Latest news with #fnnch
Daily Mail
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Interior of iconic San Francisco 'Painted Lady' house
The Painted Ladies - a row of seven pastel colored homes in San Francisco - have long been an iconic staple in California, but one of them has a drab interior thanks to a new art exhibit. People from all across the world venture out to the Bay Area's Alamo Square Park to get a glimpse at the stunning properties , which were famously featured in the 1987 sitcom Full House. And now, tourists can walk into the Pink Painted Lady home to tour an art exhibit hosted by fnnch Museum - but the inside is far from what the exterior looks like. Behind the doors, the pop-up event, which opened to the public on July 23, features a unique display of Honey Bear paintings along colorless, bland walls. A total of 116 Honey Bear paintings, created by local artist fnnch, are on display in the house. Keen art observers don't have to pay to go, but they do have to register to get inside. The tour is around until October and is open seven days a week from 12pm to 8pm. The artist, a Missouri native who describes himself as an 'anonymous American street artist,' is excited to have his paintings on public display. 'I am thrilled to finally reveal the "fnnch Museum," a project I have been working on all year,' he said in a social media post. 'It is a retrospective of 10 years of Honey Bear paintings, and it is being hosted in one of the famous Painted Ladies of Alamo Square.' Others who have made their way to the exhibit or plan to do so have also shared their elation. 'Went today and the show is FANTASTIC!!! Also, the woman at the front desk was awesome,' one wrote. 'I had accidentally registered for the wrong date and she sorted it so quickly and seamlessly,' an Instagram user wrote on fnnch's post,' they added. 'Looking forward to checking out this exhibit by @fnnch,' said another. While some are thrilled about the display, others are not at all happy about it. In 2021, he was called out in a petition with people demanding his artwork be removed from the city's LGBT center because it is 'inappropriate.' Specifically, the page said it was wrong for him to paint there because he is a 'cis, straight, white, male gentrifier' who is 'taking up space in what should literally be a LGBT location.' 'The local street art and queer community are already blighting out his mural regularly and have vowed to keep it up until it is removed and replaced for good,' it continued. The page also shared an image of a person standing in front of the graffiti-filled mural with their middle fingers in the air. Daily Mail contacted fnnch for comment. The Pink Painted Ladies home is not the first to open its doors, as there is also a Blue Painted Lady House Tour. People can explore the home for 90 minutes daily at 4pm for $35 a person, according to its social media page.
Daily Mail
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Iconic San Francisco 'Painted Lady' house's shocking drab interior revealed in public art exhibit
The Painted Ladies - a row of seven pastel colored homes in San Francisco - have long been an iconic staple in California, but one of them has a drab interior thanks to a new art exhibit. People from all across the world venture out to the Bay Area's Alamo Square Park to get a glimpse at the stunning properties, which were famously featured in the 1987 sitcom Full House. And now, tourists can walk into the Pink Painted Lady home to tour an art exhibit hosted by fnnch Museum - but the inside is far from what the exterior looks like. Behind the doors, the pop-up event, which opened to the public on July 23, features a unique display of Honey Bear paintings along colorless, bland walls. A total of 116 Honey Bear paintings, created by local artist fnnch, are on display in the house. Keen art observers don't have to pay to go, but they do have to register to get inside. The tour is around until October and is open seven days a week from 12pm to 8pm. The artist, a Missouri native who describes himself as an 'anonymous American street artist,' is excited to have his paintings on public display. 'I am thrilled to finally reveal the "fnnch Museum," a project I have been working on all year,' he said in a social media post. 'It is a retrospective of 10 years of Honey Bear paintings, and it is being hosted in one of the famous Painted Ladies of Alamo Square.' Others who have made their way to the exhibit or plan to do so have also shared their elation. 'Went today and the show is FANTASTIC!!! Also, the woman at the front desk was awesome,' one wrote. 'I had accidentally registered for the wrong date and she sorted it so quickly and seamlessly,' an Instagram user wrote on fnnch's post,' they added. 'Looking forward to checking out this exhibit by @fnnch,' said another. While some are thrilled about the display, others are not at all happy about it. 'Remember the time he called himself an immigrant from Missouri? Wild times,' one wrote. 'Lovely home. Hard pass on the 'artist',' wrote another. Someone else labeled his artwork 'Gentrified graffiti.' 'But…he sucks,' a user wrote. Fnnch, who has only been pictured with face masks on, is no stranger to controversy as he was previously blasted by critics who appear to be tired of seeing his Honey Bears plastered across San Francisco. In 2021, he was called out in a petition with people demanding his artwork be removed from the city's LGBT center because it is 'inappropriate.' Specifically, the page said it was wrong for him to paint there because he is a 'cis, straight, white, male gentrifier' who is 'taking up space in what should literally be a LGBT location.' 'The local street art and queer community are already blighting out his mural regularly and have vowed to keep it up until it is removed and replaced for good,' it continued. The page also shared an image of a person standing in front of the graffiti-filled mural with their middle fingers in the air. Daily Mail contacted fnnch for comment. The Pink Painted Ladies home is not the first to open its doors, as there is also a Blue Painted Lady House Tour. People can explore the home for 90 minutes daily at 4pm for $35 a person, according to its social media page.
