'My Blue Bottle Vase': Black History Month Prebys Play Day
Visual art, Dance, Books, Family, Kids, Black Culture
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego's La Jolla campus hosts a monthly free admission event, with programming between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. particularly geared towards families with children — though anyone, kids or not, can take advantage of free access for the entire day.
This month, they're marking Black History Month with a spotlight on the Black artists in their collection, including Mildred Howard, by arranging some flowers in a vase in the style of her sculptures. There's also a kid-friendly tour, dance performances from Disco Riot and a storytime.
Details: Children's programs are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12. MCASD, 700 Prospect Street, La Jolla. Free.
Bread & Salt: Sofie Ramos, Armando de la Torre, Jan van Munster and Project [BLANK]
Visual art, Music - Experimental
It's another big Saturday at Bread & Salt, with the every-few-months convergence of multiple opening receptions for new exhibitions, a new artist-in-residence, Barrio Art Crawl's extended hours and neighborhood block party feel, and a performance in the Brick Room to close out the night. Here's a preview of the new stuff:
Sofie Ramos: 'Life Raft'
Los Angeles-based artist Sofie Ramos opens her new exhibition in the main gallery this Saturday, filling the space with colorful, massive assemblages meant to mimic a life raft.
"There's a lot of bad things in the world, but I'm trying to make a little bit of an alternative universe where maybe we can work with what we have and make something that can at least distract us and be fun for a moment," Ramos said. "Also, maybe all of our objects will save our lives, or maybe we will go down with them. It's unclear."
Armando de la Torre: 'On the Blue Line'
In the adjacent Athenaeum Art Center, Armando de la Torre’s new, site-specific installation is an homage to the Blue Line trolley and all that’s wrapped up in his relationship with the journey from the border in San Ysidro to points north — stories, families, the natural world, optimism and more.
Artist in residence: Mensah Bey
Artist Mensah Bey is the new artist-in-residence at Bread and Salt for the next three months. You may be able to check out what he's working on during gallery hours, but generally, the residents open up the studio space and show work during the second Saturday Barrio Art Crawl. I love Bey's use of layering, geometry and fantastical looping bodies in his figurative paintings.
Jan Van Munster: 'Straight Curved (Light/Dark)'
Quint ONE will host Dutch artists Jan Van Munster's light sculpture in their small gallery space at Bread and Salt, coinciding with all the other openings from 5-8 p.m. Van Munster's piece is a set of contrasts, with two distinct glowing pieces. As the name implies, there's light and dark, curved and straight — but also one seems softer and fuzzier while the other is sharp. Bonus fact: Joy Division's "Substance" inner album art and "Atmosphere" single cover both used Van Munster sculptures.
Project [BLANK]: 'Illuminated Music'
Presented by interdisciplinary artist Nick Lesley's SPACE TIME project, "Illuminated Music," is part of Project [BLANK]'s affordable, monthly concert series of experimental and new music. This month, the focus is on the combination of image and sound manipulation, with a screening of a work of video art by Steina and Woody Vasulka, as well as live performances from Helixhand and Kevin Schwenkler. This performance begins at 8 p.m., directly following the Barrio Art Crawl receptions. Tickets are $10 or donation-based at the door.
Details: All visual art receptions are free and run from 5-8 p.m.; "Illuminated Music" starts at 8 p.m. and is $10/pay what you can. 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights.
La Jolla Symphony and Chorus: 'Walking with Ghosts'
Music - Classical
Composer (and UCSD alum) Mary Kouyoumdjian brings her work "Walking with Ghosts" to the La Jolla Symphony's upcoming performances. The piece, which features an incredible bass clarinet part, will be performed alongside Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" and more. Steven Schick returns to the group to conduct — in his new emeritus role.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12. Mandeville Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Drive, UC San Diego. $19-$32.
Drowse, Neutral Shirt, …And Today It Was You, Ebaugh
Music - Indie/Experimental
Portland's slowcore, ambient, lo-fi act Drowse, a project of Kyle Bates, will come to San Diego on Saturday, performing at Tower Bar as part of an album release tour for "Wane Into It." Drowse will be supported by locals Neutral Shirt, a dreamy, lo-fi indie project from Matty Terones, …And Today It Was You, and the experimental group Ebaugh.
Details: 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. $7.
Sylvia Berry with Bach Collegium
Music - Classical
Billed as a "chamber music salon," this Bach Collegium San Diego special performance features guest Sylvia Berry on the fortepiano.
Bach Collegium puts together historically informed performances of Renaissance, Baroque and early Classical period music, using early musical instruments — like the fortepiano. A fortepiano is considered an early form of the piano, and the term is used for instruments from the late 1600s through the early 19th century or before the evolution of the modern piano.
Details: 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10. All Souls Episcopal Church, 1475 Catalina Blvd.
'How Did We Get Here' book release
Books, Family, Kids
"How Did We Get Here" is a new graphic novel about the history of City Heights. It's published by the AjA Project and is part of a series from Urban Habitat, a nonprofit organization based in the Bay Area that has published similar books for other significant neighborhoods. The book will launch at Verbatim Books with a panel discussion with AjA Project founder Shinpei Takeda, as well as the author and editor Haneen Oriqat and illustrator Chey Diehl.
Details: 6:45 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12. Verbatim Books, 3793 30th Street, North Park. Free.
More weekend arts events we're covering:
I spoke with Moxie Theatre's Jennifer Eve Thorn about their new production of "Birds of North America," which opens tonight. It's about birders, a father and daughter, and climate change. "There's this moment in the play where John (the father) says he's worried that the birds are going to miss the signals and that they're going to potentially not know it's time to migrate," Thorn said.
KPBS' Beth Accomando has a preview of this year's Black Com!x Day, returning to the WorldBeat Cultural Center this weekend. It's 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Tune in to KPBS-TV for Evening Edition at 5 and 6:30 p.m. Thursday night for Beth Accomando's preview of San Diego Opera's "The Puccini Duo: Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi." Performances begin Saturday and run through Sunday, Feb. 19, at the Civic Theatre.
For more arts events or to submit your own, visit the KPBS/Arts Calendar. And be sure to sign up for the KPBS/Arts newsletter here.
