NEWS AND UPDATES
Penaber Mediterranean Meze House
x Venus and Victory
Mediterranean Restaurant
Celebrating culture, community, and creativity
We are so happy to partner with our neighbors at Penaber Mediterranean Meze House for the curation of their very first art installation. This family-run restaurant is known not only for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere and fabulous meze, but also for its powerful story and deep cultural roots.
Penaber means immigrant in Kurdish, an identity that defines the heart and soul of this restaurant. Founded in 2025 by Ismail Akar, a Kurdish immigrant and former engineer, and his cousin Orhan Pilis, an artist who discovered his passion for food after arriving in the U.S., Penaber was created to honor heritage through flavor.
Every dish is handmade from scratch, rooted in the rich culinary traditions of the Mediterranean and Kurdish cultures. The entire team is made up of immigrants, each bringing their own story and spirit to the table. At Penaber, food is more than a meal. it’s a shared experience, a memory, a connection to home.
For this inaugural art installation, we’re featuring Jake Kenobi (@springbreak.jake), an artist we first met at the Superfine Art Fair. His work A Silence Never Touched blends seamlessly into the vibe of the restaurant, creating a visual and sensory experience that pairs beautifully with Penaber’s cuisine.
Each framed piece is a signed archival print (24" × 30") and available for purchase.
We’re also showcasing David Reposar’s Planet Cuaro / Dream The World You Want It in Penaber’s bar area, adding depth and beauty to the dining experience.
We carry small archival prints at the Venus & Victory gift shop.
📍Visit Penaber Mediterranean Meze House to enjoy a fabulous meal, connect with the incredible team, and experience these beautiful works of art in person.
Sales inquiries: Contact @venusandvictory.
Introducing Our Patreon
Mediterranean Restaurant
Join the Venus & Victory Community
We’re excited to announce the launch of our Patreon, a new way for friends, neighbors, and art lovers near and far to support the work of Venus & Victory.
Our gallery has always been more than a space for exhibitions. It’s a community hub in the Downtown SF — a place where artists, musicians, and storytellers come together to share and develope their creativity. By joining us on Patreon, you help ensure that this work continues to grow and thrive.
Supporters will enjoy a range of special benefits — from early exhibition access and gift shop discounts to archival prints, private gatherings, and unique experiences in the world of art and culture. Each tier offers its own way to connect more deeply with the art and the lovely people behind it.
Your contribution helps us:
• Sustain a gallery that celebrates local artists.
• Keep our doors open during First Thursday Art Walks and beyond.
• Expand programming, collaborations, and off-site projects.
• Support the artists whose work bring the gallery to life.
Whether you’re a Patron planting a seed at $5 a month, a Luminary helping light the way, or a Guardian of Culture shaping the city’s creative future, your support matters.
👉 Explore our tiers and join the community today: [link]
Together, we’ll keep building a space where art, culture, and community flourish.
Penaber Mediterranean Meze House
x Venus and Victory
Mediterranean Restaurant
Celebrating culture, community, and creativity
We are so happy to partner with our neighbors at Penaber Mediterranean Meze House for the curation of their very first art installation. This family-run restaurant is known not only for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere and fabulous meze, but also for its powerful story and deep cultural roots.
Penaber means immigrant in Kurdish, an identity that defines the heart and soul of this restaurant. Founded in 2025 by Ismail Akar, a Kurdish immigrant and former engineer, and his cousin Orhan Pilis, an artist who discovered his passion for food after arriving in the U.S., Penaber was created to honor heritage through flavor.
Every dish is handmade from scratch, rooted in the rich culinary traditions of the Mediterranean and Kurdish cultures. The entire team is made up of immigrants, each bringing their own story and spirit to the table. At Penaber, food is more than a meal. it’s a shared experience, a memory, a connection to home.
For this inaugural art installation, we’re featuring Jake Kenobi (@springbreak.jake), an artist we first met at the Superfine Art Fair. His work A Silence Never Touched blends seamlessly into the vibe of the restaurant, creating a visual and sensory experience that pairs beautifully with Penaber’s cuisine.
Each framed piece is a signed archival print (24" × 30") and available for purchase.
We’re also showcasing David Reposar’s Planet Cuaro / Dream The World You Want It in Penaber’s bar area, adding depth and beauty to the dining experience.
We carry small archival prints at the Venus & Victory gift shop.
📍Visit Penaber Mediterranean Meze House to enjoy a fabulous meal, connect with the incredible team, and experience these beautiful works of art in person.
Sales inquiries: Contact @venusandvictory.
