Tag: culture

Boat loads of inspiration in San Diego!

An inspirational art exhibit is now on display at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. Beautiful paintings remind us that rebirth can come unexpectedly after a period of destruction.

Boatloads of Mizuaoi are works by artist Shintaro Araki, who is a member of the Mizuaoi Project.

As the Japanese Friendship Garden’s website explains:

The Mizuaoi Project, initiated by a group of artists receiving a seed found in Fukushima from an artist, Shigenobu Yoshida, celebrates the “rebirth” of the nearly extinct Mizuaoi plant…a genus of flowering plants…considered a weed species in Japan…exterminated so as not to corrupt rice cultivation.

Thought to have been eradicated throughout most the country, the Mizuaoi lay dormant until the Great East Japan Earthquake, on March 11, 2011, and tsunami, brought the Mizuaoi seed back to life and sparked a poetic Movement, spreading the Mizuaoi image as a symbol of hope, and regeneration throughout Japanese society.

Members of the Mizuaoi Project cultivate the plants in pots, metaphorically referred to as “Boats” and distribute their boats nationwide…

These individual works by Shintaro Araki do indeed resemble boats filled with robust green life. Their simplicity and beauty float before our eyes, flower in the mind. The art expresses hope. It reminds us of nature’s inherent power to renew living things.

The exhibition can be viewed in the garden’s Exhibit Hall through April 28, 2024.

Here are just a few of the beautiful pieces on display…

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Family Discovery Day at Spreckels Organ Pavilion!

An awesome musical event was enjoyed today at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park!

Family Discovery Day brought together seven outstanding local college bands, a pair of organizations that promote musical education, and a table full of instruments that the public was invited to play!

The bands participating in the epic three hour concert included: the Southwestern College Concert Band; the California State University San Marcos Concert Band; Point Loma Nazarene University; the San Diego State University Symphonic Band; the Cuyamaca College Concert Band; the University of San Diego Concert Band; and the Grossmont College Concert Band. Some of the pieces were conducted by students!

San Diego Civic Organist Raul Prieto Ramirez, when not introducing these excellent student bands, also performed beautifully on the famous Spreckels Organ.

I stayed for about an hour and was impressed by the fine musicianship. Complicated pieces were played with ease and precision. I really enjoyed SDSU’s fantastic, haunting Angels in the Architecture, by Frank Ticheli.

SDSU also provided the musical instruments that could be tried by curious kids to one side of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

That’s Raul Prieto Ramirez on the left. Not only is he a world class organist, he’s a super cool guy! He’s working to expand the reach of the incredible Spreckels Organ and one of San Diego’s most amazing concert venues.

Music Discovery is a two year program of the San Diego Youth Symphony for young children, with classes at Liberty Station or Balboa Park.

Music produces smiles!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

More art appears on Bay to Park Paseo!

More public art is rapidly appearing along San Diego’s new Bay to Park Paseo!

The Bay to Park Paseo is a 1.7 mile downtown walking experience that will be filled with outdoor art. The paseo stretches from San Diego Bay up Park Boulevard to Balboa Park. The project celebrates San Diego/Tijuana’s selection as World Design Capital 2024!

This afternoon, I noticed that people were stringing up colorful art in front of the NewSchool of Architecture & Design, which stands at the midpoint of the Bay to Park Paseo. The installation is called Memories at the Midpoint.

According to this page, the design approach looks to stimulate the senses through sound, sight and interaction, challenging us to look at the past, present and future. From above, four canopies will be suspended from street trees using recycled painted plastic bags, suspended wooden wind chimes, and ocean drums to create awareness of the environment. At the pedestrian level, an installation of mystery mailboxes as well as window graphics with digital media information and prints will invite passerbys to interact with both students and designers.

I can’t wait to see how this completed installation appears!

Another installation on the Bay to Park Paseo popped up in the past day or two. The large graphic on the UC San Diego Park and Market building was created by The UC San Diego Design Lab. The installation is called What Does Home Mean to You?

