Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

September 7: We invite you to The Gala at MCASD, an exhilarating evening celebrating contemporary art, artists, and their impact on our community— the current that runs through us all. Contemporary art is a transformative force moving us to think and feel things in new ways, much as ocean currents direct the flow of water from one place to another. Overlooking the shimmering waves in La Jolla, we will enjoy live entertainment, a specially curated al fresco dinner, cocktails and fine hors d’oeuvres, dancing, and much more throughout the night. Your generous support is vital to our continued success and allows us to make an impact within the Museum walls and in the broader community. All proceeds from the event benefit MCASD’s dynamic exhibition schedule and education programs that foster conversations and connect visitors to contemporary art! RSVP through the link: https://lnkd.in/g_7H5Apv

In 1993, Adriana Varejão began painting decorative tin-glazed tiles, also known as azulejos, into her practice. For the artist, these distinctive blue and white ceramics serve as metonyms for the colonial Portuguese presence in Brazil. 𝘈𝘻𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘫𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢 "𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦" 𝘦𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢 (1999) captures a grisly scene of azulejos, as if the inert tiles were flesh disemboweled. Varejão sunders the façade of ornamental beauty with this sculptural painting, and in so doing re-enacts the violence incurred by practices of colonialism, trade, and cultural commodification. See 𝘈𝘻𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘫𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢 "𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦" 𝘦𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢 (1999) on view in MCASD’s permanent collection galleries in La Jolla. MCASD’s new extended hours are Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM. Reserve tickets today: https://lnkd.in/g7bjaBkh [Adriana Varejão, 𝘈𝘻𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘫𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢 "𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦" 𝘦𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢 (𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵-𝘚𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩), 1999. Photography: Daniel Lang Farris Gallery]

On view until Sunday, July 28: 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮: 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢, 1990𝘴–𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 challenges our assumptions about Caribbean culture and its representation, reframing the relationship between identity and place. Comprising over 100 silkscreen prints, artist Álvaro Barrios's 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴 (1971/2022) challenges the authority of the colonial map. The pure cyan monochromes refer to the Caribbean Sea, a visual trope that has been repeatedly used to define the region, while the red monochromes surface the histories of violence that are often hidden beneath images of the Caribbean's idyllic landscapes. The prints are suspended from clotheslines and are secured by wooden clothespins, recalling the display of literatura de cordel (cord literature) throughout northeastern Brazil. Plan your visit to MCASD today and experience 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮. Our new extended hours are Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM. [Álvaro Barrios, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴, 1971/2022. ©2024 Philipp Scholz Rittermann Strauss Galleries]

New extended hours: MCASD is now open Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM AND Sunday from 11AM – 5PM! See 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮: 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢, 1990𝘴–𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 during our updated visitor hours and join us at our upcoming programs: *Chef’s Dinner @ The Kitchen, Thursday, July 11 from 5 – 8PM Celebrate the season overlooking the Pacific with a unique four-course menu featuring tomato in every course at The Kitchen (@kitchenatmcasd). *With Guavas in Your Eyes Workshop with Natasha Kozaily, Saturday, July 13 from 11AM – 1PM Learn how to weave a rag rug inspired by the traditional folk craft of the Cayman Islands with Natasha Kozaily, This program is intended for adult audiences. Capacity is limited to 30 participants. *Rebellion & Movement with Bomba Liberté, Free Third Thursday, July 18 from 6 – 7PM Join San Diego-based Bomba Liberté in a communal dance and history sharing. Learn more: https://mcasd.org/events Reserve your tickets today! [Ebony G. Patterson, ...𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨... 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦... 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥..., 2021. Photography: Stack Keck Strauss Galleries]

𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮: 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢, 1990𝘴–𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 is the first major group exhibition in the U.S. to envision a new approach to contemporary art in the Caribbean diaspora, foregrounding forms that reveal new modes of thinking about identity and place. The process and subject of 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘰 (2022) highlights the ongoing yet underrecognized migrations of people, ideas, and forms between the Arab world and the Caribbean. The buildings depicted here were first photographed by Alia Farid in various towns of Puerto Rico, after which the images were shared with weavers in Mashhad, Iran. The weavers in turn translated the images into a unique kilim, or traditional prayer rug. Without detailed instructions from Farid, the weavers interpreted these images into a tapestry while adding in their own "signatures," like the intricate border made of ornamental pomegranates. New extended hours: We are open Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM. Plan your visit to MCASD today through the link: https://lnkd.in/g6HQgEq6 [Alia Farid, 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘰, 2022. Photography: Stacy Keck Strauss Galleries]

