Grandma’s Ashtray by Joanna Lioce

Experience the hidden textures of the Golden State through Grandma’s Ashtray, a found art exhibition curated by longtime North Beach fixture and Vesuvio bartender Joanna Lioce. This showcase departs from traditional gallery presentations, utilizing the historic, multi-level environment of Vesuvio Cafe to display a collection of objects and ephemera gathered from the coastal towns and desert stretches of California.

The Exhibition

Grandma’s Ashtray is a visual survey of the discarded and the rediscovered. The exhibition features a diverse array of found art pieces—ranging from vintage curios and weathered signage to obscure mid-century domestic artifacts.

The Collection: Each piece in the show has been sourced by Lioce during her travels across California. The items serve as tangible records of the state’s shifting cultural landscape, highlighting the aesthetic beauty of objects that have been aged by time and the elements.

The Theme: The show explores the concept of the “found object” as a narrative tool. By removing these items from their original contexts and placing them within the storied walls of Vesuvio, Lioce invites viewers to consider the personal and collective histories behind California’s roadside and suburban past.

The Arrangement: The art is integrated into the existing décor of the bar, creating a scavenger-hunt style viewing experience that complements the venue’s famous collection of Beat-era memorabilia and local art.

The Artist

Joanna Lioce has been a definitive part of the North Beach community for over 20 years. As a veteran bartender at Vesuvio and the creator of the Wacky Wednesdays music series in Kerouac Alley, she has long been a facilitator for the neighborhood’s creative energy. Her work as a collector and found-art curator is an extension of her role as a keeper of North Beach’s bohemian spirit, reflecting a lifelong interest in the intersection of history, travel, and accidental art.

The Setting

Vesuvio Cafe remains one of the most significant cultural landmarks in San Francisco. Established in 1948 and located next to City Lights Bookstore, it has served as the preferred haunt for generations of poets, artists, and musicians. The bar’s interior—with its stained glass, wood-paneled walls, and intimate second-floor balcony—provides a backdrop that is as much a part of the exhibition as the art itself.