Culture Lust Weekend: "The Lost Supper," Amos Lee and Go!

ART

If the picture to the left isn’t intriguing enough to have you rescheduling your evening right now, read on: as most of you local Culture Lusters most likely know, MCASD and USCD have come together to bring new invoative artists to San Diego through The Russell Foundation. This years featured speaker is Rachel Harrison, an internationally established artist known for her sound and installation art works influenced by Alvin Lucier and John Cage. She combines sculpture, collage, and photography to form a commentary on contemporary society and challenge current culture through her artwork. She's lecturing at MCASD tonight at 7.

In the age of fast food and mass produced art, “slow” has turned into a new kind of four letter word. Friday, So Say We All is setting out to change this. They are hosting “The Lost Supper” where slow food meets slow art, and through multi-media storytelling, they are helping us shift our focus to the process as opposed to the product - a novel concept in today’s twittered world.

Seven artists from the SDSU faculty have joined creative forces to curate and participate in Transposition, the newest exhibition at SDSU’s downtown gallery. Members of the School of Art, Design and Art HIstory cross multiple mediums and juxtapose many materials to bring us a new artistic experience.

For a poetic history of the place we call home, head over to D.G. Wills Books this weekend. Susan Suntree will be reading and discussing her new book, Sacred Sites: The Secret History of Southern California this Saturday. Combining history, science and mythology,Sacred Sites is one of a kind account of California’s beginnings.

MUSIC

Forget Starbucks or Yerba Matte, for some Free Energy just find your way to The Loft this Saturday! Free Energy, a “retro-minded” folk band, brings a different edge to the rout tones that seem to dominate today’s “hit music” stations. Their energy comes from within, and their gumption is contagious, so be sure to wear comfy pants because their eccentric beats are sure to have you doing more than head bobbing.

Instead of the perfunctory dinner and a movie, why not try dinner and a little Liszt this weekend? Pianist Louis Lortie is performing Liszt’s reknowned Annees de Pelerinage at the MCASD Sherwood Auditorium as part of the Frieman Family Piano Series this Sunday. Tuck the kids in for an afternoon nap with the nanny and enjoy the peace that only piano music can provide.

We’re sure you heard Amos Lee on NPR’s All Things Considered last Monday, but incase you didn’t go here! We’re thrilled to welcome this singer-songwriter and his dulcet, heartstring puling voice to The House of Blues this weekend for his 4th album release tour.

FILM

In 1957, a small-town girl was cast in an opera at The University o f Texas. She was later expelled from the cast - because she was black. This sparked a racist backlash from the members of the Texas legislature and ultimately the interest of pop superstar Harry Belafonte. When I Rise is a film about this black opera singer, Barbara Smith Conrad, and it’s screening at the San Diego Black Film Festival this Sunday, and on the PBS series Independent Lens on Tuesday February 8th.

GAMES

If you thought Monopoly was fun, you’re in for a neat treat. This Tuesday, Ted Terpstra will be teaching us how to play Go, the oldest board game still played in its origional form. The game originated in China over 4,000 years ago and has maintained a steady following of fans (who now play online across continents!) as the game is easy to learn, easy to play and insanely addicting. You might not collect $200 every time you pass it, but this board game is exceeding lucrative in its own way.