Arts & Culture

San Diego Weekend Arts Events: 'El Devenir,' Zine Fest, Takács Quartet, Duke Windsor and DIY workshops

By Julia Dixon Evans / Arts Calendar Editor and Producer

Published October 14, 2021 at 11:01 AM PDT

This story was published more than 2 years ago.

Speaker 1: (00:00)

This weekend and the arch checkout a performance from the tuck hatch quartet, a solo exhibition from Perry Vasquez, San Diego Xen fast, and a sugar skull pinata workshop at the Mingei. Joining me with all the details is KPBS arts, producer and editor, Julia Dixon Evans. Welcome Julia.

Speaker 2: (00:18)

Hi Jane. Thanks for having me, but let's start

Speaker 1: (00:20)

With Perry Vasquez who opens a new solo exhibition at sparks gallery this weekend,

Speaker 2: (00:26)

Right? Uh, Perry Vasquez is actually one of the winners of the 2021 San Diego art prize. So you can check out his work in two places right now. First is the art prize exhibition, which is a bread and salt, and that opened last weekend. But beginning this Sunday, sparks gallery downtown is opening a solo show and that's called Oasis. Vasquez is known for his, his recent series of these huge paintings of Palm trees, which interestingly are, are so prevalent here, but there's only one variety that is native. And most of the ones you see are ornamental. They don't provide fruit or oils or even much shade. I asked him about these Palm trees and he said that it's all a part of the darker side to the myth of the region. And here's what he said.

Speaker 3: (01:16)

And part of the early mythology of California was that it was, uh, you know, it's sort of the last chance place for a lot of people. I saw a video I've never actually seen a burning Palm tree, but I saw a video of a burning Palm tree. And I couldn't get it out of my mind. You know, looking back, I think like, wow, I wonder if that's what Moses felt like when he saw the burning Bush or, you know, saw on the road to Tarsus when he was struck blind, it just completely changed my frame. And so I thought, well, this is a really meaningful image. So let me dig into this. You know, you never really noticed something until it goes wrong.

Speaker 2: (01:53)

He also has works from other series in this exhibition in cleaning some new text-based works that are like these minimalists little poems on canvases and they're equal parts quirky and insightful.

Speaker 1: (02:06)

Mm that's. San Diego artists, Perry Vasquez who's solo exhibition opens at sparks gallery where they reception Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Now we also have the second and final weekend of San Diego ezine Fest. Tell us where we can find this and what we can expect

Speaker 2: (02:22)

Right. Last year, San Diego's infest was all virtual. So, so this year they're bringing it back. It'll be in-person but outdoors in the parking lot of side yard in Barrio Logan, and it will be Saturday and Sunday afternoon from noon to four and masks are required. And there's going to be a ton of vendors, dozens of different artists, writers, small presses shops and Xen makers they'll have live music as well as live screen printing and highlight for me is San Diego writer, Adam Gennady, who has a brand new book out it's after tonight, everything will be different. And I've read this book and it is such a great snapshot of this region in particular, this region's food. When he told me about it, he pitched it as a book about eating in San Diego. And you can catch Adam Gennady reading with Justin Pearson at the Xen Fest on Saturday at TPM

Speaker 1: (03:21)

San Diego ezine Fest takes place at side yard, Saturday and Sunday from noon to four. There's a string quartet performing at the LA Jolla music societies, baker bomb concert hall tonight. Tell us about the tuck hatch court.

Speaker 2: (03:35)

Ted talk, hatch quartet is originally from Budapest, but they've since relocated to the states and they're based in Boulder and here at the Conrad's baker bomb stage, they're going to perform a set of three classical string quartets, and these are all such great picks. And it's going to be a really fantastic venue to hear the sort of music they're performing a heightened quartet, Schubert's magnificent death and the maiden piece, which to me somehow sounds like a full orchestra when it's only played by just four instruments. And they're also playing work by the British black composer. Colleridge Taylor, his five fantasy Stookey that we're listening to right now. And that's a collection of character-driven fantasy sketches, and that's a traditional format for compositions.

