The Recompense for the Righteous and Scenes from a Shifting Reality
Jan. 22–May 8, 2026
Group Exhibition
Curated by Charles Lee
Image: INCREDIBLE Light Show by Illuminate. Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, San Francisco.
Saint Joseph’s Arts Society
1401 Howard Street Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Saint Joseph’s Arts Society Website
Saint Joseph’s Arts Society Instagram
Saint Joseph’s Arts Society Hours
*Open By Appointment Only
| Monday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Thursday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Friday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Overview
Today’s LOVE LETTER TO ART features The Recompense for the Righteous and Scenes from a Shifting Reality, on view at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society through May 8, 2026.
Walking into Saint Joseph’s Arts Society is like entering an aesthetic fantasy—part museum mystery, part Harry Potter—all set within the magnificence of a Romanesque Revival church.
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.
The exhibition features artists Nibha Akireddy (Root Division alum), Lindsey Filowitz, Kelley Finley, Pat Garcia, Chloe King, Charles Lee, Deena Qabazard, Molly Rapp, Amir Saadiq, and Alena Titova.
Opening Party for The Recompense for the Righteous & Scenes from a Shifting Reality. Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, San Francisco.
Shown here:
1) Here’s a peek inside Saint Joseph’s Arts Society during SF Art Week, as they celebrated the opening of their two spring exhibitions—set aglow by Illuminate’s neon lights.
2) The Recompense for the Righteous brings together 10 artists working across photography, sculpture, video, and installation—a collective vision centered on pleasure, identity, and self-expression.
3) Speaking of joy—who doesn’t love a bounce house AND a ball pit at a party?
4) A LOVE LETTER TO ART’s Michelle Kwan in the ball pit
5) In Scenes from a Shifting Reality, by 2rt featuring Ruoyun Dai and Murat Palta (shown here), art meets technology as lenticular prints, AR, and movement create an immersive experience. Just scan the QR code and watch the work come to life on your phone.
6) Recompense for the Righteous Artist Nibha Akireddy
7) Saint Joseph’s Arts Society Director Martin Strickland & Recompense for the Righteous Artist + Curator Charles Lee
Murat Palta’s Circle of Uncertainty from Scenes from a Shifting Reality. Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, San Francisco.
Scenes from a Shifting Reality, presented by Saint Joseph’s Arts Society and 2rt, is an immersive exhibition by Ruoyun Dai and Murat Palta that explores the evolving relationship between art and technology. Through lenticular prints, textured surfaces, and augmented-reality–activated animations, the artists create works that shift and transform as viewers move through the space or interact with them digitally. Blending physical and virtual imagery, the exhibition invites viewers into a playful, interactive form of visual storytelling—encouraging curiosity and participation while turning the viewing experience into a dynamic exchange between artwork and observer.
I had been sick since November of last year with bronchitis and then what I believe was human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which had me coughing up my lungs for the past three months, 1850s tuberculosis style. Somehow, I had a two-week window of decent health during SF Art Week, so of course I was beyond excited to see some human faces and to see some art.
Saint Joseph’s Arts Society’s SF Art Week kickoff party for the shows was a blast. I just about died when I saw the bounce house AND the ball pit, which I enjoyed fully. Illuminate put on the most spectacular light show inside and on the façade of the building—which you can see in the video—and the all-vinyl DJ collective Room 4 Improvement scored the night just right.
Saint Joseph’s Arts Society is the absolute BEST art party venue in San Francisco thanks to the decorative genius that is Ken Fulk and the fantastic leadership and curatorial development of Martin Strickland.
The challenge facing all art venues is getting bodies through the door and reaching younger visitors. Saint Joseph’s does a fantastic job of presenting the public with exhibitions representing a wide range of contemporary and modern artists that appeal to multiple audiences.
If you’re looking for new places in San Francisco to explore, make sure to visit Saint Joseph’s Arts Society—a sacred space for art and community housed in one of the city’s most beautiful interiors.
🗓 The Recompense for the Righteous Scenes and Scenes from a Shifting Reality are on view until May 8, 2026 at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society in San Francisco’s SoMa district.
💌 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: SAINT JOSEPH’S ARTS SOCIETY
⭐ LOCATION: 1401 Howard Street (cross is 10th Street) in SoMa. Closest Muni bus line is the 14 stop at Mission and 11th Street.
⭐ HOURS: The gallery is open by appointment Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Book your visit HERE.
