Marie Watt, Companion Species (Words), 2017, softground etching, aquatint, and drypoint on Hahnemuhle paper. May Collection, University of San Diego, A2018-4-1.
The best exhibits are the ones that make you think. While we’re grateful San Diego’s art scene was able to go digital when it needed to, we’re even happier to be able to get back into these spaces and visit the work in person. A lineup full of refreshing and thought-provoking exhibits around town means a renewed opportunity to go and contemplate art as it was meant to be seen.
Monet to Matisse: Impressionist Masterpieces from the Bemberg Foundation
March 19–August 7 at the San Diego Museum of Art
Paul Signac, The Bell Tower at Saint-Tropez, 1896. Oil on canvas. Bemberf Foundation.
The greats are coming to town. In an expansive collection featuring over 60 pieces of art, SDMA’s Monet to Matisse brings the work of some of Europe’s most renowned artists to San Diego, including Bonnard, Cézanne, Degas, Monet, Morisot, and Picasso. It’s a big win for the institution, as this will not only be the first time the collection is on view in California, but just the second time it’s been on view in the United States. Even better, two pieces will be making their US debut.1450 El Prado, Balboa Park @sandiegomuseumofart
Storywork: The Prints of Marie Watt
Through May 13 at the Hoehn Family Galleries at the University of San Diego
Pulling from personal experiences, art history and mythology, and Indigenous cultural traditions, American Indian artist Marie Watt is known for creating work that speaks. Storywork at USD’s Hoehn Family Gallery is a moment for Watt and viewers to hit the pause button and examine her collection of prints. Watt’s thoughtful care for her medium (whether it be stone, wood, or metal) is expressed through large-scale work that weaves together a personal and intimate narrative you’ll want to see up close.5998 Alcala Park, Linda Vista
Allison Wiese’s project for Memory Traces. The banner was used to advertise shows at the historic Granada Theatre in La Jolla. Wiese reinterpreted the meaning of the banner by taking it on an outing across San Diego, using its material durability, bold visibility, and fluid movement to give it a “unorthodox public life” far more adventurous than its original intent.
Memory Traces: Artists Transform the Archive
Through May 15 at La Jolla Historical Society
A peek into the archives at La Jolla Historical Society is as much about the present as it is the past. That thought inspired their latest exhibit, Memory Traces, in which seven local artists did a deep dive into the society’s expansive archival collection and pulled photographs, posters, and objects to serve as jumping-off points to create new work. These artists all use different media but are connected via common themes of reflection, history, and memory. Displayed alongside their original inspiration, the new creations encourage visitors to question the traditional ways they view archives and consider that memory is much more moldable and adaptable than it seems.780 Prospect Street, La Jolla@lajollahistory
