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Home Bedford Gallery MenuViola Frey: Foundations
January 10 – April 5, 2026
About
Foundations explores the formative years of legendary Bay Area artist Viola Frey from 1965 to 1987, tracing her pivotal shift from two-dimensional works to groundbreaking three-dimensional forms. Rarely exhibited paintings, drawings, photographs, and ceramics emphasize her practice and spectacularly illustrate the artist’s mind and her cyclical reinvention of ideas. This exhibition draws from the Artists’ Legacy Foundation’s deep holdings in addition to seminal works from private and institutional collections.
Viola Frey: Foundations Events & Workshops
In addition to the exhibition, Bedford Gallery will offer workshops and programming that are open to the public. Be the first to know about upcoming events by signing up for our e-news!
Cocktails & Conversation with Daisy Murray Holman & Cynthia de Bos of Artists' Legacy Foundation
Thursday, March 12 from 5:30 pm - 7 pm
BUY TICKETS
or
SAVE WITH A COCKTAILS + CONVERSATION BUNDLE
Bedford Donor Preview
Saturday, January 10, 2026
4 – 5 pm PDT
Free for Bedford Donors.
Bring your ID for entry.
Opening Party
Saturday, January 10, 2026
5 – 7 pm PDT
General Admission (ages 13+) — $5
12 & under — FREE
Bedford Donors — FREE
General Admission
January 11 – April 5, 2026
Wed - Sun from 12 pm – 5 pm PDT
Pay What You Can (ages 13 and over)
Note: Pay What You Can does not apply to opening parties, special events, or workshops.
*OPENING DAY TIME CHANGE: Bedford’s opening parties are moving to a new evening timeslot! Please join us on opening day starting with the Donor Preview from 4 – 5 pm followed by the Opening Party from 5 – 7 pm. The first day to view Viola Frey: Foundations during regular gallery hours with Pay What You Can admission will be Sunday, January 11 from 12 – 5 pm.
Artwork Credits
Studio View: Man Contemplating Spiral, 1982. Studio View: Man in Doorway, 1983. Pitcher of Mother, 1978. Small World Civilization and Culture Box, 1975. Chicken on a Chair, 1974. Untitled (Blue Vessel with White Lines, Protruding Figures), 1969-70. Planet Full of People, 1969. Untitled (Seated Woman in Green Chair), 1965-67. Untitled (Seated Woman, White Chair), 1965. Untitled (Two-Sided Page: Two Standing Female Nudes / Standing and Seated Nudes), Side B, 1968. © Artists’ Legacy Foundation, Oakland / ARS, New York. Images courtesy of Shaun Roberts.