All isn’t completed, however.

Passersby will encounter thought-provoking questions and a collage of visual imagery that represents different notions of housing on the windows of the empty retail space; a second location will invite pedestrians to reflect on their own housing experience.

Visitors will see life-size silhouettes of people who will share their perspectives on housing at the push of a button. Throughout the installation, passersby can use their mobile devices to scan QR codes to dive deeper into other housing experiences from the greater San Diego community or share their own stories through voice or text.

Lastly, I’ve noticed more figures are appearing on that fence just south of the City College trolley station. I blogged about this installation (which began to appear back in late January) here.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Bay to Park Paseo: Before There Were Borders.

Art was recently installed on windows near the main entrance of San Diego’s Central Library. Before There Were Borders depicts native wildlife and the languages of indigenous peoples who lived in our region north and south of the present-day U.S./Mexican border, long before the arrival of Europeans.

Animals such as roadrunners, whales, deer, mountain lions, pelicans, rabbits, butterflies, coyotes and bears are matched with their names in four languages: Kumeyaay/Kumiai, Kuupangaxwichem/Cupeño, Payòmkawichum/Luiseño, and Cahuilla.

But there’s much more to the installation. As this explains, a “digital art piece will be accessible within the arcade of the Central Library. Rob Quigley, designer of the Central Library, envisions it to be one of ‘stage’ and ‘performance.’ As participants move though the arcade, images will appear to entice further exploration using a simple scan of a QR code with a smartphone. The installation will include video holograms, viewing cultural objects through augmented reality, and immersive reality language experiences.”

Before There Were Borders is part of a 1.7 mile artistic walking experience along the Bay To Park Paseo, a project inspired by the selection of San Diego/Tijuana as World Design Capital 2024.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Love’s dance at La Jolla Playhouse’s WOW!

Stunning. Powerful. I’m not sure how I can adequately describe one performance today at the La Jolla Playhouse WOW Festival.

Two acrobatic dancers from the Taiwanese circus troupe 0471 Acro Physical Theatre in their performance of Duo acted out the passion and turmoil of love. The crowd watching in UCSD’s Revelle Plaza was completely mesmerized.

Not only was the performing couple incredibly athletic, but they convincingly displayed the many emotions of troubled but enduring love. There was reluctance, passion, the pushing away, the pulling together. There were moments of sky reaching ecstasy.

There was interesting symbolism, too. It seemed to me the clothing they carried and displayed at times was symbolic of an ideal partner as lovers might see it. But the hesitation, indecision, conflict, resentment and other emotions made the actors, whirling about without that fancy clothing, more human, more true. Through the motion of their bodies, they transmitted their inner impulses and desires.

How the two acrobats could expressively move and fly about for half an hour nonstop was jaw-dropping. I thought their acting was even more impressive. It expressed what love is.

I saw people in the audience with hands over their heart.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

St. Patrick’s Day celebrated in Balboa Park!

A big celebration of St. Patrick’s Day was held this afternoon in San Diego. The House of Ireland presented their annual lawn program in Balboa Park, complete with Irish food, Irish music, Irish dancing, and Irish dogs!

A huge crowd gathered for the event. The lawn at the International Cottages was filled with humanity and a sea of green!

As the cultural entertainment began, traditionally dressed performers arrived in a festive procession. Soon thereafter, the Cameron Highlanders turned up the energy with their stirring bagpipes and booming drums.

Performances by several groups would follow. Sprightly Irish dancing earned tremendous applause. Musicians played Irish tunes. Several friendly Irish Wolfhounds took the stage, and we learned about their history in Ireland–the wolves didn’t stand a chance. Then more colorful Irish dancing by young people…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Transmutation mural behind Bread & Salt.

In 2023, a long mural was created in the alley behind Bread & Salt in Logan Heights. Transmutation – Exploring art & Healing is the title in English. It’s by San Diego artist May-ling Martinez.

The artwork combines various elements, including geometry, anatomy, natural forms and design. It seems that creativity is in our human DNA.

