Short Bio
Born in Rochester, NY. Live in San Francisco. Educated in photography, studio art & architecture. Show my work in galleries, online and outdoors.
Statement
I observe and question the environments around me, natural, built or cultural. Then, create works incorporating sculpture and graphics that respond to what I have absorbed. Perhaps, my interpretation may benefit someone?
The media for my work are industrial materials, found objects and bold graphics all common and familiar to the viewer. Whenever possible my pieces are installed outdoors in order to reach a larger audience. Pieces must uphold strict standards: grab the viewer’s attention, make them smile and after some contemplation, change their perspective.
These are big expectations to put on artworks but, I have to be diligent.
Biography
My name is Michael Goldman. I was born in Rochester, NY and have made my permanent home San Francisco, CA. I have also lived and worked in New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle and Los Angeles.
Since childhood, I have always made art and spent time "making stuff”. It all started building plywood tables and sculpting plaster mountains for a model train set in my basement with my father. I was educated in photography, studio art and finally architecture and have used combinations of these skills to find “paying gigs”. Initially in architecture firms first building models and then drafting, next assisting artists draw and fabricate national public art installations and finally art directing the creation of scenery for the film and television industry.
Throughout all this, I have always maintained my own art/design practice no matter what I was doing or where I was living. Now, I am either in their studio creating imaginary worlds for the screen or in my studio making public works, showing in galleries or online. It’s been a windy path primarily navigated on intuition. I feel very lucky to have had so much variety in my life and been able to express myself in this way.
Resume / CV
EXHIBITS, RESIDENCIES & AWARDS:
“EXPO 42” B.J. SPOKE GALLERY, Huntington, NY 2023 Juried Group Show. Compliant Traffic Signs,
MICHAEL GOLDMAN - SOLO SHOW, MADRONE ART BAR, San Francisco, CA 2023 “Digital Lichen” & “Compliant Traffic Signs”
“CHANGING PERSPECTIVE”, SACRAMENTO FINE ARTS CENTER, Carmichael, CA 2021 Juried Group Show. Honorable Mention. “MUC-B”, “Urban Pictograms” &“Barricade Benches”
“CROSSING THE DIVIDE”, GALLERY ROUTE ONE, Point Reyes, CA 2021 Juried Group Show. “Urban Pictograms”
“POLITICALLY CHARGED”, BLUE LINE ARTS, Roseville, CA 2020 Juried Group Show. “Red Means Stop”
“PUSHING BOUNDRIES 2020”, INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF EXPERIMENTAL ARTISTS 2020 Juried Group Show - President's Award. “Red Means Stop”
“CURRENT SCENE”, ROCHESTER CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER, Rochester, NY 2019 Temporary Public Works. (6) “Rochester” Urban Pictograms” & “Red Means Stop”
“INTRODUCTIONS 2019”, ROOT DIVISION, San Francisco, CA 2019 Juried Group Show. “Urban Pictograms” & “Red Means Stop”
“SENSE OF PLACE”, ARTWORKS DOWNTOWN, San Rafael, CA 2019 Juried Group Show. “Urban Pictograms” & “Street Barricade into 2 Benches”
“LEFT COAST ANNUAL”, SANCHEZ ART CENTER, Pacifica, CA 2019 Juried Group Show. “Urban Pictograms”
“SALON AT THE TRITON”, TRITON MUSEUM OF ART, Santa Clara, CA 2018 Juried Group Show. “Urban Pictograms”
“OVERLOOKED”, THE WILL’S CREEK ART EXHIBITION, Cumberland, MD 2018 Juried Group Show. “Urban Pictograms”
HAYES VALLEY ART WORKS, San Francisco, CA 2018 Group Show. “Red Means Stop” Garden Installation
“Q2 ART COMPETITION” ARTIST PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE 2017 Juried Competition. Honorable Mention “Urban Pictograms - Street Signs”
“WE THE PEOPLE…” BARRETT ART CENTER, Poughkeepsie, NY 2017 Juried Group Show. “Urban Pictograms” & “Street Barricade into 2 Benches”
