In 2018, curator Micki Meng founded a non-profit publication and research hub challenging the existing frameworks available to artists. She sought stewardship from leading art figures including Susanne Ghez, Hank Willis Thomas, Laura Owens, Franklin Sirmans, Nion McEvoy, and others who served on the Board. As a publication, the organization commissioned texts by notable writers including Nathaniel Mackey, Olivian Cha, and Rita Gonzalez.
In 2019, Meng was offered a hand-me-down space by the artist community, and Friends Indeed was born. Our first gallery location was founded as an absurdly small experimental vitrine featuring works for sale by leading local and international contemporary artists. The gallery borders San Francisco’s historic Chinatown and downtown Financial District, beneath a Philip Johnson designed building, overlooked by the three Corporate Goddesses. In Fall 2021, Friends Indeed expanded to a second location in Bayview. The new gallery is near to the ICA San Francisco where Meng is a founding partner.
As a curator-led gallery, our artwork placements are primarily with museums, foundations or collectors involved with them to support the longevity of the artists we champion. Often times, we work with international curators to organize exhibitions, talks, and special projects. Our gallery-cum-institution reimagines the traditional framework of what a dexterous contemporary art space looks like; borrowing from both to meet the needs of artists today. We support emergent conversations of diaspora in today's hybrid and international canon, mentorship for young artists, with an overall aim of fostering a healthy and equitable arts eco-system in the San Francisco and global art dialogue.
Friends Indeed Gallery is founded by Micki Meng with Eric Li and Nazlı Ercan.
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Sustainability
Friends Indeed Gallery dedicates a portion of its annual profit, time and activity towards land conservation.
Current Exhibitions
Michelle Blade
Bayview
Locations
Chinatown
716 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Valet garage parking is available across from the gallery at 650 Sacramento Street.
Bayview
1720 Armstrong Ave #1A
San Francisco, CA 94124
Easy street parking.
Los Angeles
5831 Perry Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90232
Street parking available.
Mailing Address
2442 45th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94116
Gallery Hours
Chinatown: 12PM-3PM on Friday and Saturday
Bayview: 12PM-3PM Wednesday through Friday
LA: 12PM-6PM Wednesday through Friday
Happily by appointment to hello@mickimeng.com
Sales Inquiries:
Micki Meng
micki@mickimeng.com
Press Inquiries:
archive@mickimeng.com
Team
Micki Meng is a dealer, curator and artist advocate working on the West Coast in a global context for over fifteen years. She has held gallery positions at Regen Projects, Los Angeles and Altman Siegel, San Francisco; and curatorial roles with LA><ART, 12th Istanbul Biennale, 9th Shanghai Biennale and The Wattis Institute where she also served as Assistant Director for five years while managing the renown Capp Street Artist Residency. She is founder of &Art&, a publishing & nomadic partnership initiative sourcing solutions for artists in the contemporary moment. She has also been involved with councils and committees such as Artadia’s founding chapter in San Francisco, Headlands Center for the Arts, SFMOMA’s SECA Art Council, YBCA's Art+Action Committee, Founder of Patrons for Experimental Progress and a co-founder of 8-bridges. As an educator, she has taught and lectured in MFA and Curatorial programs across the Bay Area including CCA, SFAI, and Stanford. She frequently advocates next generation support for museums and volunteers as the Director of Philanthropy for Art into Acres, an environmental initiative founded by Haley Mellin.
Artist and Museum Liaison - Los Angeles
Marie Heilich
Gallery Assistant
Samantha Hiura
Press
Florie Hutchinson
Design & Co-Founders
Eric Li & Nazlı Ercan
Head of Admin
Janette Lu
Gallery Assistant
Brenda Martinez
Associate Director
PJ Policarpio
