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Join us at Southwestern College Art Gallery for the opening of Movidas Razquaches and Other Cheap Thrills, a collection of new work by artist Perry Vásquez. The exhibition is open from February 4 - March 4, 2025. Regular Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10:30 AM -2:30 PM or by appointment. ARTIST STATEMENT“As an artist I try to pay attention to things being created and consumed within my milieu along the San Diego/Tijuana boundary. I find inspiration by reframing and recontextualizing overlooked things I find here and there and on the margins. I chose Movidas Razquaches as the title for my show because I think it captures the spirit and methodology of what I want to accomplish as an artist.” – Perry Vásquez. ABOUT THE LANGUAGEAccording to Tomás Ybarra-Frausto, rasquachismo is a sensibility that gets expressed in Chicano cultural forms and practices. Ybarra-Frausto writes, “It is a sensibility that is not elevated and serious, but playful and elemental. It finds delight and refinement in what many consider banal and projects an alternative aesthetic, a sort of good taste of bad taste.” Like African-American funk, or the improvised inventions of Rube Goldberg, the emphasis is on wit, resourcefulness and working with what is at hand. The add-on word, movida, can be translated as a maneuver, or a play (as in a game). Poet Juan Felipe Herrera interprets movidas rasquaches as “cheap thrills”, linking it to a pleasurable activity open to anyone who cares to partake. While legal scholar Alfredo Mirandé offers the word “hustle,” suggesting an illicit or unethical way to make a living. Sociologist David Spener uses movidas rasquaches to describe the network of the ad hoc work-arounds and tricks employed by migrants to navigate the US/Mexico border. While no single one of these terms perfectly captures the full meaning, taken together they give a reliable framework for interpretation. ABOUT THE WORKOver the last year and a half, Vásquez has created new work that divides into four projects using different media and including collaborative and solo work. Some of the projects are well established while others are being presented to the public for the first time in this exhibition. Blankets Vásquez collects flyers advertising gardening services left on his driveway by workers seeking employment. The no-thrills graphic style and the not-so-subtle way in which they seem to copy each other caught the artist’s eye. The act of weaving the flyers into blanket designs celebrates the DIY approach while reminding us of the workers’ aspirations to provide warmth and shelter for their families. Le Voyage/El Viaje This is an AI imaging project whose goal was to rethink and replace the transactional language used to prompt and generate AI images. “The AI image making process is hyper-focused on the outcome as the only part of the process with artistic merit. The prompt itself is written to be transactional and limiting.” Vásquez turned the process of generating imagery into a Surrealist game by inserting lines from French poet Charles Baudellaire’s poem Le Voyage into the software. The resulting images were used as the basis for a series of oil paintings. Monopalms The presence of cell towers disguised as palm trees (monopalms) has become a common sight in Southern California. This series of paintings implies the link between palm trees and the myth of paradise. The paintings also offer commentary on the telecommunications industry and how it alters our perception of nature and our sense of public and private space. Mexus Nexus Fluxus Inspired by Mexican recording artist Esquivel and the German techno artist Señor Coconut, Vásquez arranged four traditional Mexican songs for the synthesizer. He then worked with visual artists Lianne Mueller-Thompson and Carlos Solorio to create video and animations for the music. The music will be presented as a video installation. RECEPTIONSSaturday February 8, 11 AM -1 PM. (free parking in Lot O for this event) Tuesday, February 11, 11 AM -1 PM.

Another masterful adaptation of a Molière Classic, School for Wives, by Culture Clash founder Herbert Siguenza. Set in Sinaloa, Mexico in 1992, Don Ernesto is a Narco king who has a young girl named Eva being trained by nuns to become his loyal subservient wife. He sends his wise cracking housekeeper Armida to get the girl via train. While they wait at the train station Eva has a love at first sight encounter with Mario Grande Jr. who is there for his father’s funeral and Don Ernesto’s rival Narco enemy! This narco-novela-comedy borrows from Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and The Importance of Being Earnest for a wild ride that ends with a double wedding and a Narco family truce! Visit: https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/palomar-performing-arts/66b5317e48dddb3c17f9a383/tickets#/productions-view Palomar Performing Arts on Instagram and Facebook

Pulitzer Prize-winner Viet Thanh Nguyen discusses his new children's book, "Simone," his approach to memoir, speaking out on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how climate catastrophes may force Americans to reframe their thinking on refugees.

Memorial Day weekend gems, minerals, and craft show: - Local artists, crafts, gifts - 20+ retail dealers and vendors - Fine minerals, gems, crystals, slab, rough, lapidary items - Handmade jewelry - Raffle - Win great prizes Visit: visitjulian.com/julian-rocks-gem-show/ Julian Chamber of Commerce on Facebook / Instagram

Catch Viral Comedian Abbas Wahab on his North American Joyride Tour, May 1 at San Diego's Mic Drop Comedy! Abbas Wahab is a New York-based, Canadian comedian and actor. He's been featured on Just For Laughs and Edinburgh Fringe festivals, and is best known most recently for his role as SWAT officer in M.Night Shyamalan's "Trap". Wahab has also appeared in TV shows, such as "The Boys", "What We Do In The Shadows", and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds". He has garnered a loyal following of over 350k fans on Instagram and TikTok. Abbas is best known for his viral "job interview" and "automotive marketing" series, which parody the behind-the-scenes hiring and advertising of major brands. His comedic style has been described as electrifying and sharp, with grounded storytelling. Don’t miss him on the road! Check out Abbas Wahab on Instagram and TikTok

