bardo Lounge & Supper Club | 3343 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland, CA 94610

Located in Oakland’s Grand Lake District, Bardo Lounge & Supper Club is a neighborhood lounge and dining room inspired by the comfort and camaraderie of a Mid-Century dinner party.

RELATED VIDEOS

OMCA’s Mildred Howard’s Rediscovered 8mm Films: Howard narrates home movies from her teenage years, featured in her installation Moving Stills, 2026.

OMCA’s An Introduction to Mildred Howard’s Studio: A look inside the artist’s studio and creative practice.

Mildred Howard in conversation with Nashormeh Lindo and Essence Harden about her life and work for OMCA’s Spotlight Sundays.

OMCA’s Cooking With Mildred Howard: Mildred Howard and Adrian Burrell on art, life, family, and baking.

RELATED POSTS

Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic | Oakland Museum of California | April 4, 2025–2026 | A LOVE LETTER TO ART

Oakland Museum’s ongoing Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic exhibition explores works by 40+ artists inspired by this beloved local park.

Author: ALoveLettertoArt