⭐ MEMBERSHIP: The gallery is FREE to visit. Consider joining Saint Joseph’s Patron program for exclusive benefits such as complimentary invitations to select events and VIP access for you plus one guest. Membership starts at $100.
⭐ EXHIBITIONS:
- ON VIEW: The Recompense for the Righteous & Scenes from a Shifting Reality | Closes May 8, 2026
⭐ EVENTS :
- ODC/Dance Presents: Path of Miracles | Inspired by the Camino de Santiago, Path of Miracles is an immersive, site-specific performance by ODC/Dance and Volti that blends transcendent music and intensely physical choreography into a deeply personal, multi-sensory journey from April 16–18, 2026. $48–128/person. Tickets Available HERE.
- San Francisco Art Fair | Shared Scriptors, presented by Saint Joseph’s Arts Society and Art + Water at the San Francisco Art Fair, is a collaborative, lounge-like installation that invites rest, reflection, and participation, allowing visitors to contribute to a shared, evolving text. The SF Art Fair is the Bay Area’s longest-running art fair, bringing together around 85 galleries from around the world at Fort Mason for a multi-day event of contemporary art, installations, and programming from April 16–19, 2026. 3-day pass is $65 and a DAILY pass is $35. Tickets Available HERE. See A LOVE LETTER TO ART‘s Guide to the 2026 SF Art Fair HERE.
- Poolside Poets | A night of poetry, live music, dance, and fashion curated by Rhea Joseph, Liz Cahill and Decentered Arts on April 22, 2026, from 6:30–9:30 p.m. $25/person (free for members). Tickets Available HERE.
- All That Still Sings | Art installation and concert by The Young Women’s Chorus of San Francisco and artist Summer Mei Ling Lee on April 26, 2026, from 4:30–6:00 p.m. Tickets ($69) Available HERE.
- Mahjong Night at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society with The Mahjong Movement and Mr. Mahjong | Come join St. Joseph’s mahjong night on April 28, 2026, from 6:00–9:00 p.m. Play or learn, with beer and wine available for purchase at the bar + BBQ baos from Smokin D’s. Open Play $20/person (free for members). Learn to Play $35/person ($15 for members). Tickets Available HERE.
- Dreams of Distant Cities by Sixth Station Trio | The program features Ravel’s timeless Pavane pour une infante défunte, Piazzolla’s fiery Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, and a medley of Yu-Peng Chen’s breathtaking Liyue music from Gershwin Impact on April 30, 2026 from 7:00–9:00 p.m. General Admission (Standing Room) $35/person (free for members). Reserved Seating $50/person ($35 for members).Tickets Available HERE.
⭐ RELATED VENUES:
- Ken Fulk’s San Francisco Store (Peep Show) | 310 7th Street. Hours: Tuesday–Friday from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. & by appointment (email: shop@kenfulk.com)
- Ken Fulk’s LA Store (Mecox Gardens) | 326 N. La Cienega Blvd. Hours: Monday–Friday from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- Little Saint | Ken Fulk’s vegan restaurant/cocktail lounge/music venue in Healdsburg, CA. Hours: Monday–Sunday from 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
- Provincetown Arts Society | Ken Fulk’s art and event space in the Mary Heaton Vorse House in Provincetown, MA.
⭐ NEARBY ART:
- Root Division (SoMa) | ON VIEW: Trina Michelle Robinson: Open Your Eyes to Water (double venue show with Root Division & 500 Capp Street) from Feb. 11–May 16, 2026| EVENTS: (FREE) Studios + Style + Swap (Fashion event featuring a clothing swap, live screen printing, phoot shoot, and solo exhibition by Taylor Stoneman) on Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 4:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
- Four One Nine (SoMa) | EVENTS: Discussion with GOB, Sway, WRM (With Raw Materials) and Tyson Lee on Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. & WRM Open Gallery from 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. | Coffee Pop Up (11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.); WRM Open Gallery (11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.); Algae yarn workshop with Stella Harry Lee from 2:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, 2026 | 7-min walk // 3-min drive
- Weinstein Gallery (SoMa) | ON VIEW: TBA | 18-min walk // 6-min drive
⭐ NEARBY DINING:
- Cafe Suspiro | Music-themed cafe serving coffee and pastries within a book and record store. | 7-min walk // 3-min drive
- Rocco’s Cafe | Italian comfort food. Get the CHICKEN MARSALA! | 11-min walk // 3-min drive
💌 More nearby suggestions are always welcome. Feel free to add in the comments!
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Author: ALoveLettertoArt
