The global economic collapse of the past few years has had a chilling effect on the art market, but luckily for us, the Bay Area has never had too many horses in that particular race. And there are many reasons for hope — new galleries like Guerrero Gallery and 941 Geary — and creative approaches to grant-making, courtesy of places like Southern Exposure. Here are our picks for the fall 2010 visual art scene.

And go here for...

Dance,  Theater,  Literary Events,  Film and Music.

And don't forget to check out our new Agenda calendar listings.

Thursday 9/16: 2010 01SJ Biennial: Build Your Own World (Visual Art)

The 2010 01SJ Biennial is a collaborative project presented by ZERO1 and dozens of partners in which artists, engineers and corporations attempt to re-build the world. From an “aeolian bike ride” with inflatable suits (open to the public) to a drive-in movie theater assembled out of wrecked cars, this four-day event will feature hundreds of artworks, performances, events and talks. The venues are mostly in San Jose and include vacant storefronts, the San Jose International Airport to the Catharine Clark Gallery in San Francisco. For a complete schedule and list of venues go here. Buy tickets here.

Saturday 9/18: Flotsam's Wonder World (Visual Art)

Tenderloin gallery-owner Justin Giarla (of White Walls, The Shooting Gallery and Gallery Three) is celebrating the official opening of his fourth gallery 941Geary with some good old-fashioned carnival fun. Flotsam’s Wonder World by artist Mike Shine, the inaugural exhibition, is an art opera of epic proportions, complete with music, films, carnival games, over 200 mixed media pieces and an enormous, vintage carnival tent. This creepy yet comical exhibition will be on view in the garage-turned-gallery 941Geary through October 30th.

941Geary, 941 Geary, San Francisco

Thursday 10/7: Scream With Me (Visual Art)

Music and tattoos go hand in hand—but they are rarely featured together in art exhibitions. “Scream With Me,” curated by Angela Homes, is a group exhibit that mixes the original works of a diverse group of musicians and internationally known tattoo artists. There will be performances throughout the night of the opening reception by various musicians, including Matt Skiba from the Alkaline Trio and Conrad Keeley from And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead. The opening reception is at 5 pm on October 7th.

Minna Gallery, 111 Minna Street San Francisco, CA 94105-3701

Sunday 10/10: Passport (Visual Art)

Ever wish your passport was a bit flashier than just faded stamps and empty pages? At Passport 2010, SFAC Gallery’s do-it-yourself annual public event, you can collect passport stamps custom-designed by artists in a special booklet. Participants will be given a map to stamp locations in Hayes Valley, where artists will personally stamp their mock-passports. The stamps have been designed by some of the Bay Area’s finest emerging and well-known artists. The Passport Kick-off Party will be on Saturday, October 9 from 6 to 9 pm at the Rickshaw Stop. Passports are $25 and can be purchased at the Kick-off party or online here.

Patricia's Green, 499 Octavia St San Francisco, California 94102

Monday 10/18: Alluring Subversions at Oliver Art Center (Visual Art)

How do everyday life and art intersect? Alluring Subversions, curated by Mariana Garibay R, is a series of talks by 18 artists from the California College of the Arts geared at bridging the gap between the artist and the community. Each of the three nights will feature a different group of artists and their reflections on how to turn experiences of the everyday into objects that question our reality.

Oliver Art Gallery, California College of the Arts, 5212 Broadway, Oakland, CA