Music and Art at ICA North on an Almost-But-Not-Rainy Evening.

By Lonnie Burstein Hewitt. Photos by Maurice Hewitt.

 

Hannah Arendt, by Pedro Reyes.

On the morning of April 12^th, with the weather looking scary, what was to be an outdoor concert at 6 p.m. at ICA North in Encinitas was relocated to the upstairs gallery, and I was wondering if I’d have to wade through mud to see the newest addition to the ICA North Sculpture Trail.

But the weather turned out to be dry and fairly pleasant, and the sculpture was on view in the street-level garden, though there wasn’t much garden there yet. 

Hannah Arendt is an impressive piece made of volcanic stone by Pedro Reyes, a Mexican sculptor and architect whose work hopes to “encourage new ways of seeing and social responsibility.”

He has done a series of sculptures inspired by Hannah Arendt, a German-Jewish refugee who managed to escape from Nazi Europe and ultimately became a U.S. citizen. Best known for her statement on “the banality of evil,” she was a political philosopher and humanist who believed that people are only free when they act together and don’t allow evil to flourish. There’s a Center for Politics and Humanities named for her at Bard College in upstate New York, where she taught for years.

The musical part of the evening was thoroughly delightful, as Art of Elan concerts, indoors or out, always are. The floral displays on the wall gave a sense of the natural world outside, and the acoustics were brilliant, as were the performances.  

Percussionists Andrew Watkins and Fiona Digney.

Hanah Stuart, viola.

The Quartet: Andrew Watkins (percussion), Julie Smith Phillips (harp), Eric Starr (trombone), Hanah Stuart (viola).

Artful Harpist’s Fingers.

And a good time was had by all!

 

Lonnie Burstein Hewitt is an award-winning author/lyricist/playwright who has been writing about arts and lifestyles in San Diego County for over a dozen years. You can reach her at hew2@sbcglobal.net