San Francisco's Art Scene Finds Momentum in Community-Driven Collecting

Sesse Elangwe's portrait sold for $22,000 at Fog Art + Design, highlighting the city's growing art ecosystem.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 2:07pm by Ben Kaplan

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Sesse Elangwe's 2025 canvas True Friends? was one of several striking portraits on view at San Francisco dealer Jonathan Carver Moore's booth at FOG Art + Design, where it sold quickly for $22,000 to a local collector. Elangwe, a self-taught 31-year-old Cameroonian artist, created the work during a recent residency run by Moore, which aims to introduce artists to the city and foster meaningful relationships between collectors and artists.

Why it matters

The sale of Elangwe's portrait is a prime example of how emerging galleries are building a connected, sustainable art ecosystem in the Bay Area, where collectors are deeply intentional and supportive of the growing art scene.

The details

Elangwe is known for his focused portraits of Black people who often meet the viewers' gaze directly and are rendered with 'emotionally charged' eyes. Another of the artist's portraits, And My Better Half (2025), was pre-sold to a Bay Area collector for $9,000. Moore said that during San Francisco's Art Week, 'you truly see how deeply intentional its collectors are and how supportive they are of our ever-growing art scene.'

  • Sesse Elangwe's 2025 canvas True Friends? was sold at the FOG Art + Design opening on January 21, 2026.
  • Elangwe recently completed a residency in San Francisco, run by Jonathan Carver Moore.

The players

Sesse Elangwe

A 31-year-old self-taught Cameroonian artist known for his focused portraits of Black people with 'emotionally charged' eyes.

Jonathan Carver Moore

A San Francisco-based art dealer who runs a residency program aimed at introducing artists to the city and fostering relationships between collectors and artists.

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What they’re saying

“You truly see how deeply intentional its collectors are and how supportive they are of our ever-growing art scene.”

— Jonathan Carver Moore, Art dealer (artnet.com)

What’s next

The residency program run by Jonathan Carver Moore will continue to bring more artists to San Francisco, further strengthening the city's growing art ecosystem.

The takeaway

San Francisco's art scene is gaining momentum through community-driven collecting, where emerging galleries are fostering meaningful relationships between artists and local collectors who are deeply invested in supporting the city's growing creative landscape.