PHOTOS | Opening Night for Bay Area Then and MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy

Event: Opening Night for Bay Area Then and MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy
Date: August 1, 2025
Location: YBCA, San Francisco
Photos: Natalie Schrik for Drew Altizer Photography

On Friday, August 1, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts threw the party of the summer — and San Francisco’s art scene showed up. The public opening for Bay Area Then and MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy transformed YBCA into the cultural epicenter of downtown, with galleries packed, music pulsing, and the Bay Area’s creative elite shoulder-to-shoulder celebrating two groundbreaking exhibitions. Ruby Ibarra, fresh off her win as NPR’s 2025 Tiny Desk Contest star — and a proud Bay Area native — ignited the room with a high-voltage performance that had the crowd rapping along, phones in the air, and the Forum literally shaking.

The energy didn’t stop there. DJ Shortkut kept the beats rolling, and avant-garde musician BARR delivered an unexpected, electrifying set that had guests talking long after the music ended. A who’s-who of artists, collectors, and tastemakers explored YBCA’s halls, snapped shots with the art on display, and toasted the city’s cultural heartbeat. By the end of the night, one thing was clear: downtown San Francisco is back — and YBCA is leading the charge.
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​Notable attendees:
​Mari Robles – CEO of YBCA
​Raquel Redondiez – SOMA Pilipinas Director
​Eungie Joo – Guest Curator, Bay Area Then
​Trisha Lagaso Goldberg – Guest Curator, Makibaka