O. Smith: Artivist

Orlando Smith was telling KQED how he became an "artivist" when a robotic voice cut in: "You have one minute left." He has been in San Quentin since 1999, and he attended his own opening over FaceTime. This is the museum's first solo show by a currently incarcerated artist.

About 50 drawings and posters fill three rooms on Floor 2, in the comic-panel style Smith has used since he redrew Marvel heroes in sixth grade. During the COVID lockdown he turned to illustrated journalism, drawing cramped cells and showers where nobody could keep their distance. The newest work, from 2025, argues for San Quentin's aging prisoners, and you read it panel by panel like a comic, except the narrator is still inside.

Curator Nancy Lim told KQED the work has "a rare clarity" and a "really rare combination of artistry and research." Entry is included with general admission ($30, free for 18 and under), with no separate ticket. SFMOMA is closed Wednesdays and open until 20:00 on Thursdays.