“Approximately Infinite Universe” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla

"Channeling Aura I" by Desiree Holman

Written by Emily Shaw

The Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla opened doors to its exhibition, “Approximately Infinite Universe” on June 7 and will continue to show the collection through September 1. The seemingly strange title is borrowed from avant-garde artist Yoko Ono’s 1973 album. The moniker is fitting, however, as the show not only features Ono’s work, but is comprised of pieces generally dealing with the workings of our universe.

From time travel to adventures in space to futuristic creations, the art of “Infinite Universe” puts our universe on display from every strange, ugly and fascinating angle.

The museum is open from 11 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day, Wednesdays not included. Admission fees are generally low and children and students under the age of 25 are admitted for free. Tickets are free for all attendees every third Thursday.

For a bit of added fun, check the museums website to see their schedule of music events and movie showings, usually taking place from 5 p.m. 8 p.m. on designated nights. Otherwise, stop by for dinner and a show. Food trucks line the streets outside the museum most Thursday nights.  

After visiting “Infinite Universe” and taking in the works by artists like Chitra Ganesh, Desiree Holman, and Saya Woolfalk, be sure to stop by another La Jolla art hotspots, Thumbprint Gallery. The art gallery is Located at 920 Kline Street and features contemporary, urban, lowbrow, and graffiti art from local artists. Thumbprint Gallery is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Source

http://www.lajollalight.com/2013/07/11/exhibit-explores-alternate-realities-at-museum-of-contemporary-art-san-diego-in-la-jolla/?pid=5156

“Haute Nights” In La Jolla

Written by Emily Shaw

Everything heats up in the summer, but this season things are getting even hauter. The city will host Haute La Jolla Nights over the course of the next few months to showcase the arts and social scenes. On July 27, August 17, September 14 and November 16, La Jolla residents and guests of the city are invited to take to the streets for evenings full of music, shopping, dining and – most importantly – fun.

Bring out friends and family to hear the musical stylings of artists such as blues artists Casey Lee and Gregory Michael, or if ska is more your thing check out local band Neverready. There are many more artists slated to perform, spanning genres from jazz to country to rock.

Also, a night out is never truly a night out without good food, wine and spirits. Everyone’s favorite La Jolla haunts are offering all sorts of deals and specials for the Haute Night festivities. Stop by a beloved place or try somewhere new: Whatever you choose, you’re bound to be impressed by La Jolla’s top notch restaurants and bars.

For the shopaholics of La Jolla, retailers will stay open late on these special nights to encourage late-night splurges. But these buys wont necessarily break the bank – during La Jolla Haute Nights, stores will be offering exclusive discounts to customers.

Finally, don’t forget about the visual arts. La Jolla boasts a great gallery scene, featuring a wide range of styles and artists. Galleries up and down the streets of La Jolla will be welcoming walk-ins to view special openings and exhibitions. One must-see spot is Thumbprint Gallery located at 920 Kline St. Stop by this unique La Jolla art gallery to learn about contemporary, urban, lowbrow, and graffiti art from local artists.

Source

http://www.lajollabythesea.com/hautelajollanights

Fallen Star Provides New Perspective

Fallen Star- Suh

Everyone has felt out of place and a little disjointed with one's present location. That feeling of alienation and changing perspective is captured in Do Ho Suh’s odd house called “Fallen Star.” It is the eighteenth commissioned sculpture for UCSD's Stuart Collection, in La Jolla. This off-kilter house is an expression of Suh’s own feeling of cultural displacement.  He left Korea in 1991, leading him to explore the idea of ‘home’ and memory.

Upon leaving the doors on the seventh floor of Jacobs Hall, one is immediately transported to a new environment. A path leads through a small, perfectly manicured, garden and up to a blue house that seems to be falling off the corner of the green balcony. This ‘home’ not only sits off the side of Jacobs Hall, the interior itself is slanted. The floor, ceiling, and furniture all sit at odd angles. Looking around the space, it is hard to figure out what is plumb and what is not. There is no real guideline to base these judgments on. The only object in the room that hangs properly is the chandelier, and even so it looks crooked as well. One’s balance is completely thrown off and a sense of vertigo is always hovering in the back of the viewers mind.  The space is a unique experience that has a lingering affect.

“Fallen Star” is a spectacular place to visit. With so many visitors to La Jolla, everyone can find a connection to Suh’s meaning. After experiencing “Fallen Star,” stop by Thumbprint Gallery, on Kline Street in La Jolla, to see contemporary and lowbrow art by local artists. The gallery is open 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Source:

http://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/artists/suh.shtml

Read, Write, Think, Dream of La Jolla

Read/Write/Think/Dream -Baldessari

Entrances to buildings have been an important and central part of architectural and artistic design for what seems like eternity. It is the first thing someone will see upon entering and the last thing as they leave. It is a portal, a transition from one space to the next. John Baldessari understood the conceptual and visual impact of an entrance and employed his style and vision into the main entrance to Geisel Library at UCSD in La Jolla. Baldessari used students as the focal point in this piece, entitled “Read/Write/Think/Dream.”

