SAN FRANCISCO WEEKLY

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Sunday, March 23, 2003

The good people at the London-based Centre of Attention art gallery have generously agreed to a) put together a really cool show at Spanganga, and b) temporarily change the spelling of their organization's name (from Centre to Center) to suit our nationalistic tastes. In return, they get to call San Francisco "the land of Google and Yahoo!" in their press release -- so we're about even. Names aside, the "Center of Attention Search Engine" replicates the search algorithm as a curatorial process. Translation: The show comes together over time through the investigative efforts of its curators. At tonight's reception, visitors will notice an empty gallery, representing a blank screen. Throughout the week, the curators will search for art, not only via artists bringing work into the gallery, but also by way of field trips to studios, art colleges, and cafes. The goal is to showcase the process of curating a contemporary art exhibit, not just the finished product. The opening reception is from 6 to 8; the exhibition takes shape through March 30 at Spanganga Gallery, 3376 19th St. (at Mission), S.F. Admission is free; call 821-1102 or visit www.spanganga.com.