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The San Francisco Art Exchange is an art gallery in downtown San Francisco. It was founded in 1983 by Gallery Directors Theron Kabrich and Jim Hartley. The gallery is internationally recognized as a leading pioneer in the display and sale of photography and art derived from popular culture of the mid 20th century to the present.

HISTORY
The gallery's early beginnings were as an art brokerage house specializing in the work of European and Modern masters. With the success of the gallery’s 1985 retrospective of the original pin-up paintings and drawings of Alberto Vargas, which included a collaboration with the artist's estate, Esquire Magazine and Playboy Enterprises, San Francisco Art Exchange began to shift its focus more seriously on the art and photography of popular culture. Rolling Stones guitarist, Ronnie Wood, approached the gallery to hold one of the first exhibitions of his artwork in 1987. This was followed by exhibitions with Annie Leibovitz and her photography in 1989; Roger Dean and his album cover paintings in 1990; and photographs of Marilyn Monroe from the estate of Hollywood photographer Bruno Bernard in 1993.

The San Francisco Art Exchange currently represents over 70 influential pop culture image-makers, including photographers, painters and performance artists.

Among other events the gallery sponsors, live musical performances have found their place at the San Francisco Art Exchange. Brian Wilson, composer and founding member of the Beach Boys gave a live performance at the gallery in 2010. Wings guitarist, Laurence Juber, gave an acoustic recital at the gallery two years prior to coincide with an exhibition of photographs signed by Sir Paul McCartney that were sold to raise funds for his charitable foundation.

EXHIBITIONS
The nature of the exhibitions curated and promoted by the gallery are largely thematic, with an emphasis on cultural narrative, however occasional one-person exhibitions highlighting a noted artist's work are also scheduled each year. Ronnie Wood, Roger Dean, Storm Thorgerson, Bill Wyman, and Pattie Boyd are among the many artists who have been exhibited in solo shows.

Other key exhibitions have included:


 * “1967, 1968, 1969, Years that Molded a Generation,” a visual survey of influences of the late 1960’s which showcased 100 iconic photographs capturing the music, politics, war, film, and events of the era.


 * “Rosa Sat, Martin Walked, Barack Ran,” a pictorial homage to the leaders and evolution of the Civil Rights Movement, during which Clarence Jones, friend and speech writer for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave a talk about the Civil Rights Movement and the importance of images to carry message.


 * “Art of the Album,” a survey of the original art and photographs that appeared on music album covers of the past 50 years.

REPRESENTED ARTISTS

 * Roger Dean
 * Neil Leifer
 * Gered Mankowitz
 * Terry O'Neill
 * Mick Rock
 * Ethan Russell
 * Storm Thorgerson
 * Alberto Vargas
 * Ronnie Wood