Penaber Mediterranean Meze House
x Venus and Victory
Mediterranean Restaurant
Celebrating culture, community, and creativity
We are so happy to partner with our neighbors at Penaber Mediterranean Meze House for the curation of their very first art installation. This family-run restaurant is known not only for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere and fabulous meze, but also for its powerful story and deep cultural roots.
Penaber means immigrant in Kurdish, an identity that defines the heart and soul of this restaurant. Founded in 2025 by Ismail Akar, a Kurdish immigrant and former engineer, and his cousin Orhan Pilis, an artist who discovered his passion for food after arriving in the U.S., Penaber was created to honor heritage through flavor.
Every dish is handmade from scratch, rooted in the rich culinary traditions of the Mediterranean and Kurdish cultures. The entire team is made up of immigrants, each bringing their own story and spirit to the table. At Penaber, food is more than a meal. it’s a shared experience, a memory, a connection to home.
For this inaugural art installation, we’re featuring Jake Kenobi (@springbreak.jake), an artist we first met at the Superfine Art Fair. His work A Silence Never Touched blends seamlessly into the vibe of the restaurant, creating a visual and sensory experience that pairs beautifully with Penaber’s cuisine.
Each framed piece is a signed archival print (24" × 30") and available for purchase.
We’re also showcasing David Reposar’s Planet Cuaro / Dream The World You Want It in Penaber’s bar area, adding depth and beauty to the dining experience.
We carry small archival prints at the Venus & Victory gift shop.
📍Visit Penaber Mediterranean Meze House to enjoy a fabulous meal, connect with the incredible team, and experience these beautiful works of art in person.
Sales inquiries: Contact @venusandvictory.
FINE ART JEWELRY COMMISSION
A celebratory piece presented to a prominent figure for her outstanding work in reproductive rights.
Artist David Reposar @ Venus & Victory had the extreme honor of designing, creating, and collaborating— with full creative license alongside his fabricating team of many decades— to craft this outstanding amulet for an amazing woman.
Thank you to all who trusted in the process and believed I could deliver such a glorious piece, worthy of the immense celebration of a superwoman.
This abstract piece embodies the strength of women and the life force energy they hold and release into the world.
She represents LOVE, LEADERSHIP, EMPATHY, PROTECTION, and HEALING.
Materials: 14K gold, diamonds, Persian turquoise.
FINE ART JEWELRY COMMISSION
A celebratory piece presented to a prominent figure for her outstanding work in reproductive rights.
Artist David Reposar @ Venus & Victory had the extreme honor of designing, creating, and collaborating— with full creative license alongside his fabricating team of many decades— to craft this outstanding amulet for an amazing woman.
Thank you to all who trusted in the process and believed I could deliver such a glorious piece, worthy of the immense celebration of a superwoman.
This abstract piece embodies the strength of women and the life force energy they hold and release into the world.
She represents LOVE, LEADERSHIP, EMPATHY, PROTECTION, and HEALING.
Materials: 14K gold, diamonds, Persian turquoise.
VENUS & VICTORY x GROUNDFLOOR SF
VENUS & VICTORY is very proud to announce our new partnership with GROUNDFLOOR SF.
We are beyond grateful to have this opportunity to be curating the ART + ARTIST for 2025 at their flagship location. Each show will be approximately three months in duration with an Artist Reception. So we look forward to inviting all of our current friends, patrons and art lovers to this wonderful welcoming space.
GroundFloor SF is a Social Club also known as The Peoples Club in the very vibrant Mission District.
You can gain more insights on their website: Groundfloor SF is located at:455 Valencia Street SF CA 94103
Please follow along as we roll out the shows for 2025 both at VENUS & VICTORY + GROUND FLOOR SF
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QUOTE
After 10 years of having their darkroom in storage, artist Dillon Jo accumulated 75 rolls of undeveloped film. Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of ever processing it all Venus & Victory offered a 3 month residency to fulfill the dream and create what became The Process. The condition and contents of the film have been a mystery box from many eras of this life, clean, dirty, dark, psychedelic, beautiful, painful, brittle, colorful, and raw. Over the months the show evolved with new batches of images from hand processed B/W to color negative film.
"The longer I spend time with the film and each individual frame, the more I rediscover layers of nostalgia I’ve missed since the dawning of my iPhone photo scroll review habits. From the anticipation of developing negatives, to selecting and printing an individual picture, to creating test prints and capturing the right balance of light - lost emotions are unlocked. Senses and processes hidden in the mind like a time capsule venture deeper into the liminal space beyond the visual realm of an image."
Dillon Jo