Speaker 4: (04:27)

[inaudible]

Speaker 1: (04:50)

The, to catch quartet performs tonight, Friday at 8:00 PM. And finally, the men gay is hosting some families, sugar Sculpin yatta workshops. Tell us about this,

Speaker 2: (04:59)

Right? They're bringing in piñata artists, Diana Benevidez, who is known for the way she makes these political and kind of disruptive pinata installations, but she's also an educator and she will help you and your family build your own miniature pinata shaped like a sugar skull and all the materials are provided. And she'll also walk you through the history and the folklore and how she uses the pinata in her own artistic practice. And these workshops are free and open to the public. They're held every hour on the hour, uh, on Sunday from noon through 4:00 PM, but you will need to sign up in person in advance. You can go to the Mingei beginning at 10:00 AM on Sunday to get your name on the list.

Speaker 1: (05:43)

The main is family. Sunday series is this Sunday at noon, 1, 2, 3, and 4:00 PM. For details on these and more arts events or to sign up for Julia's weekly KPBS arts newsletter, go to kpbs.org arts. I've been speaking with KPBS arts editor and producer Julia Dickson Evans. Julia. Thanks. Thank you so much, Jade.

Marcos Ramírez ERRE's work at The Front's 15th anniversary exhibition — Marcos Ramírez ERRE's work in 'El Devenir/Becoming' is shown in an Oct. 11, 2021 photo, and is on view at The Front through Jan. 13, 2022.

This weekend in the arts: 15 years at The Front, San Diego Zine Fest, Takács Quartet, Duke Windsor at Art Night Encinitas and more.

'El Devenir/Becoming': The Front's 15th anniversary exhibition

Visual art, Music

Celebrating the 15th anniversary at The Front Arte & Cultura gallery in San Ysidro, this exhibition is absolutely worth a visit. Fortunately, through mid-January, there are ample opportunities to see the work by itself or during special events that are part of the anniversary celebration.

The works in the exhibition are by artists that have exhibited with The Front since the beginning of the gallery's 15 year run, and gallery director Francisco Morales said that the aim of the exhibition is for the artists to "contemplate the past and the future in the same blink of an eye."

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Sama Alshaibi's video works are mesmerizing, and Rafael Lozano Hemmer's surveillance photography installation is sobering. Also in the show is a selection of works from Rizzhel Javier's "Landsick" project, which I featured in "5 works of art to see in San Diego in October."

Film and still photography from Tania Candiani pair dancers with dilapidated sports facilities in Havana. What struck me about these works is that the dancers hold onto each other in formations — a formation that would all fall apart if someone let go.

Tania Candiani's work at The Front — Mexican artist Tania Caniani's works are shown at the Front in an Oct. 11, 2021 photo.

Marcos Ramírez ERRE's work, mostly viewable through the front window features a caged tent, a representation of a migrant shelter, along with silkscreened maps and text on the walls that show the distance between the gallery and the migrant campground at garita El Chaparral (approximately 1.3 miles), which currently holds approximately 1,200 people waiting to cross into the United States.

Saturday evening, there's a sold-out NORTEC: Bostich + Fussible DJ set on The Front’s outdoor back patio, and the exhibition will be open for viewing. For more events check The Front website.

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Details: Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Front Arte and Cultura, 147 W. San Ysidro Blvd., San Ysidro. Free. (Note: Gallery hours are canceled Saturday, Oct. 16 to prepare for the NORTEC: Bostich and Fussible show.)

More visual art: The Museum of Contemporary Art opens their "Yolanda Lopez: Portrait of the Artist" exhibition with a community celebration on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 4-7 p.m. Admission is free. Listen to our feature on Midday Edition Thursday at noon.

Even more visual art: Perry Vasquez opens "Oasis" at Sparks Gallery with a reception Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Read our feature here.

