Kadist, a Paris-based nonprofit art organization, announced the closure of its San Francisco gallery after 14 years of operation. The space, which opened in 2011, was known for commissioning and exhibiting works by international artists such as Hank Willis Thomas, Jota Mombaça, and Ad Minoliti. Joseph Del Pesco, Kadist’s Americas director, stated that the closure was not due to funding issues but rather a strategic shift toward international collaborations with museums across the Americas and beyond. The organization will continue to operate its original space in Paris and maintain its collection of over 2,000 artworks.
The closure of Kadist San Francisco adds to a growing list of influential art spaces that have shuttered in the city since the pandemic, including the McEvoy Foundation for the Arts and commercial galleries like Gagosian and Ratio.3. This trend has sparked broader debate about the health of San Francisco’s art scene, though local critics and dealers have pushed back against claims of decline. Kadist’s departure represents a significant loss for the city’s non-commercial art landscape, as noted by artist Lynn Hershman Leeson, and underscores the ongoing challenges facing mid-sized nonprofit venues in major urban centers.