ESCONDIDO–There is plenty going on in San Diego’s art world — you just have to know where to look! At The Museum at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, viewers can enjoy the return of singular contemporary art pieces with two concurrent exhibitions: Contemporary Constructions: Matthew & Iris Strauss Family Foundation and In the Studio: Artist Dialogs.
The exhibitions, presented by curator Wendy Wilson, will be open from January 22 to February 22, 2015. The Strauss collection, highlighting contemporary artists from around the world, includes hot off the press new works from Elliott Hundley, Yin Xiuzhen, and Nicholas Kahn & Richard Selesnick. In the Studio explores the art-making process from 1970 to the present through stories and artwork emphasizing the life of both the artist and assistants. For additional information, please visit artcenter.org/museum.
Viewing contemporary art through the eyes of one of America’s top collectors, Contemporary Constructions presents a new perspective on modern society. Artworks in the exhibition allow viewers to see our world from the perspective of artists who construct personal stories and capture common artistic trends through their paintings, photography, sculpture, and video. San Diego’s Matthew and Iris Strauss Family Foundation, which was listed in ARTNews 200 Top Collectors, defines multinational contemporary artwork from 1962 forward. The diverse and thought-provoking exhibition takes guests on a journey, all propelled by our recent generations’ thoughts, construction and deconstruction of national narratives and socio-political systems. Featured works include Untitled Steamer Trunk by Spanish artist Chema Alvergonzales and Los Alidos by Cuban artist José Bedia, as well as pieces from countless others including Mel Chin, Inka Essenhigh, and Angelo Filomeno.
In the Studio will take museumgoers behind-the-scenes with an intimate look into the artist’s studio, including personal stories emphasizing the artistic process and relationships between artist and assistants. Curator Wendy Wilson says, “these exhibitions let viewers connect the dots to discover relationships between collectors and artists, the process of production, as well as the necessity of relationships in supporting art creation.” Featured artists include Raúl Guerrero with artwork created in studio with Ed Kienholz and Sam Francis, as well as works by Peter Phillips and Roy David Rogers who have worked on early performance and sculptural pieces with Eleanor Antin. Longtime studio assistant Shane Guffogg shares stories about his life with Ed Ruscha and other Los Angeles artists. Enjoy an in-depth look into the life of studio artist assistants, how they collaborated with some of the 20th Century’s most influential artists, and the brilliance behind their very own masterpieces.
The museum will once again feature student artwork on the Student Gallery Wall. The Student Gallery Wall will showcase the artwork of college students from San Diego County. Students are asked to submit 2D and 3D artwork exploring the creative influence of contemporary art and the concept of artists as transcribers of stories. If selected for display, the artwork will remain in the gallery for the duration of the concurrent exhibitions. Student artists may be asked to share their talents by talking about their work with museum patrons, doing demonstrations, or participating in group and/or panel discussions. Electronic submissions must be turned in by 5 p.m. on Monday, January 5, 2015. For more information on exhibiting student work, contact Kirsten at (760) 839-4176 or kvega@artcenter.org.
The Museum at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido is an inviting 9,000-square-foot exhibition space boasting three galleries, a sculpture court, secure collections storage, and a museum store. During exhibitions, the Museum is open Thursday – Saturday (10 am – 4 pm), and Sunday (1 pm – 4 pm). Tickets are $8; members and children under 12 get in free. Senior (60+), military and student discounts are available for $5.
In honor of Museum Month, the Center Museum will offer half-priced admissions to anyone who has picked-up a Museum Month Pass at a participating San Diego Macy’s store during the month of February.
For more information, call (760) 839-4178, or visit: artcenter.org.
