The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco will present “Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON” at the de Young Museum from August 30, 2025, to August 2, 2026. This exhibition marks the first solo presentation by a contemporary Native American artist at the museum and features two newly commissioned works.
The exhibit will transform Wilsey Court into a homage to Pueblo art, showcasing two customized classic cars by Rose B. Simpson: a 1985 Chevrolet El Camino named Maria and a newly commissioned 1964 Buick Riviera. These vehicles are painted with pottery motifs that honor both Pueblo pottery traditions and Lowrider culture in northern New Mexico. The cars will be surrounded by a site-specific mural that evokes the Southwest environment.
“Rose B. Simpson’s LEXICON deeply engages with the rich tradition of Pueblo pottery,” stated Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. He highlighted how Simpson’s work bridges past and present through her artistic expression.
Hillary C. Olcott, Curator of Arts of the Americas at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, commented on how “the installation connects the car cultures of New Mexico and California” while encouraging visitors to reflect on personal visual vocabularies.
Simpson grew up in Española Valley, New Mexico, known as “Lowrider Capital of the World.” Her work explores themes such as identity and heritage through custom classic cars which she views as vessels akin to Pueblo pottery.
Coinciding with this exhibition is the opening of newly renovated Native American art galleries at de Young in August 2025. The reinstallation has involved collaboration with Native scholars from various disciplines to offer new insights into ancestral and historic Native American collections.
Rose B. Simpson holds an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design and an MA in Creative Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Her work is featured in numerous museums across North America including SFMOMA, Met Museum in New York City, and more.
“Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON” is organized by Hillary C. Olcott alongside contributions from FAMSF’s Contemporary Art Program.
The Fine Arts Museums’ collection includes significant works by Native artists from western North America supported by donations like those from Thomas W. Weisel family among others contributing to its depth in Indigenous art holdings.
Greta Gordon serves as Communications Manager for further inquiries about this exhibition or other related matters concerning FAMSF.
