Visual art
Margaret Noble: 'Drift'
Local conceptual artist Margaret Noble constantly amazes with her thoughtful, inventive and experimental approach to understanding and translating creativity and technology into an astonishing variety of formats. Her latest work, a large-scale installation involving a mural, animation and a lesson in art history, is the culmination of her recent residency at the Timken. It's inspired by a painting in the next room, François Boucher's 1758 masterpiece, "Lovers in a Park." Noble's "Drift" uses source material from the painting itself, transformed into animation projected onto a 38-foot painted mural and accompanied by a sound art installation.
The video animates zoomed-in details of the painting, as inky black paint appears to scrawl new images on a glass overlay. The work invites viewers to think differently about the Boucher painting when they pass it again on the way out. The Timken is always free.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday; through Sept. 6 | Timken Museum of Art, 1500 El Prado, Balboa Park | Free | MORE INFO
Salvador González: 'Peso for Your Thoughts'
Barrio Logan coffee shop and gallery Por Vida has a new exhibition on view, featuring surreal portraiture by artist Salvador González. The solo show includes new and older paintings, and the artist will be in attendance for a reception on Saturday. DJ Disco Volador will spin music, and food will be available from Brujas Cocina. If you can't make the reception, the gallery is free and open daily, so plan to pair one of your weekend coffee runs with some incredible art.
Reception: 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Gallery hours: 8 a.m. daily; through Sept. 7 | Por Vida Cafe, 2148 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan | Free | MORE INFO
Books and poetry
Twilight Poetry at Queen Califia's Magical Circle
Niki de Saint Phalle's immersive Queen Califia's Magical Circle sculpture garden comes to life at sundown this Friday for a poetry reading. The writers include Oceanside’s new poet laureate, Karla Cordero, whose collection "How to Pull Apart the Earth" is excellent; Tracey Knapp, Jane Muschenetz and Patricia Aya Williams. The event is free and open to the public. Bring your own blanket or a rubber-footed lawn chair
Poetry aside, this is exciting because Queen Califia's has extremely limited public visiting hours and is rarely open at night. The sculpture garden is located inside Kit Carson Park.
6-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14 | Queen Califia's Magical Circle, 3333 Bear Valley Parkway, Escondido | Free | MORE INFO
Small Press Nite, Vol. 16
Two touring authors with new books will appear alongside two longtime San Diego literary heroes in this Saturday's Small Press Nite. North Carolina author Claire Hopple is coming to town to celebrate her newest book, "Change the Subject," along with Los Angeles-based author Scott Broker, whose latest is "The Disappointment." San Diego Poet Laureate Paola Capó-García and former journalist and AwkwardSD Substack writer Ryan Bradford will also read. Small Press Nite is always an excellent place to discover your next read — but each reading is also an entertaining experience, with stories ranging from absurd humor to horror to heartfelt. You might find me in the back near the boxed wine.
7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 | The Book Catapult, 3010-B Juniper St., South Park | Free | MORE INFO
Film
North Park Film Festival
For the next two weeks, the annual North Park Film Festival takes over restaurants, venues and theaters in North Park and the surrounding areas, including Normal Heights and East Village. The festival kicks off Friday with "The Golden Ghost Shorts" at Red Brontosaurus Records and continues Sunday with "Abstract Truths and Weird Wonders," a collection of avant-garde shorts that ranges from sci-fi to documentary to animation, at Verbatim Books in North Park. Both screenings are free.
The festival runs through Aug. 30, and most screenings are free. Other highlights include music videos at Blind Lady Ale House on Aug. 18 (free) and "La Planéte Sauvage" with a live score from the band Morricone Youth on Aug. 21 at DIY art space The Golden Ghost ($15).
Aug. 14-30 | Various locations | Free-$15 | MORE INFO
Music
SummerFest
The La Jolla Music Society's annual summer chamber music festival continues for two more weeks. This weekend's concerts culminate in an intimate "takeover" set with Kronos Quartet cellist and composer Paul Wiancko, performing two of his own pieces ("Cities of Air" and "Tiny Doors to Big Worlds") as well as work by Messiaen, Angélica Negrón and Salina Fisher. That's at 7 p.m. Sunday.
La Jolla Music Society also offers free programming throughout the month. This weekend's free offering is a musical prelude with Kairos Piano Quartet, at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14. The ensemble will perform William Walton’s lively "Piano Quartet in D Minor." Registration is required for free events.
Through Aug. 29 | La Jolla Music Society, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla | Prices vary | MORE INFO
The Black Heart Procession
Legendary locals The Black Heart Procession take the stage at the Casbah for two nights, performing new and old music as they kick off a tour. The group also recently reissued their definitive 1998 slow-core album, "1," which is the sonic equivalent of dredging through a moody, dreamlike fog (complimentary). Friday, they play with Young Destroyers and John Meeks. On Saturday, they will share the stage with Imaad Wasif and Sen K.
8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 14-15 | Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy | $36 | MORE INFO
Theater
'Ni Mi Madre'
Diversionary Theatre will open the West Coast premiere of Arturo Luíz Soria's Obie-winning one-person play, "Ni Mi Madre." It follows a Brazilian mother and her son as they navigate his queer identity and the culture, life and music of immigrants in the United States. Danilo Gambini directs.
Aug. 13 - Sept. 6 | Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights | $32-$65 | MORE INFO
Broadway's 'Hell's Kitchen'
With music and lyrics by Alicia Keys and book by Kristoffer Diaz, "Hell's Kitchen" is the moving story of 17-year-old Ali, growing up in New York City, and discovering the freedom, inspiration and power of creativity and music. The Broadway tour is directed by Tony nominee Michael Greif and stars Maya Drake as Ali. The tour is on stage in San Diego through Sunday.
7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday | San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown | $68+ | MORE INFO
'Arcadia' closing weekend
This weekend Cygnet Theatre will close its excellent production of "Arcadia" by playwright Tom Stoppard, which won the 1993 Laurence Olivier Award and was nominated for a Tony Award. Set in a single house in the early 1800s and then two centuries later, it centers on a set of interwoven mysteries rooted in the house, ranging from botanical and artistic questions to the astute scientific and mathematical observations of teenager Thomasina Coverly. In the present day, researchers return to the house to try to unravel the truth behind Thomasina's prescience. This play was a delight, with a talented cast taking on a challenging and brilliant script. I was not expecting so much physical comedy in a historical play about math.
Through Aug. 16 | Cygnet Theatre, 2880 Roosevelt Road, Liberty Station | $32.50+ | MORE INFO
For more arts events and ongoing happenings, visit the KPBS/Arts Calendar.