Join us on Free Third Thursday, July 18 at 6PM for Rebellion and Movement, a communal dance and history sharing with San Diego-based Bomba Liberté. Brought to Puerto Rico by enslaved people four centuries ago and developed in coastal sugar plantations, Bomba spread across the Caribbean and became a tool for expression. It represented rebellion, a movement against anti-systemic, anti-racist, and anti-all the oppressions that the slave system created and perpetuated. Today, music and dancing remain tools for freedom and political transformation. To practice bomba in California is a daily reminder of this process. RSVP for this FREE program through the link: https://lnkd.in/gAfwT4v9 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭é Bomba Liberté was founded in 2011 by San Diego bomberxs who have been studying and practicing bomba since the early 2000s. Through performances and workshops, this group educates about Afro-Puerto Rican history and culture, while also learning about links between culture, artistry, and personal expression. "Bomba Liberté" refers to the way that bomba has and continues to be used as a way to liberate ourselves from historical and daily struggles. It also calls upon a shared history with other Afro-Caribeñxs and diasporic peoples, reminding us of how music and dance travel with the bodies that move across diaspora. [Photography: Courtesy of the artist.]

Soak up the sun with summer essentials from The Shop. Browse our items today, including a hat collab with 5&A Dime, a shirt collab with Georgina Treviño, and an inflatable sculpture for your pool inspired by Niki de Saint Phalle’s artwork. Shop online anytime for pickup or delivery or visit us in-store from Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM. [Slide 1 Photography: Stacy Keck]

Andy Warhol irrevocably shaped the course of contemporary art. His early works reflect his keen awareness that prevalent mass production not only shaped the material world but also strongly influenced the visual world, which was inundated with advertising images. Through drawings and paintings of shows, cartoons, and soup cans, Warhol helped to define the visual language and cultural concerns of Pop art. Self-conscious and shy in his youth, Warhol found it difficult to join the social circles of the New York art world. Openly homosexual and defiantly “swishy,” the artist transformed himself into a provocative, if affected, public personality, embodying ideas of artifice, seriality, and commodification that characterized his art. See 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 (1967), on view in MCASD’s permanent collection galleries. Go deeper with our free digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app. New extended hours: Visit us Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM. Reserve tickets today: https://lnkd.in/g6HQgEq6 [Andy Warhol, 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴, 1967. Photography: Daniel Lang Cohn Gallery]

Summer programs at MCASD are here. Learn and be inspired amongst fellow arts lovers and artists at these upcoming programs: *Free Third Thursday, June 20 from 11AM – 7PM The museum offers free admission to all visitors. At 5PM, join MCASD Educator mika castaneda for a Focused Tour looking at how opacity is seen and utilized in and throughout 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘍��𝘳𝘮. *Sound and Liberation, June 20 from 6:30 – 8PM The Hill Street Country Club presents an an intentional, intimate gathering offering “music as medicine,” featuring Afro-Caribbean conceptual, word artist Def Sound. *With Guavas In Your Eyes, July 13 at 11AM Inspired by the traditional folk craft of the Cayman Islands, join artist Natasha Kozaily and learning how to weave a rag rug. This program is intended for adult audiences. Capacity is limited to 30 participants. New extended hours: MCASD is now open Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday from 11AM – 5PM! Learn more through our website. Reserve your tickets today! [Robert Irwin, 1º 2º 3º 4º, 1992. Photography: Stacy Keck Krichman Gallery]

A Day at the Sculpture Garden Visit MCASD and explore site-specific sculptures and installations in the picturesque seaside. Watch the full video on our digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app, then explore more of the Collection with exclusive multimedia perspectives from artists, curators, and more. Download the app to plan your visit today. Admission is always FREE for Military, people 25 and under, visitors with disabilities, SNAP/EBT cardholders, and Members, with discounts available for San Diego County/ Tijuana Residents, Students/Teachers, and Older Adults 55+. [Filmed by Bringo Riedel Producer (MCASD): Marina Grize]