Primary-colored automatic doors are flanked by ten-foot tall portraits of UCSD students. Erect like pillars, they stand on bases of shelved classic books. As the doors to the library open, the primary colors blend, turning green and orange. It is a transition of color as well as space. Above the doors the paneled glass reads: READ, WRITE, THINK, DREAM. It is Baldessari’s reminder to the students that the library itself is a gateway to higher thinking, understanding, and imagination.

Baldessari used the foyer in his designs as well. Glass panels featuring seated students are directly opposite the automatic doors. To the left are giant writing utensils of various colors ordered in a rainbow. Through a second set of doors with Southern California palm trees is a photomural of the beach, which is clearly a nod to the beauty of the La Jolla coastline.

Baldessari uses color, image, and text to bring together the complexity of the Geisel Library: the students and books that inhabit the building, the concept of the library and university, and the stunning location of the school itself. Once you have seen Baldessari’s “Read/Write/Think/Dream” visit Thumbprint Gallery, on Kline Street in La Jolla, to see more art by local la jolla artists. The gallery is open 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Source:

http://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/artists/baldessari.shtml

A Table Laid with Thought

Green Table-Holzer

Jenny Holzer is an internationally renowned artist whose opinions and truths are the foundation, and form, of her controversial work. Text is her primary means of artistic expression. Her truisms have been on posters, scrolling LED screens, projected onto buildings, and installed in various museums around the world. UCSD commissioned Holzer to construct a sculpture for the La Jolla campus as part of the Stuart Collection. The product of this commission is entitled “Green Table” and resides in the Muir College Quad.

This oversized granite table is borderline monumental. Besides it’s size, the entire surface is carved with text. True to Holzer’s repertoire, some of it is humorous observations and commentary, while others are political criticisms. This table, which provides space for students and faculty to sit, eat, study, and congregate also has several conversation starters spread out before them.

Some of the text reads:

“Expiring for love is beautiful but stupid”

“Change is valuable when the oppressed become tyrants”

“Abuse of power comes as no surprise”

Longer stretches of text cover the top of the dark grey table. These messages are in a sense Holzer’s way of providing “food for thought,” presented at a table in a place of learning, UCSD. It is an interesting way of expressing ideas, inspiring discussion, and encouraging thought outside the classroom or laboratory. 

To experience more local, thought provoking, contemporary and lowbrow art, visit Thumbprint Gallery, on Kline Street in La Jolla. The gallery is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Source: http://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/artists/holzer.shtml

'Something Pacific' about La Jolla

Something Pacific-Paik

Technology is a process of improvement and replacement. Once a newer, better, faster, model is released, the older models become obsolete and are then replaced. The growth of technology and dependence in the United States has shaped our culture and social lives as well. This is a theme in Nam June Paik’s sprawling installation “Something Pacific” at UCSD in La Jolla.

Nam June Paik is inspired by Dadaism and was part of the Fluxus movement of the post World War II era. His work using televisions quickly became a signature for his work.

In "Something Pacific,” Paik uses old and ruined televisions and incorporated them into the landscape surrounding UCSD's Media Center. Some have Buddha and figural companions blankly staring at the empty screens. A copy of Rodin’s ‘Thinker’ sits atop an old Walkman near the entrance to the building. This TV graveyard can take many meanings. It is a reminder that tv and media have shaped the landscape and environment of modern times. It is also a warning to students of the cyclical nature of technology.

The lobby of the Media Center has one of Paik’s interactive TV displays. Students can change what is being viewed on the banks of screens using a control panel. Video sequences of Paik’s or MTV can be manipulated on the multiple screens. The colorful changing screens are a striking contrast to the almost macabre scene outside the Media Center doors.

To learn more about art in La Jolla and local contemporary and lowbrow artwork, visit Thumbprint Gallery on Kline Street. The gallery is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Source:

http://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/artists/paik.shtml

A Walk Along a La Jolla 'Terrace'

Terrace-Ferrara

Architecture and landscape design are both ways of dividing space into harmonious and functional areas. College campuses have an enormous amount of space in which to work with. Jackie Ferrara did a project for the Stuart Collection at the La Jolla campus of UCSD, creating a terrace space for the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Facility. The ‘Terrace” was designed with the help and consultation of the architects from Moore Ruble Yudell and landscape designer Andrew Spurlock. With their advice during the early development of the project, the Terrace became functional and aesthetically appealing.

The Terrace has three main parts, the large northern terrace, the central space dominated by circular stairs, and a smaller southern terrace. Each section flows into the other. Black, red, and green slate tiles are used to pave the walkways between the three areas. The walkways are surrounded by Australian willow trees and benches; encouraging scientists to rest in the sun and contemplate. The terraces link the two wings of the building, creating an overall pleasant cohesive look to the facility.

The linear patterns of the walkway combined with the consecutive curvature of the staircase juxtaposed with the stone and grassy landscape create an interesting blend of hard and soft. The Terrace is a feat of architectural and landscape design. Once you have finished contemplating the complexities of cellular division on the Terrace, drop by Thumbprint Gallery, on Kline Street in La Jolla, to see contemporary and lowbrow art. The gallery is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12 p.m. to  4 p.m.

Source:

http://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/artists/ferrara.shtml