Also in booth #122 is a curated exhibition by Vallo Riberto. Great thanks go to Vallo Riberto and his volunteers for manning the SD Art Prize booth this year!
I was asked to be a selector at this year's Art San Diego by the organizers. We have attended this art fair with a booth for the SD Art Prize sponsored by the San Diego Visual Arts Network every year since it began. This is the first year that the event has been held at the San Diego Convention Center. There is no razzmatazz, outside projections or impressive entrances, but I found it refreshing that the booths were well spaces, the floor plain and clean and that the main focus, as it should be, was on the art in the booths. For the Impact night there was some lovely food passed and an open bar and very nice jazz combo. We had a chance to see many, many friends and colleagues.
Even through there was a large crowd on opening night, I was able to view all the work and I have a few insights on what I saw:
There was very little kinetic (moving) art in the entire show. But two works curated by Vallo Riberto in the Folk to Artificial Intelligence exhibition, one by Gustavo Mayoral(see above)and the other by Ernesto Bogarinwere stand outs.
In a few instances, I would see one work that I liked very much. But included in the booth would be several others works by the same artist that I did not like. It was hard then to choose that one work, although in the case of Wally Gilbert (see below), I did choose an early work but found the later works much too commercial for my taste.
I saw a couple of booths from Japan that were a compelling selection of small works. But on closer inspection it was the look of a the large variety of tiny images that attracted me and not the individual works....none of which I could select.
So to make my selection, I had a definite criteria. The work had to have a conceptual idea which was compelling and authentic. It had to have an aesthetic presence that was visually stimulating. Only 2 of the five I was asked to select were from San Diego as I decided I could not choose just one of the four women nominated for the SD Art Prize in 2020 as they are equally talented. These next five are my selection for Art San Diego this year.
Kaz Maslanka, 10,000 Dharmas return to the .....
This is a timely mathematical poem about how we are all one. One (person) divided into one (cockroach) equals one.
From Folk to Artificial Intelligence curated by Vallo Riberto
David Alfaro Siquieros, untitled sketch for a mural in Mexico City shown by Art Link International. This study of workers protesting is a strong and meaningful work for our time but is also lyrical. The glowing canvas which is historically important is by a modern master. Many of the works in this booth gave me great pleasure.
Shannon E. D'Antonio, Sister Queens, 2018 shown by KM Contemporary. How can you not love the pure joy of 2 dancing females under the moon especially in the year of women power with these two beautifully rendered rabbits.
William Cordiner, untitled and undated but lived between 1930 - 2012
An artist who might never be recognized touched my sensibilities with his subtle torn paper work. Shown in the Awesome Art Gallery booth with his student who never learned that less is more.
Wally Gilbert, Columns, Berline 2004. showing at the CJ Gallery, Gilbert caught this accidental site specific arrangement of forms in his photograph which is enhanced by its large size and vibrant pure orange color. The theme of this work is Art and Science as Gibert came late to the art world as a former scientist.
An extra shout out to the Oslo Sardine Bar as it ends is year long tour of the Redwood Art Fairs across America. Max Robert Dailywas on fine form as he hosted another set of eager eaters.
Although not a numbered booth, I loved this airstream set up in the back corner which was distributing real roles of film to the first 100 takers. You need to have your own "old fashion" analog camera (still available at thrift and antiques stores or maybe your own attic) and after you have taken your shots, you return the film which is developed, digitally stored and then juried into a show of printed images that will be available in book form. This project is called Free Film USA and the cross country trip has one theme: red, white and blue. From August to November, 18 cities will be visited before this conceptual trip will be complete.
We decided to spend the night in downtown San Diego and one of the best works of the night was the one in our hotel room, The Nest on Fifth. We really enjoyed our staycation and the chance to avoid the Friday night traffic as we are attending the Latin Art Festival at Bread and Salt the next night.
When I say "we" I mean my dedicated husband Darwin. Here he is behind the fun pillow from our Nest on Fifth.
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