Todd Merrill, FOG Design+Art 2015. Photo by Drew Altizer.
Unique wall mirror with shelf, in stack-laminated cherry and walnut. Designed and made by Wendell Castle, Rochester, New York, 1974. Signed and dated on the underside, "WC 74." 1. Image courtesy Joe Kramm/R & Company.

The 2016 FOG Design + Art fair open to the public on Thursday, January 14, at the Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion  -- a stylish and spacious venue on the San Francisco Bay. Named after one of the city’s most defining features, FOG speaks to San Francisco’s famously progressive spirit by celebrating and promoting the wildly innovative world of modern and contemporary art and design.

Now in its third year, FOG has quickly emerged as one of the West Coast’s must-see art and design events thanks to its cutting-edge yet accessible demeanor, top-notch offerings and robust programming. Its location in a city teeming with deep-pocketed, design-minded tech professionals doesn’t hurt either. Despite its newcomer status, FOG has amassed an impressive exhibitor roster that includes some of the most respected names in the industry such as Todd Merrill Studio Contemporary, R & Company, Friedman Benda, Magen H Gallery and Hostler Burrows. Works on view will run the gamut from historical pieces by Joaquim Tenreiro and Wendell Castle at R & Company’s booth (you can also catch works by Castle at Friedman Benda) to a new collection of unique, material-driven studio works made with today’s most refined and innovative techniques at Todd Merrill’s booth. Meanwhile, Magen H will present a superbly curated selection of Modernist furniture by such luminaries as Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier and Jean Prouve.

In addition to a spectacular array of furniture, fine art and design objects, FOG will present exhibits, installations, and discussions featuring international gallerists, artists, architects and tastemakers. Highlights include a presentation on Northern California’s woodworking renaissance of the 1970s on Friday, January 15, and a lecture about the importance of a collector’s instinct on Saturday, January 16. The fair will also include the installation 21POP: Cut It Out by the San Francisco-based designer and artist Stanlee Gatti, which celebrates “craft by hand,” and a pop-up dining experience from foodie hotspot Cotogna.

Soraya Osorio Epic Chair (pictured with Epic Desk), H. 40"x W. 17" x 16." Available on a commission basis with custom finishes and cushion material available. Offered by Todd Merrill Studio Contemporary.

FOG will kick off with a preview gala on Wednesday, January 13, benefitting the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), which is slated to reopen this May following a much-talked-about renovation. If you’re interested in learning more about the project, SFMOMA’s Modern Art Council is leading a panel discussion on Friday, January 15, titled Deconstructing Design: Inside the New SFMOMA. Panelists will explore the design principles, styles, and aesthetics behind and within SFMOMA's newly expanded building.

FOG Design + Art will run through Sunday, January 17. For more information visit www.fogfair.com or call 800.454.6401.