Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

Richly patterned, Tidawhitney Lek’s paintings bring together incongruent images that destabilize the familiar into the uncanny. Her large-scale canvases feature multiple perspectives, locations, and narratives occurring simultaneously. Lek takes inspiration from her personal experience living in a multigenerational, immigrant home. Just as she blends generational references, she juxtaposes images of the natural world and built environments, to evoke both her family’s homeland and current California residence. Cambodia and California “intersect” in Lek’s painting. See 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (2023) on view as part of MCASD’s 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 2024 exhibition. Now through September 22, see our newest acquisitions made by the members of the Director’s Circle displayed in dialogue with artworks that were already in the Museum’s holdings. MCASD’s new extended hours are Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM. Reserve tickets today: https://lnkd.in/gWztfW-n [Tidawhitney Lek, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 2023. Photography: Daniel Lang Copley Gallery]

Join the Teen Art Collective! The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego invites high school juniors across San Diego County to be part of TAC. Led by museum educators, TAC students will: —Make friends —Create art —Explore collections —Meet artists —Build a museum exhibition TAC meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month from September 2024 — June 2025, 5 – 7PM. Apply by August 30 for FREE at mcasd.org/tac. Limited to 20 students. MCASD has presented this teen program for nearly 15 years.

For the past eight weeks, 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 participants have gathered every Friday morning for gallery tours and artmaking. Together, they learned about watercolor and created digital drawings on the ProCreate App, resulting in a dynamic experience that tapped into the digital world and reality. Don’t miss our next series on portraiture, starting Friday, August 23 through October 25! Learn how portraits contrast between internal and external representations of the self while touring MCASD’s Collection and upcoming special exhibition. Join with a friend today: https://lnkd.in/gvrHmWRu No prior art experience is required. Transportation will be provided if required. Registration grants access to all workshops (8 days). Reflections is designed for adults 55+ and is generously supported by E.A. Michelson Philanthropy. [Photography: Stacy Keck]

Play Days are now from 11AM–2PM! Join us next week on Free Second Sunday, August 11. Inspired by the work of Suchitra Mattai and her use of sari fabric scraps to reflect on history, culture, and the familial sharing of maker traditions, we will weave abstract, colorful scenes that convey our stories! There will also be a kid friendly tour, storytime with Librarian On the Go, Ms. Katia, live music by a local DJ, a cozy book nook, and water sketching. Reserve your free ticket today: https://lnkd.in/gV8H88Ty [Photography: Daniel Lang]

The theme of our 2024 Gala is Currents, inspired by MCASD’s unique coastal location and dedication to support the artists of our time. Contemporary art is a transformative force moving us to think and feel in new ways, much as ocean currents direct the flow of water from one place to another. Join us on September 7 for an exhilarating evening celebrating contemporary art, artists, and their impact on our community–the current that runs through us all. Get your ticket today: https://lnkd.in/g_7H5Apv We'll enjoy cocktails and fine hors d'oeuvres, a specially curated al fresco dinner, live entertainment, dancing, and much more throughout the night. [Photography: Slide 1, 2: Alan Nakkash Slide 3, 4, 5: Stacy Keck]

Plan your visit to MCASD, open Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM! Join us in the galleries and at our upcoming programs: *Chef’s Dinner: The Study of Melon, Thursday, August 8 from 5 – 8PM Join us at our monthly ingredient dinner featuring melon in every course, curated by Executive Chef and Partner Tim Kolanko of The Kitchen. *Members’ Social Hour, Thursday, August 15 from 5:30 – 7PM MCASD Members: Join us on Strauss Plaza! You can skip the Jazz Night entry line, and the first 40 members to RSVP get one free drink token. *Jazz Night, Thursday, August 15 from 7 – 9PM Join us for a live jazz show with Future is Color Studio Sessions in Sahm Seaview Room, Strauss Plaza, and The Art Park. Reserve your tickets today! Learn more: https://mcasd.org/events [Marcos Ramírez ERRE, 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘴 (𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘪𝘫𝘶𝘢𝘯𝘢 - 𝘚𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘰), 2003. Photography: Stacy Keck The Sculpture Garden]

Coming this September to MCASD: 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦: 𝘈𝘳𝘵, 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 is the first of artistic responses to illness, disability, and the vulnerability of the body in American art since the 1960s. Gathering work by an intergenerational group of over 80 artists from across the continental U.S., the exhibition highlights how sick and disabled artists of the 20th and 21st century find alliances, foregrounding relations of mutual dependence and practices of care. See 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 at MCASD during opening day on Free Third Thursday. Join us on September 19 from 11AM – 8PM. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 In recent years, the art world has seen an explosion of activity confronting issues of illness, disability, and forms of unruly embodiment more broadly. Tracing genealogies of art practices that have shaped contemporary currents, 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 explores how this turn was preceded by the work of artists and activists beginning in the 1960s and 1970s. Structured chronologically and thematically, this exhibition and accompanying film program spotlights relationships between art practices, social movements, and medical events of the past and present. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦: 𝘈𝘳𝘵, 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 is organized by Senior Curator Jill Dawsey, PhD, and Associate Curator Isabel Casso. This exhibition is organized as part of Pacific Standard Time, an initiative of the Getty Foundation. Lead support and major funding for this exhibition and catalogue is provided by the Getty Foundation. [Joey Terrill, 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭-𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘡𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵, 2000. Courtesy of Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art.]

Are you visiting MCASD for a short time? Explore highlights from the collection in under one hour with the Collection Highlights Tour on our free digital guide, available on the Bloomberg Connects App. What is contemporary art? How has MCASD’s collection evolved through the years? Explore key works, like Nancy Grave’s 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘋 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯, 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴 (1939-1995), and how they represent shifts in MCASD’s collecting practices and work shown. Just search ‘MCASD’ on the app to start exploring the Permanent Collection. Download the app today and plan your visit next visit to MCASD. [Nancy Grave, 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘋 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯, 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴, 1939-1995. Photography: Stacy Keck Foster Family Gallery]

This is the final weekend to view 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮: 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢, 1990𝘴–𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺, closing this Sunday, July 28. 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮 proposes that the Caribbean is a way of thinking, being, and doing that extends beyond its geographic borders. Here, diaspora is not a longing to return home but a way of understanding that we are always in movement and that our identities are in constant states of transformation. This idea suggests movement and travel through forms, materials, and techniques. Plan your visit to our special exhibition today and check the link to see if you’re eligible for free or reduced admission: https://lnkd.in/g6HQgEq6 Make the most of our new extended hours: Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM. [Alia Farid, 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘰, 2022. Photography: Stacy Keck Strauss Galleries]

Come see a new community showcase at MCASD. On view from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 25, the showcase highlights explorations of portraiture, contemporary fiber arts, digital drawings, and more. All art was created by students from the Museum’s 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 education program, designed for adults 55 and better! The showcase is open and free to the public during gallery hours: Friday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM. About 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 is an art-making workshop series that creates a welcoming space for critical thinking, learning, exploration, and creativity. Started in May 2023, participants have joined MCASD educators for gallery tours, lively discussions and workshops where they created their own work inspired by the art on view. Join the community! Our next 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 series starts Friday morning on August 23. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gSU7RCnQ [Photography: Stacy Keck]