Moving Forward

Dear Friends of Modern Eden Gallery, 

Since we opened in 2010, we have always said it has been nearly impossible to stop and reflect on our accomplishments since the next goal, hurdle, or exhibition was always just around the corner. Last week marked our 4 year anniversary and we have taken this time to reflect, appreciate, and celebrate all that we have accomplished alongside our artists and art-loving patrons.

We started this whole endeavor with a huge dream, an inadvisable amount of money, and an adorable puppy. From the moment we began the business, we have been dedicated to professionally and passionately exhibiting artwork that we felt was underrepresented in the San Francisco fine art scene. There has not been a moment when we were not proud of the artwork we were showing or our mission of supporting like-minded artists throughout the world.

We have put our hearts into every wall, nail, and floorboard. Looking back, we are so grateful for all the moments shared in the gallery; Each artist's reception, first Friday, conversations on art with friends, parties, milestones, dinners, and everything else in between. Since the day we opened, we have grown into something that we both had never quite dreamed. The means to this end are not lost on either of us. Without the support of our community, we would never have made it past the first few months. We will be forever grateful to those who have been with us each step of the way.

As many of you know, the art scene in San Francisco is being affected by the real estate/tech boom that is sweeping through the City. Our situation is not immune to this change and we were notified a few months ago that our rent would be doubling at our current location. Modern Eden is a labor of love and this news came crushing down on us. We struggled with ideas of paying the unreasonable increase, looking for a comparable space, and we even had thoughts of closing our doors. It is a statement of the current condition when our business, which is thriving, is finding itself displaced and threatened.

Over the last several weeks, we have done a lot of soul-searching and careful consideration. After watching announcements day after day of important arts organizations, fellow galleries, artists, and art supply stores going out of business or being evicted, we feel the need to stay and fight for the community we occupy and serve. We are dedicated to our artists and patrons and we believe San Francisco still has the creative spirit and force that will enable us to stand our ground and protect our community.

When one door closes another opens...

Very much like the city we love and inhabit, our business is rapidly changing and growing, and we are very excited to announce our new location at 801 Greenwich Street (at the corner of Mason and Columbus). We are still remaining in our beloved North Beach neighborhood, just a few blocks up the hill from our current location. This new location will serve our artists better with greater exposure and higher traffic in a more visible spotlight. We will have a secure, temperature and humidity controlled art storage system in order to better protect our collection of works on hand. We will continue to grow our online experience and this new opportunity will allow us to participate in art fairs to reach a global market and ensure our long-term presence in San Francisco.

Our final show at 403 Francisco Street will be in July with Lacey Bryant's second solo exhibition, Lacuna, and a group exhibition aptly entitled Home. We anticipate a seamless transition to 801 Greenwich and will be debuting the new space on August 16, 2014 with "A Perilous Journey" a solo exhibition of paintings by Tara Krebs.

We hope that each of you will continue to grow with us and inspire us with your love, support, and artistic contributions to what has become our dream come true. Onward and upward!

Sincerely,

Kim Larson
Bradley Platz