“THE UNAUTHORIZED SFMOMA SHOW #34 & #324”, SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA 2017 Solo Online Show. “Street Barricade into 2 Benches Transformation”
“NEXTUp” NEXT GALLERY, Denver, CO 2017 Juried Group Show. “Urban Pictograms” & “Street Barricade into 2 Benches”
DOUG HALL, Benrubi Gallery New York, NY 2013 & 2016 Designer/Fabricator. Gossip Chair for Video Installation “Letters In The Dark: Franz Kafka & Milena Jesenská”
“PRESENT GROUND”, HAYES VALLEY ART WORKS, San Francisco, CA 2016 Juried Group Show. OM3-C Project – “Vacant Lot” (Outdoor Installation)
MOMI TOBY’S REVOLUTOIN CAFÉ & ART BAR, San Francisco, CA 2015 Solo Show. “Urban Pictograms - Sign Prototypes”
HAYES VALLEY ARTISTS’ POP UP GALLERY, San Francisco, CA 2014 & 2015 Group Show. “Urban Pictograms” & “Urban Still Life” Series (Color Photos)
HAYES VALLEY ART WORKS, San Francisco, CA 2014 Group Show. “Urban Still Life” Series (Color Photos)
“THIS WILL NEVER WORK!”, SOUTHERN EXPOSURE GALLERY, San Francisco, CA 2013 Juried Group Show. “SF Pictograms - Sign Prototypes”
“BAY AREA FURNITURE ART” THE BLUE ROOM GALLERY, San Francisco, CA 2003 & 2004 Group Show. Urban Furniture Series
“LAUNCH PAD DESIGN GROUP FURNITURE”, San Francisco, CA 2002 - 2005 Various Group Shows. Urban Furniture Series
COLLAGE GALLERY, San Francisco, CA 2001 - 2003 Group Show. “Roadkill Refrigerator Magnets”
“POST POSTCARD 5”, SOUHTHERN EXPOSURE GALLERY, San Francisco, CA 2001 Juried Group Show. “Roadkill Refrigerator Magnets”
“… A DECADE OF PILCHUCK’S E.A.R…” TACOMA ART MUSEUM, Tacoma, WA 2000 Group Show. “Documents” Monoprints & “Industrial Organizers”
“MINNESOTA NATIONAL PRINT BIENNIAL” UNIV. OF MINNEAPOLIS, Minneapolis, MN 1998 Group Show. “Documents” Monoprints
“PRINTMAKERS '96”, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ART GALLERY, Pittsburgh, PA 1996 Juried Group Show. “Documents” Monoprints
“PILCHUCK E.A.R. 1995 EXHIBIT” GROVER/THURSTON GALLERY, Seattle, WA 1995 Group Show. “Documents” Monoprints & “Industrial Organizers”
PILCHUCK GLASS SCHOOL, Stanwood, WA 1994 Artist in Residence. Three Months - Monoprints & Sculpture
EDUCATION:
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, Philadelphia, PA Master of Architecture Graduate School of Fine Arts
SKIDMORE COLLEGE, Saratoga Springs, NY Bachelor of Science Self-Determined Architectural Studies Major
INSTITUTE FOR ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN STUDIES, New York, NY Undergraduate Studies Program
PUBLICATIONS:
Floated Magazine, “Artist Spotlight: Michael Goldman”, October 21, 2019
13 WHAM News, “Whats The Message Behind This Sign?” By Tanner Jubenville, October 21, 2019
City Newspaper, "Art Preview: ‘Current Scene’", By Rebecca Rafferty, September 24, 16, 2019
Artist’s Portfolio Magazine, "Q2 Competition Honorable Mentions", November, 2017, pg 112-113
SFMOMA, "Unauthorized SFMOMA Show" Catalogue, Pages 42 & 332 October, 2017
SFist.com, "Photo Du Jour: Ersatz Street Signs Depict Homeless People X-ing, Sleeping", By Caleb Pershan. March 16, 2017
Hoodline.com, "Mysterious Shopping Cart Crossing Sign Perplexes Hayes Valley Locals", By Teresa Hammerl. March 15, 2017
TheNounProject.com, “SF Urban Pictograms”, By Megan Barrie. August 18, 2015
Medium.com, “Nouveau SF Iconography Urban Pictograms by Michael E. Goldman”, By Clayton Hopkins. June 4, 2015
Hoodline.com, "San Francisco Sites: Urban Pictograms", By Meaghan Clarke. April 3, 2015
SFArtEnthusiast.com" Don’t Miss: 22nd Annual Juried Show, “This Will Never Work” at Southern Exposure”, By Monique Delaunay. December 4, 2013
MissionLocal.com" Southern Exposure Debuts This Will Never Work”, By Sarah McClure. Nov. 23, 2013
NOTCOG.ORG, "#303 Roadkill Magnets”, June 2006
Designboom.com, "Mashed Up Magnets”, By Andy B., May 29, 2006
Metropolis Magazine "Apply Yourself”, By Rebecca Viet. May 23, 2006
San Francisco Chronicle, "Sitting on the Edge”, By Zahid Sardar, Oct. 22nd, 2003, pg F1
Oakland Tribune, "Furniture Art a Union of Beauty and Function”, By Monique Beele, Oct. 4th, 2003