One of the Port of San Diego's 23 parks, Grand Caribe Shoreline Park is located near the Coronado Cays neighborhood on an artificial peninsula in southwestern San Diego Bay. At 2.4 acres, it provides recreational public access to the coastline. Since the construction of the peninsula in the 1960s, Grand Caribe’s eastern shoreline has experienced chronic erosion that poses a threat to the park, local habitat, and public access for the community. To temporarily manage the erosion, the Port has exhausted short-term solutions including the placement of 240 burlap sandbags along the shoreline. Now, long-term sustainable solutions are needed to protect the park, safeguard the existing habitat, and maintain public access. Community Input Join the Port project team at a public workshop and provide feedback to shape the future of Grand Caribe Shoreline Park. DATE: Tuesday, April 29 TIME: 5 p.m. LOCATION: Coronado Cays Yacht Club, 30 N Caribe Cay Blvd. N, Coronado, CA 92118 The project team will provide a brief presentation about the shoreline’s current vulnerability to erosion and discuss concepts designed to reduce erosion, provide shoreline stability, and maintain public access with minimal impact on adjacent habitat. Following the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide input on the potential nature-based design concepts with the project team. Public feedback will help inform a preferred design concept that will be presented for additional input at a second workshop in mid-2025. The Port will then refine the final concept and develop engineering design drawings for implementation. PROJECT BACKGROUND The Grand Caribe Shoreline Park Erosion Improvements Project will help the Port achieve a long-term, nature-based solution by working with nature rather than against it to help stabilize the coastline for generations to come. This project is a vital part of the Port’s promise to enrich the relationship people have with the dynamic waterfront and benefit the quality of life for generations to come. A coastal site assessment has been completed to inform future shoreline stabilization efforts. To accompany the assessment, the Port is launching a technical design study to identify and receive input on possible long-term solutions for future erosion at Grand Caribe Shoreline Park. The Port is committed to engaging the public through a series of public workshops that will help find the best solution to minimize erosion while also preserving the local habitat. For questions about the project, please contact Timothy Barrett at the Port of San Diego by phone at 619.686.6544 or by email at tbarrett@portofsandiego.org.

Join us at Artreach HQ for a Beadmaking workshop! Express yourself through bead-making and 3D design! Create beautiful patterns and designs through the processes of creating “canes” with colorful polymer clay. Working on a smaller scale, this process teaches pattern and design sculpturally that can be achieved through cutting and slicing. Perfect for making small items and jewelry. Visit: Polymer Clay Beadmaking ArtReach San Diego on Instagram and Facebook

Experience the enchanting world of Javanese gamelan music and dance with Joko Sutrisno and Tri Martodikromo. Joko, an acclaimed performer, composer, and educator, and Tri, a celebrated dancer of this refined tradition, have thrilled audiences in both Indonesia and the United States. In this special performance, Joko will be joined by the Indonesian Consulate Community gamelan and members of the Canyon Crest Academy gamelan. Together, they will bring to life the intricate rhythms and rich harmonies of traditional Javanese music and the captivating dances that reflect the cultural depth of Indonesia’s artistic heritage. Following the performance, join Joko, Tri, and the ensemble for a Q&A session, where you’ll have the chance to delve deeper into the history, instruments, and stories behind the music and dance. Expect an evening that offers an unforgettable glimpse into one of Indonesia’s most cherished art forms. About the artists: Joko Sutrisno is an accomplished Javanese gamelan performer, composer, and educator who has engaged with students and audiences both in Indonesia and abroad. Sutrisno graduated from the Indonesian Institute of Arts, Surakarta, Java, in 1987. He directed the gamelan ensemble at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand for 8 years before moving to Minnesota in 1995, where he was artistic director of Sumunar Gamelan and Dance Ensemble. He was recently appointed as a professor of gamelan at UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and the UC Riverside School of Music. As a Center for World Music teaching artist, he directs the Javanese gamelan ensemble at Canyon Crest Academy high school. He is also currently the consulting director for the student gamelan ensembles at Saint Thomas University, The University of South Dakota, (Vermillion); Concordia College, (Moorhead); and Hamilton College (New York). In 2024, Sutrisno was appointed as an apprentice for the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA). Tri Martodikromo, born in Central Java, Indonesia, has been deeply immersed in dance from a young age. After moving to the Twin Cities in 1995, she became the dance director for the Sumunar Indonesian Music and Dance Ensemble. Known for her inspiring choreography and teaching, Tri has shared Indonesian dance across the Midwest through workshops, residencies, and community classes. Now residing in Los Angeles, Tri continues her mission of connecting communities through the art of Indonesian dance. Visit: Sounds of the Royal Courts: Gamelan Music & Dance of Java Center for World Music on Instagram and Facebook

Our intermediate art class for ages 5-11 nurtures artistic growth through more advanced exploration of color theory, composition, and techniques. Young artists will enhance their skills in painting, drawing, and mixed-media, focusing on developing their unique style and creative problem-solving. Visit: $15 Art Class for Kids ArtReach San Diego on Instagram and Facebook

Our intermediate art class for ages 5-11 nurtures artistic growth through more advanced exploration of color theory, composition, and techniques. Young artists will enhance their skills in painting, drawing, and mixed-media, focusing on developing their unique style and creative problem-solving. Visit: $15 Art Class for Kids ArtReach San Diego on Instagram and Facebook