Maybaum Gallery is proud to inaugurate their 2026 programming with a solo exhibition by Bay Area artist Ian Micheal. Born in Detroit in 1985 and lauded for his warm vignettes that leave room for interpretations of gender, emotion, storyline, and kinship, Micheal examples tender moments across large-scale canvases, often employing soft color palettes and layers of patterning over simple backgrounds.

Offering viewers a personal connection to the work and emphasizing the vibrancy of often-marginalized individuals, Micheal has exhibited his paintings internationally from Seoul to New York City, Mexico City to Los Angeles, and Vancouver to Miami. Maybaum Gallery is thrilled to bring his work to San Francisco for its premiere, and very much looks forward to welcoming the artist to the exhibition's opening reception on Saturday, January 17th, from 3-5 pm (at the launch of SF Art Week).

Ian Micheal (b. 1985 in Detroit, Michigan; lives and works in Oakland, CA) creates paintings that weave forms of human intimacy through his representation of comradery between androgynous figures. Highlighting nodes of deep affection, while allowing room for interpretation of gender and kinship, Micheal offers his viewers a personal connection to the work. Leaving figures and spaces they occupy simple and at times unfinished, the large-scale oil paintings celebrate often marginalized individuals by emphasizing their vibrancy.