Niki de Saint Phalle: Mythical California
January 13 – March 4, 2018
On view at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum located at:
340 N. Escondido Blvd.
Escondido, CA 92025
Internationally known artist Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002) created several larger than life works of art about the myths and legends of California. Through maquettes, models, sculptures, photographs, furniture, blueprints, and video we honor this vibrant 20th century artist.
Join the celebration of the fifteen-year anniversary of the construction of her sculptural garden Queen Califia’s Magical Circle and the series’ she developed while living in San Diego.
Center Museum Hours:
Thursday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: 1pm – 5pm
Docent-led tours are available in English & French upon request. To book a tour contact Arts Education Program Supervisor, Kirsten Barrientes at 760-839-4176 or kbarrientes@artcenter.org .
Queen Califia’s Magical Circle Hours:
Tuesday and Thursday: 9am-12pm, weather permitting.
The Garden will be closed on weekday holidays. The Garden will also be open to the public on the Second Saturday of each month, from 9am to 2pm, with docents available to answer questions. Upcoming Second Saturdays January 13 and February 10.
Exhibiting Concurrently:
Inspired: A Mosaic Invitational
Mosaic work by local artists Wick Alexander, Christie Beniston, Doris Bittar, Robin Brailsford, Kim Emerson, Katherine England, Cherrie La Porte, Leslie Perlis, Renée Richetts, Cheryl Tall, and Jean Wells, who often look to Niki de Saint Phalle for inspiration, will reveal the complexity and beauty of this obsessive art form.
The LithoMosaic® installation, Star Streams, by artists Wick Alexander, Doris Bittar, and Robin Brailsford, and installed with a sponsorship by Shaw & Sons Concrete Contractors, will be officially unveiled in conjunction with this exhibition.
Eva Struble: Cover Crop
With a combination of materials, Struble’s artwork treats distressed urban and natural landscapes, whose seemingly serene atmosphere belies the socio-political and environmental issues at their heart. Created on top of unfinished canvases from various periods, she adds imagery referencing small farms in the San Diego area, blending in previous scenes of her everyday life, television stills, textile patterns, and landscapes.
Special Events:
- Public Opening Reception | Friday, January 12, 2018 | 6:00-7:30 PM | $10 non-members
Includes lite bites and no host bar
7:00 PM Special remarks from Bloum Cardenas, granddaughter of Niki de Saint Phalle
Enjoy the CD debut, “This Is New, I Like It”, from Swedish music producer Viktor Sjöberg, created for Niki de Saint Phalle’s work: Californian Diary (Black is Different)
- 2nd Saturday – “Pay What You Can” Museum Admission Day and FREE Family Art Lesson | Saturday, January 13 and February 10, 2018 | 10:00 AM
Join us in Art Studio 2 for an artist led art lesson related to the current Museum exhibition.
Visit Queen Califia’s Magical Circle garden which is open from 9 AM to 2 PM at Kit Carson Park
- Curator’s Talk with Wendy Wilson-Gibson | Sunday, January 28, 2018 | 2:00 PM | Members $5 // Non-members $10
Participate in a walking tour with guest curator, Wendy Wilson Gibson followed by “Who is the Monster”, a film about Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely produced by film maker Peter Schamoni, in the Studio One Theater (Running time 90 minutes, for mature audience only)
- Focus on Local Farms with artist Eva Struble and Edible San Diego | Saturday, February, 10 // 3:00 PM | Pay-What-You-Can
Artist Eva Struble will collaborate with Edible San Diego Magazine for a discussion in the Tower Gallery.