The 2026 FOG Design+Art fair in San Francisco recently concluded with remarkable success, featuring a significant $1 million sale of a Jack Whitten painting. This year's event at the Fort Mason Center's piers highlighted a burgeoning art market in the Bay Area, defying skeptics and drawing a diverse array of collectors and art enthusiasts. The fair's opening night, a lavish gala benefitting the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, set a tone of renewed energy and robust engagement, indicating San Francisco's increasingly vital role in the global art landscape.
San Francisco's Art Scene Flourishes at FOG Design+Art Fair
On a memorable Thursday evening, January 22, 2026, the FOG Design+Art fair inaugurated its latest edition with an exclusive preview gala at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. The atmosphere was charged with sophistication, as valet drivers in formal attire attended to VIPs, while inside, guests enjoyed a flowing array of beverages and exquisite hors d'oeuvres, including sushi, dim sum, and yuzu-glazed salmon. This glittering event served as a crucial fundraiser for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's educational initiatives, with early entry tickets priced at $10,000 for a group of six. Initially, the early hours saw a serene procession of well-heeled patrons, frequently pausing to greet acquaintances. However, as the evening progressed, the tranquility gave way to a bustling throng, particularly after 7 p.m. when tickets became available for $250. The festivities extended until 10 p.m., making it an unusually prolonged and vibrant opening compared to other art fairs.
Several gallerists noted a distinct shift in the fair's ambiance this year, possibly attributed to the lingering effects of the previous year's wildfires in Los Angeles, a major source of participating dealers. Ales Ortuzar, a first-time participant from New York, expressed his satisfaction, having sold several pieces, including three by Suzanne Jackson, stating, "San Francisco possesses a remarkable community of collectors, making this the opportune moment for our presence." Junette Tang of Marian Goodman Gallery echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the "depth and caliber of institutions, collectors, and advisers" as reasons for their continued participation over 11 years.
FOG's director, Sydney Blumenkranz, highlighted the fair's role in cultivating new collectors from the tech industry. She observed that while Silicon Valley has generated immense wealth, many emerging collectors are eager to engage with art but lack a clear starting point. FOG provides an ideal platform for these individuals to connect with galleries and begin their collecting journey. Prominent local collector Sonya Yu, known for her inclusion in ARTnews's Top 200 Collectors list and her recent $900,000 donation to MoMA PS1 for free admission, affirmed San Francisco's artistic vitality. She articulated a vision of a robust and diverse creative community that transcends negative "doom loop" narratives, committed to both local talent and global outreach.
Now in its 12th year, and Blumenkranz's second as director, the fair's reputation is clearly on an upward trajectory. This year witnessed an unprecedented number of exhibitor applications and a 40 percent expansion of its Focus section. Blumenkranz enthusiastically declared, "It feels different this year. The energy in the art market is back—at least in the Bay Area." With 65 exhibitors, FOG offers a more curated experience compared to larger events like Art Basel. The prevalence of art advisors guiding clients, particularly tech patrons, underscored the fair's unique dynamics. Significant sales occurred early, reinforcing the fair's commercial success. Jessica Silverman, a San Francisco dealer, aptly summarized the opening day's essence: "The charm of FOG's opening day lies in the collective passion for San Francisco's art scene taking center stage in the art world."
Notable sales included Loie Hollowell's "Ultramarine Brain over Yellow Waters" (2025) for $450,000 at Silverman's booth. Hauser & Wirth reported the top sale with Jack Whitten's "Solar Space" (1971) exceeding $1 million, alongside other six-figure transactions, including works by Rashid Johnson, Luchita Hurtado, Charles Gaines, Avery Singer, and Jeffrey Gibson. David Zwirner sold two sculptures and two works on paper by Ruth Asawa, along with pieces by Scott Kahn, Walter Price, Lucas Arruda, and Suzan Frecon. Gladstone saw strong sales for Richard Mayhew, Robert Bechtle, Robert Rauschenberg, Anicka Yi, Wangechi Mutu, and Aaron Gilbert. Catherine Clark Gallery sold Lehuauakea's textile installation, "Still Finding My Way Back Home," to a U.S. museum for $225,000. Charles Moffett's presentation of Hopie Hill's works sold out, while Tina Kim achieved multiple six-figure sales for Park Seo-Bo, Ha Chong-Hyun, Kim Tschang-Yeul, and Lee ShinJa.
Among the fair's highlights were Jeffrey Sincich's textile works at Charlie James, Rember Yahuaracani’s “Picaflores Pescadores (Fisher Hummingbirds)” at Josh Lilley, and Barbara Stauffacher Solomon’s “This is not a Ping Pont Table #4” (1990) at Anthony Meier. Nonaka-Hill, making its FOG debut, presented Yamaguchi Kayō's rare 1967 Nihonga painting, "Mori no Hitotachi (Forest People)," reserved for over $380,000. Gallery Wendi Norris, a two-decade veteran of the San Francisco scene, also debuted, showcasing a diverse program spanning Surrealism and contemporary art, with strong sales including works by Rohini Devasher, Wolfgang Paalen, and Marie Wilson. Founder Wendi Norris concluded that her initial concerns were unfounded, stating, "Sophisticated work resonates here, both with the museum groups in town and the local well-heeled crowd."
The FOG Design+Art fair's triumph underscores San Francisco's evolving identity as a dynamic art hub. It demonstrates that a vibrant and discerning collector base exists beyond traditional art centers, driven by both established patrons and a new generation of wealth from the tech sector. This resurgence of energy and engagement, coupled with the fair's strategic focus on nurturing collector relationships, paints a promising picture for the future of art in the Bay Area, suggesting a shift in perception and a growing influence on the global art market.