Good morning, and welcome to the U-T Arts & Culture Newsletter.
I’m David L. Coddon, and here’s your guide to all things essential in San Diego’s arts and culture this week.
An ongoing exhibition in Point Loma’s Liberty Station is about more than pairs of artists teaming up to create new works – though that’s pretty impressive on its own. If you’ve ever tried to write or paint something with a partner then you know what I’m talking about. But here’s the takeaway about “Women Work Together” from its curator Elizabeth Tobias:
“Creative collaboration is such a powerful tool for new ideas and new outlooks and new ways of doing things,” she said. “Rather than being divided and having so many differences of opinion, what a wonderful possibility it is when we just create together and go through the act of creating art as a bridge culturally and emotionally.”
“Women Work Together” at the Mandell Weiss Gallery is a project of the Feminist Image Group (FIG), described by Tobias as “a collective of artists in San Diego at all different career levels in art who identify as feminists.” There are more than 70 artist members in San Diego.
For “Women Who Work,” 11 artist duets as they’re called collaborated for four months, either in studios or virtually, to produce artworks in various mediums.
“The artists got to know each other better,” explained Tobias, whose background is in expressive art therapy. https://elizabethtobiasarts.com/ “They learned to put aside their individual styles and to communicate with someone else and create something new together.”
As for the feminism connection, “There’s something about feminism as a philosophy that’s non-hierarchical,” Tobias said. “We’re all working here as equals together.”
“Women Who Work” is on exhibition through Aug. 9. Admission to the gallery is free. elizabethtobiasarts.com/mandell-weiss-gallery.
Movies
I can only imagine how “Easy Rider” must have shaken up the so-called Establishment when it arrived in movie theaters in 1969. The indie road film starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper (co-written by them with Terry Southern) gave meaning and metaphor to the biker film genre. Its depiction of the counterculture and the drug culture of the times has never been approximated in any other movie.
It’s been years since I’ve seen “Easy Rider.” The next time I do (I’m coming to that) it probably will seem like a dated period piece, a hippies-era middle finger to the ruling class in America. But I do remember that it’s a powerful film expressly created to be anti-Hollywood that in its way changed Hollywood, at least for a while. That’s why it’s still revered by many cinephiles.
See “Easy Rider” on the big screen this weekend at the La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas at 6 p.m. Saturday or 5 p.m. Sunday. For tickets, visit https://www.lapalomatheatre.com/showtimes.
Local film
Last week I told you about Encinitas filmmaker Roman Koenig’s “Red Blooded,” one of the nominees for the annual San Diego Film Awards. Those awards will be bestowed on Saturday night at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.
The 10th San Diego Film Awards recognizes filmmakers from the student level to professionals along with the actors and technical people who are integral to this enduring art form. The awards are organized by the San Diego Film Consortium.
This show is local and purist where you’ll meet artists of all ages driven by their sheer passion for film. The celebration begins at 5 p.m.
Art lecture
I don’t usually highlight lectures, but one happening Friday at 10 a.m. at the aforementioned Museum of Photographic Arts merits mention: “The Transformative Interplay: Where Art and Architecture Converge.”
Presented by the San Diego Museum of Art, the insights about architecture and its appreciation as an aesthetic experience will come from Roxana Velasquez, executive director and CEO of SDMA. What she has to say may change the way you view the architecture around you and enlighten you on how that can be an emotional experience.
A building is not just a building. Visit sdmart.org.
Pop music
Scottish singer-songwriter Al Stewart certainly isn’t the only person ever to be inspired by the classic film “Casablanca.” That being said, watching it back in the ‘70s gave him an intro to a new song (co-written with Peter Wood) that would make him famous: “Year of the Cat.” That nearly seven-minute-long jangly recording featured catchy piano, a killer sax solo and vivid lyrics that Bogie himself would have appreciated.
I’m pretty sure you’ll hear it live when Stewart performs on Sunday night at the Belly Up in Solana Beach. Incidentally, “Year of the Cat” still holds up today as does the rest of that album of the same name, which was produced by Alan Parsons.
U-T arts stories you may have missed this week
Check out this year’s must-try new foods at the San Diego County Fair
San Diego’s 32 most anticipated new restaurants this summer
Andra Day sets 2024 tour, including San Diego concert at Humphreys. Here are all the dates
San Diego makes an awards splash at the 77th Tony Awards
Putting down roots: Mainly Mozart to open All-Star festival at its new artistic home in La Jolla
THEATER REVIEW: Lamb’s ‘Spelling Bee’ a hilarious microcosm of youth angst
New Village Arts readies ‘The Color Purple’ musical in Carlsbad
Pointeworks stepping up: New ballet company presents inaugural show
UCTV
University of California Television invites you to enjoy this special selection of programs from throughout the University of California. Descriptions courtesy of and text written by UCTV staff:
“Earl Thomas and the Gospel Ambassadors Featuring Sister Leola”
Earl Thomas, with a voice as powerful as his soulful energy, returns from a three-year hiatus to present his latest production, “Earl Thomas and the Gospel Ambassadors featuring Sister Leola.” Born into a musical family in rural Tennessee, Thomas blends traditional and contemporary gospel with rock, soul and rhythm & blues. His music embodies the rich legacy of African American culture and history, continuing the tradition of oral storytelling through song. Join the excitement at UC San Diego’s Park & Market Guggenheim Theater as Thomas and his ensemble electrify the audience with a performance that promises to make you sing, dance, and get out of your seat.
“A Deep Look into the AI Revolution in Health and Medicine”
As artificial intelligence increasingly influences our daily lives, questions have emerged about its integration into health and medicine. AI is now being implemented in operating rooms, critical care units for patient evaluation, and even in our homes to support those with disabilities. Along with AI’s promise come ethical and social implications — crucial in healthcare — including the representativeness of datasets used in algorithm training to prevent perpetuating health inequities. Four leading experts share their views on how society is navigating the new frontiers of artificial intelligence and the future of healthcare.
“Discussion of the Film ‘Corazon Azul’”
Director Miguel Coyula and actor Lynn Cruz join UC Santa Barbara’s Kiley Guyton Acosta and Cristina Venegas to discuss their film, “Corazón Azul.” This thought-provoking film, set in an alternate reality, uses allegorical imagery to explore Cuban political and historical contexts. Coyula and Cruz delve into the film’s intricate development process, which spanned several years, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of independent filmmaking in Cuba. The discussion offers a deep dive into the symbolic layers of “Corazón Azul,” providing insights into its narrative and the broader implications for Cuban cinema.
And finally, top weekend events
The best things to do this weekend in San Diego: June 21-23.
Coddon is a freelance writer.
