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Arts & Culture

San Diego weekend arts events: 'Capturing Balance,' Cannon Invitational, 'Untitled' photography, Romantic composers and more

Work by photographer Jim Esposito is a finalist in APA's "Untitled" exhibition, on view Friday, Nov. 12, 2021.
Jim Esposito / Courtesy of APA San Diego
Work by photographer Jim Esposito is a finalist in APA's "Untitled" exhibition, on view Friday, Nov. 12, 2021.

This weekend in the arts, dance that embraces loss, Edo de Waart conducts at The Shell, the 2021 Cannon Invitational exhibition and a one-night-only exhibition of contest-winning photography.

'Untitled 2021: A Photographic Exhibition'

Visual art, Photography

American Photographic Artists (APA) is a national organization for professional photographers and the San Diego chapter is hosting their annual competition show on Friday. There are 21 finalists (which you can preview here), and a jury will select three winners. This is a one-night-only exhibition, so don't miss it.

Some standouts from the finalists' works are by Marina Griffin, David Fouts, Liana Grigoryan, Beto Soto, Sean Horton, Jim Esposito (above) and Jennifer Rubin but every single piece is fantastic and unique.

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A portion of the entry proceeds will benefit local youth photography nonprofit Outside the Lens.

Details: Friday, Nov. 12, 2021 from 6-9 p.m. Bread and Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. Free

2021 Cannon Invitational

Visual art

The City of Carlsbad's William D. Cannon Gallery will open the ninth edition of their invitational, with artists selected from their recent Juried Biennial exhibition by the gallery's curator Karen McGuire, all of whom live in San Diego County. The artists are Samantha Barrymore, Brad Maxey, Griselda Rosas, Jiela Rufeh and Melissa Walter.

Melissa Walter will be installing her massive and incredible cut paper sculpture, "Gravitational Lensing," which takes on a new appearance wherever it is installed. I've never seen this particular piece in person before, so I'm glad to get another chance

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Melissa Walter's "Gravitational Lensing" will be on view at the 2021 Cannon Invitational exhibition beginning Nov. 13, 2021.
Michael Andrew
Melissa Walter's "Gravitational Lensing" will be on view at the 2021 Cannon Invitational exhibition beginning Nov. 13, 2021.

There's an opening reception Saturday evening, but the works will be on view at the gallery through February 5, 2022. Cannon even has after-work gallery hours during the week.

Details: Opening reception is Saturday, Nov. 13 from 5-7 p.m. After that, gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. 1775 Dove Ln., Carlsbad. Free.

Edo de Waart & the Russian Romantics

Classical music, Outdoor concerts

The San Diego Symphony welcomes back their guest conductor, Edo de Waart to lead two performances of works by two great Russian Romantic composers, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff.

San Diego Symphony guest conductor Edo de Waart is shown in an undated photo.
Jesse Willems
San Diego Symphony guest conductor Edo de Waart is shown in an undated photo.

The orchestra will also perform contemporary British composer Anna Clyne's 2016 work "Abstractions."

Clyne's piece was inspired by five works of contemporary art, with each of the five movements corresponding to a work of art from the private collection of Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker. The artworks are Sara VanDerBeek‘s "Marble Moon" (2015), Julie Mehretu’s "Auguries" (2010), Hiroshi Sugimoto’s "Caribbean Sea, Jamaica" (1980), Ellsworth Kelly’s " River II" (2005) and Brice Marden’s "3" (1987-88). The composition is enchanting and mysterious, and is propulsive — even in the moody quiet of the first movement. The piece overall pairs well with Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances," which the orchestra will also perform, plus Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor."

Details: Two performances, Saturday, Nov. 13 and Sunday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. The Rady Shell at Jacob's Park, 222 Marina Park Way, downtown. $25-108.

More music: The Morning Glory Family Band will bring their gorgeous multi-part bluegrass harmonies to the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater to accompany a special performance of Max Daily's "Henri Steals an Elephant" puppet show. Friday, Nov 12 at 6:30 p.m. $10

Capturing Balance: Dances of Love, Life, and Loss

Dance

The newly renamed Light Box Theater in Liberty Station (formerly the White Box Live Arts space) is home to three performances from San Diego Dance Theater designed to explore the wrought emotions of the last year and a half.

Dancers from San Diego Dance Theater are shown in an undated photo.
Doug McMinimy
Dancers from San Diego Dance Theater are shown in an undated photo.

Company dancers will perform works choreographed by the new executive artistic director Terry Wilson, former artistic director Jean Isaacs and also a premiere of new work by guest choreographer Khamla Somphanh, a piece called "KWAN." On her social media, Somphanh teased clips of rehearsals of the powerful and pensive work, which she said she created for San Diego Dance Theater dancers.

Details: Friday, Nov. 12 and Saturday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 14 at 2:30 p.m. Light Box Theater, 2590 Truxton Rd., Ste. 205, Liberty Station. $15-30.

"☐, 2021," by Lee Materazzi. On view at Quint Gallery through Dec. 11, 2021.<br/>
Courtesy of Quint Gallery
"☐, 2021," by Lee Materazzi. On view at Quint Gallery through Dec. 11, 2021.

More visual art: Ellis Duc Luu, whose work was featured in this month's "5 works of art to see in San Diego in November," will open a solo exhibition, "Mình Sẽ Đi Về," at Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 5-10 p.m.

Even more visual art: If you're going to be in La Jolla, swing by the two Quint gallery spaces on Girard to see two new exhibitions. In the 7722 Girard gallery (formerly Quint ONE), a series of brilliant, conceptual works by Lee Materazzi, "Roughly Cut a Smooth Curved Line" will be on view (you can read more from me here about these works), and at the main gallery, Mara De Luca will open "West Coast Paintings."

And don't miss Ethan Chan's "American Pie" exhibition of "wearable sculptures" in the "Museum Of __," tucked away in the back of the main Quint space. Each Quint exhibition opening reception is Saturday from 6-8 p.m.


For more arts events, visit the KPBS/Arts calendar, and be sure to sign up for the weekly KPBS/Arts newsletter, delivered every Thursday with curated events, stories and news.