wandering eye

by glen helfand

THE GLIMMERS OF spring last week presented a perfect excuse to hit Golden Gate Park to survey the progress of the new M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, which I must say, is a sight that conjures up dreams of our cultural future. The Herzog and de Meuron building, even under construction, looks to deftly balance architecture and the environment.

But more impressive is the scale: while still allowing for open space between the museum and the Japanese Tea Garden, the building looks capable of holding a heck of a lot more art than the previous one. (Pictures are viewable at www.thinker.org/deyoung.) Meanwhile, March 13, the Fine Arts Museums assert a more contemporary edge as the California Palace of the Legion of Honor opens a show of photographs by Adi Nes, an Israeli artist who creates lush color images that make his country's ideas of the military and masculinity into something uncomfortably beautiful.

There's also something seasonally appealing about Michael Arcega's high-concept project at Oakland's Lucky Tackle: the artist made a Spanish galleon out of manila file folders and sailed his vessel on Tomales Bay. The ship, El Conquistadork, and artifacts of the voyage are on view through April 3.

Heck, springtime also seems to oil collaboration between what might be warring teams. Graduate art students at UC Berkeley and California College of the Arts are mounting the juicily titled "Fluid Exchange," in which CCA artists exhibit at Cal from March 9 through 19, and vice versa from March 19 until the end of the month.

The Lab's eighth edition of its annual fundraising art sale and auction takes place March 19, (advance viewing starting March 15), and with fixed-priced works going for $50 to $250, it's truly one of the best and most affordable such events. Forgo a few lattes till then and I bet you'll be able to buy some art.

Of note: "Lineaments of Gratified Desire" at Catherine Clark; Frank Haines and Anne Collier at Jack Hanley; Catherine Wagner at Stephen Wirtz.