PRESS RELEASE

Things We Say
A mouthful of works by Risa Iwasaki Culbertson

February 06 - March 01, 2026
Opening Reception, February 06, 5pm - 9pm

Words I’ve Been Waiting to Hear-Kevin 2, wool over felted form, 2026.

The Exhibition:

MAG Galleries is pleased to announce the second exhibition of Risa Iwasaki Culbertson, Things We Say, A Mouthful of Works, which showcases 95 needle-felted sculptures of mouths. Each piece expresses various forms of communication, ranging from love to consternation. The joy that Risa brings to her work is consistently tempered with a serious underlying tone.

According to Iwasaki Culbertson, “this body of work has been inspired by and contains friends, loves, complicated relationships, mouths I’ve spoken endless conversations with, healing words, lessons learned, words I’ve been waiting to hear, secrets shared, brief encounters, strangers turned friends, family either chosen or not, and people I’ve lost. 

The things we say to one another, that can’t be replicated, makes life worthwhile. The exhibition, Things We Say is a case for the complexities, deep conversations, brief encounters, and life changing connections that create the human experience.”

Left, Georgie, wool over felted form, 2026
Right, Untitled, wool over felted form, 2026

Artist Bio:
Risa Iwasaki Culbertson is a multi-disciplinary artist in San Francisco, CA with a focus in: fiber arts, illustrating, and story telling. Biracial and born in Japan, she grew up creating art as a way to bridge the gap between her two worlds. Inspired by the healing and connective power of humor and play, she creates her wacky, whimsical, and colorful work as a way to process deep emotions in grief and joy, while creating places of belonging and find ways to stay connected to those we love.

Left: Words I’ve Been Waiting to Hear-Kevin (series), wool over felted form, 2026.
Right: Words I’ve Been Waiting to Hear-Kevin 1, wool over felted form, 2026.

Castro ArtWalk, February 06, 2026, 5:00 - 9:00pm

We invite you to join a guided tour of The Castro ArtWalk with a group of like-minded individuals. If you are interested in signing up, please click on the images below.

The tour will begin at 5:00 PM at location #18, MAG Galleries, 3931-18th Street