Jonathan Carver Moore, founder of an eponymous gallery in San Francisco, is presenting a solo booth of new paintings by Cameroonian-born artist Sesse Elangwe at the FOG Design + Art Fair. The works, developed during a residency with the gallery, depict local Bay Area subjects against recognizable backdrops. Moore, who opened his gallery in 2023 after a career in nonprofit communications and criminal justice reform, emphasizes creating an inclusive, conversational atmosphere for art viewing and collecting.
This matters because Moore’s approach challenges conventional art market dynamics by prioritizing accessibility, personal connection, and long-term relationships over trend-driven sales. His gallery’s location in the Transgender Cultural District, near the historic site of the 1966 Gene Compton’s Cafeteria riot, underscores a commitment to marginalized communities. By focusing on Black, queer, Indigenous, and women artists, and by integrating a residency program that deepens artistic engagement, Moore models an alternative to the often exclusionary norms of the commercial art world.