Opening the Mountain

With artists: Saif Azzuz, Teresa Baker, Ashwini Bhat, JB Blunk, Annabel De Vries, Lucia Dillman, Nick Gorham, July Guzman, Tennessee Hildebrand, Johanna Jackson, Chris Johanson, Adeline Kent, Stella Kudritzki. Margaret Kilgallen, Ruby Neri, Tucker Nichols, McIntyre Parker Jesse Schlesinger, Alice Shaw, Martha Shaw, Daisy Sheff, Studio AHEAD, Nina Venezia

Curated by Natasha Boas and Asha Kilgallen McGee
October 5 - December 21, 2024

Opening the Mountain explores the cultural, ecological, and spiritual significance of Mount Tamalpais and its enduring influence on the Bay Area’s artistic community. Inspired by the 1965 pilgrimage of Beat poets Gary Snyder, Allen Ginsberg, and Philip Whalen around the mountain, the exhibition considers the connections between landscape, community, and creative expression.

Bringing together works across painting, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, video, and installation, the exhibition connects Northern California’s rich artistic history with contemporary practices. From explorations of the natural world and Indigenous relationships to land to reflections on memory, everyday life, and the spaces we inhabit, the works highlight the many ways artists draw inspiration from their surroundings. By bringing together artists across generations and backgrounds, Opening the Mountain celebrates the region’s distinctive creative legacy while challenging conventional ideas of place and regional identity.

The exhibition considers Mount Tamalpais as more than a geographic landmark, exploring its place in the cultural imagination and its ongoing significance as a source of artistic inspiration. Opening the Mountain also marked the opening of MarinMOCA San Rafael, expanding the museum’s presence into downtown San Rafael and establishing a new platform for contemporary art and cultural exchange throughout the North Bay.