San Diego Zine Fest

Books, Music

This year's San Diego Zine Fest kicked off its two-weekend run last week, and the second portion takes place Saturday and Sunday in Barrio Logan, in the parking lot of SideYard. Dozens of vendors, writers, artists, small presses, shops and zinemakers will peddle zines, books and art, with live music and live screen printing.

On Saturday at 2 p.m., writer Adam Gnade will read alongside Justin Pearson of Three One G records, both reading short works.

Details: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 16-17, 2021 from noon to 4 p.m. SideYard, 1735 National Ave., Barrio Logan. Free.

Takács Quartet

Music

The La Jolla Music Society presents the Takács Quartet, which kicks off LJMS's Revelle Chamber Music Series. Takács were founded in Budapest but now they're based in Boulder, Colorado. They'll perform a series of string quartets in the Baker-Baum Concert Hall at The Conrad, which is a gorgeous place to hear music. Haydn's "String Quartet in F Minor" will kick off the program, followed by British Black composer Coleridge-Taylor's "Five Fantasiestücke," which is a set of vibrant, character-driven fantasy pieces. They'll finish the evening with Schubert's magnificent "Death and the Maiden."

Details: Friday, Oct. 15, 2021 at 8 p.m. The Conrad, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla. $42-82.

Native Plant Printmaking Workshop

Visual art, Workshops

This donation-based, two-hour workshop is taught by Daisy Camacho at The Hill Street Country Club. Camacho will walk you through linoleum block printmaking, as well as understanding and appreciating the importance of native plants and the Indigenous botanical history of the region. This is a crossover project between HSCC and Campana Studios, and participants will draw or trace and hand-cut their own designs, then walk away with as many lino-cut prints as you want to print.

Details: Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 from 12-2 p.m. The Hill Street Country Club, 530 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside. $0-50.

Mingei Family Sunday: Sugar skull piñata workshop

Visual art, Folk art, Workshops, Family

Piñata artist Diana Benavídez will lead this month's Mingei Family Sunday, a series of workshops open to the public. Benavídez is known for her political and disruptive piñatas, but she's also an educator and will help you and yours construct your own sugar skull-shaped mini piñata. Benavídez will walk participants through the materials and process, as well as the history and folklore of the craft (and the way she uses piñata-making in her own artistic practice).

Workshops are held each hour on the hour from noon to 4 p.m., and space is limited. Sign ups begin at 10 a.m. at the Mingei's new education center. And be sure to check out Nikigator, back in its home just outside the museum.

Details: Sunday, Oct. 17 at 12, 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. Mingei International Museum, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. Free.

Duke Windsor's "Golden Memories" — "Golden Memories" by Duke Windsor is on view at the Encinitas Library in his solo exhibition, "Illumination," through Nov. 8, 2021

Art Night Encinitas: Duke Windsor

Visual art, Music

Art Night Encinitas is a visual art and music crossover event across the city of Encinitas. A free shuttle bus will get you from point to point along the 6-venue route, including City Hall, several galleries along Coast Hwy, the Encinitas Community Center and Institute of Contemporary Art's North campus (formerly known as Lux Art Institute).

At the Encinitas Library, check out the official artist reception for Duke Windsor's solo exhibition, "Illumination," as well as Luis Marguia's works, plus live music from Coffee on the Moon and Nick Sanders throughout the evening.

Details: Saturday, Oct. 16 from 6-9 p.m. Parking for Art Night available at City Hall (505 S. Vulcan Ave.), the Community Center (1140 Oakcrest Park Dr.) or the Encinitas Library (540 Cornish Dr.). Free.

For more arts events, check out the latest KPBS/Arts newsletter, or sign up to receive it weekly in your inbox. To submit your own event, go here, or browse more events in the KPBS/Arts calendar.

Corrected: October 15, 2021 at 4:54 PM PDT

This story has been updated to reflect The Front's gallery hours this weekend.