I saw this mural for the first time a few days ago when I explored the old Weber’s bread bakery, the historic building in which the Bread & Salt cultural center is located.

In late 2020 I walked around the same building and through the same alley, taking photos of different murals, many of which remain today. See those here.

Looking at the artist’s website, I see she created fun art that I photographed almost ten years ago in East Village. It’s the closet-like mural titled Inside Outside that you can see here!

Here are more photos of Transmutation, taken along the alley as I walked from left to right…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

World Design Capital on a San Diego trolley!

Have you seen graphics on a San Diego Trolley concerning something called World Design Capital?

The trolley wrap I spotted this morning celebrates the designation of San Diego/Tijuana as World Design Capital 2024!

The two border cities–San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico–together compose what is essentially a binational metropolis. The dynamism of these two international cities, enriched by cultural cross-pollination and collaboration, helps make our region a hotbed for new ideas. This unique dynamic helped San Diego/Tijuana achieve the title World Design Capital!

The World Design Capital website explains: By showcasing our region as a global hub for design, innovation, arts, and culture, WDC 2024 will foster lasting economic, social, cultural, civic, and environmental impact.

Numerous community initiatives are being supported by World Design Capital 2024. There are events, activations, exhibitions, projects… You can see a complete program list here.

One event is the upcoming 31st Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival. I blogged about the popular festival a few days ago here.

I’ve also blogged about the art-filled Bay to Park Paseo walking experience that is being created along Park Boulevard, connecting San Diego Bay to Balboa Park. Read my initial blog concerning it here.

There’s more to come!

UPDATE!

A couple days later I noticed World Design Capital banners have appeared downtown, too!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Ikebana and visual poetry in Balboa Park.

Works of visual poetry were read by many eyes today in Balboa Park. The San Diego Wabi Chapter of the Ohara School of Ikebana presented their Annual Flower Show in the Casa del Prado.

Ikebana is the ancient Japanese art form of flower arrangement. Certain rules and a certain symmetry, containing contrasts and elegance, make this art form a bit like poetry. Every part of the arrangement, like every word in a poem, is potent in itself and vital. The assembled composition is more beautiful than the sum of its parts.

During the flower show, participants could learn the essentials of ikebana while watching live demonstrations by masters of the art.

If you love exquisitely beautiful things–or unspoken poetry–keep your eyes peeled for future ikebana shows in Balboa Park.

Meanwhile, enjoy these photographs…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Cool photo memories from March 2019.

What was going on in San Diego five years ago?

Back in 2019, during the month of March, the City of San Diego was just beginning to celebrate its 250th anniversary. Also in March there was the annual San Diego Architectural Foundation Open House event. And there was another fun Seaport Village Busker Fest. And the Comic-Con Museum’s very first exhibition. And another big Mariachi Festival in the South Bay. And Asian culture celebrated at the San Diego Museum of Art. And other exhibitions around town, and cool street art to be found, and, and, and…

I’ve collected 18 links for you to explore. They will take you to blog posts from five years ago this month. You can enjoy hundreds of photographs!

Click the following links for lots of colorful photographs…

Cool photos of San Diego’s 2019 Busker Fest!

Art raises awareness about bird trafficking.

Beaumont’s naval Art of the Sea in San Diego.

See the Comic-Con Museum’s first exhibition!

More cool street art in Normal Heights!

Photos of the colorful 2019 Mariachi Festival!

Fun mosaic sculptures at IB’s Peoples Park!

Asian arts come to life on museum’s front steps!

Banner celebrates San Diego’s 250th Anniversary!

Art exhibition interprets Music in the Key of Blue.

New muralist in San Diego makes her debut!

Murals inspire, motivate students in schools!

Inside the historic Portuguese U.P.S.E.S. Chapel.

A look inside the Portuguese Historical Center.

Baggage, a silvery orb, and contemporary art.

Photos inside the historic Ohr Shalom building.

Quilters look to the stars for inspiration!

Learning one’s letters in Old Town San Diego.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!