CBS News
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
One of San Francisco's "Painted Ladies" open as museum for fnnch's honey bear art
Art and history enthusiasts are being offered a rare chance to see inside one of San Francisco's iconic "Painted Ladies" across from Alamo Square. The interior of the "Pink Lady" has been transformed into a temporary art museum showcasing the work of its owner, San Francisco street artist fnnch. "The way we think about it is, we are just inviting you into our home, to see an art collection," fnnch said. The conversion into an art gallery marks a new chapter for both the artist and the historic home. fnnch explained the property's journey after he and his wife bought it in 2020. "My wife and I attempted to remodel that house for our family, and we spent two years trying to get permits and were unable to. So, we put the house on the market, thought it was a bad time, 2022. So, we took it off the market, and it sat empty ever since." Now, the house is far from empty. The exhibit features all 116 Honey Bear paintings from across fnnch's career, giving visitors a rare opportunity to step inside a Painted Lady. Speaking at his San Francisco studio, fnnch described the inspiration behind the now-famous Honey Bear. "To me, the honey bear is positive, nostalgic, and inclusive, so it's something positive for people to enjoy, and it hearkens back to a childhood where you want sugar, frankly. But it's got like positive vibes. And it's inclusive because it doesn't require a lot of cultural knowledge. You see it, you can understand it right away. You don't have to have, you know, studied art history to get what it means and to enjoy it," fnnch said. The free exhibit welcomes both locals and tourists. Luciana Hernandez, visiting from Mexico, said she was drawn by her love for fnnch's work and the home's "Full House" nostalgia. "Well, it's amazing as a tourist, it's fun to come here. Now they opened it up as a museum. So it's amazing to just come here, get inside, and now, you know, seeing all these little bears we have here that became so famous, it's amazing," Hernandez said. Despite the honey bears' playful appearance, they require painstaking, hand-crafted work. In addition to his creations on wood panels, fnnch's murals, many commissioned across the city, have become a recognizable symbol of San Francisco. However, not everyone embraces the artwork. Some critics argue that the honey bear has become commercialized and represents gentrification. fnnch, however, remains committed to the city he says he loves. "I still think SF is the best city in the world to live in. To me, it's really a culture of makers. You know, you're not judged here by what shoes you're wearing or what handbag you're holding. But, kind of like, what you're doing with your time," he said. Each honey bear reflects a different community or theme, and fnnch said his mission is simple: to spread joy through art. "To me, if like, you're having a bad day, and you see like a happy painting, maybe your day gets a little better. So, I say, life is hard enough without sad art. So, I'm just trying to bring some positivity. And I like seeing that myself, and I hope to do that with my own art for other people," he said. The exhibit combines positivity, artistry, and a rare glimpse inside one of San Francisco's most famous Victorian homes.
Axios
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Honey bear exhibit opens inside Pink Painted Lady
In San Francisco, few public art displays have become more ubiquitous than the infamous honey bear — painted in bold colors with whimsical themes across walls, windows and businesses. State of play: Now, the San Francisco street artist behind the artwork — who goes by the alias fnnch — is offering rare access to a coveted Painted Lady with a free exhibit featuring hundreds of original honey bear designs from the past decade. Driving the news: The fnnch Museum, which opened July 23, transforms a major tourist destination into an art exhibit inside one of San Francisco's most photographed homes. By the numbers: 1,476 people visited the exhibit last week — nearly double the turnout from the week prior, per fnnch. Between the lines: All 116 honey bear editions will be showcased in one space for the first time. The exhibit includes a timeline of most of the honey bears' origins with photos and design notes, plus more than 250 handmade placards. What they're saying:"I believe art is for everyone and these artworks have been my attempt to make quality paintings more accessible," fnnch told Axios via email. Yes, but: What began as playful street art in 2015 has since drawn backlash among critics, who say that fnnch's honey bears have come to symbolize gentrification, cultural homogenization and widespread displacement in a city struggling with deepening inequalities. Our thought bubble: Although the show presents a unique opportunity to visit a historic landmark, Nadia thinks it's likely to reignite debate over privilege and visibility in public art. Claire has desperately wanted to go inside a Painted Lady, and this exhibit was a great way to get a peek. It was filled with a mix of tourists and locals, and she thought everyone left with a newfound appreciation for the city's quirkiness.
San Francisco Chronicle
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
One of S.F.'s most famous houses is hosting a free pop-up museum
The artist behind San Francisco's iconic Honey Bear paintings has opened his own pop-up museum in Alamo Square. A total of 116 pieces by the painter known as fnnch are on view through October in one of the city's famous Painted Ladies. The works, borrowed from collectors across the country, chronicle the past 10 years of his work. 'Never before have all the bears been in one space,' fnnch wrote on Instagram, announcing the opening of the pop-up on July 23. 'I guarantee there are some you have never seen.' Fnnch's paintings of bear-shaped honey bottles have become a familiar sight to locals and visitors over the years, plastered on San Francisco storefronts, featured in murals and even emblazoned on Bay Area sports teams merchandise. The Fnnch Museum includes a timeline of the Honey Bears, photos and more than 250 placards made by the artists about his works. Fnnch reported on social media that more than 800 people visited the space during its opening week. The museum, located in the pink-hued Painted Lady house, is open Wednesdays through Sundays. It is unclear when in October the pop-up will close. Admission is free, but advance online appointments are required. There is a maximum of two guests per registration. Fnnch previously told the Chronicle that he began painting the Honey Bears in 2015 'because they make me happy,' and continued 'because they make other people happy.' Despite his intentions, however, the artist has stirred some controversy. While fnnch has intentionally remained anonymous, he is widely believed to be a straight white man who works in the tech industry — a status that provoked backlash from the Bay Area arts community. Critics argue his Honey Bear murals, which proliferated during the COVID pandemic, are emblematic of privilege and have displaced marginalized local BIPOC artists. Fnnch contends that his mission is to bring art within reach for a broader audience. 'I believe art is for everyone,' he wrote on Instagram last month. 'These artworks are my attempt to make quality paintings more accessible.'
