Los Angeles-based artist Sarah Cain, known for her vibrant and immersive installations, is currently presenting a new site-specific work at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). The installation, titled “Atrium Projects / Sarah Cain: To — you know — you,” occupies the museum’s atrium with bold colors stretching across both wall and floor. It includes painted sofas, a small canvas, four vases, and a stained glass window overlooking Oxford Street.
Cain, who received her master of fine arts degree from the University of California Berkeley in 2006, describes her process as spontaneous and unplanned. “I like the pressure and risk involved,” she said. “I try not to think. I get fleeting visions right before I know what to do, and I try to act and respond. They’re all about staying present and flexible.”
She emphasizes making art accessible to a broad audience: “I like pushing what painting is, what painting is to different people, how you can engage with anyone from any walk of life,” she explained. “I want to break the painting out of its preciousness.”
Raised in upstate New York, Cain left high school at 15 but found inspiration during frequent visits to museums. Reflecting on those experiences she said, “Everything felt dead… I didn’t want that feeling to come from anything she created.” A transformative moment occurred when viewing Mark Rothko’s paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., which moved her deeply despite knowing little about the artist.
After studying at various institutions—including art schools in New York and Paris—Cain completed her undergraduate studies at the San Francisco Art Institute before joining UC Berkeley’s Department of Art Practice in 2004. She credits her time there as formative: taking classes such as feminist studies with professor Trinh T. Minh-ha provided space for independent exploration.
Over the past two decades, Cain has produced hundreds of works ranging from large-scale public installations—such as a 150-foot-long stained glass wall at San Francisco International Airport—to smaller pieces that incorporate found objects. Many of her projects are temporary by design; installations may remain for months or years before being removed or destroyed.
“They’re in an in-between,” she noted about her ephemeral approach. “Life is ephemeral, and how do we come to terms with that? By just embracing it. I don’t want a warehouse full of art — that’s really heavy. You’ve got to let go of stuff.”
The title for her BAMPFA installation comes from poet Diane Seuss’s book “frank: sonnets,” suggesting an intimate connection between artist and audience. As Cain stated: “Art is for the people.”
“Atrium Projects / Sarah Cain: To — you know — you” will be on view until June 2027 at BAMPFA. Tickets can be purchased online or at the museum front desk; admission is free for UC Berkeley students, staff, faculty, and all visitors on the first Thursday of each month.
