Going Home, from the Roman Allegories series, chromogenic print, 2004;
Palmer Museum of Art Collection

Past And Present
Continuing to offer varied artistic fare, San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) has mounted a fresh new exhibition in which artist Eleanor Antin uses photography to take a humorous look at 19th century European salon-style painting, producing visual spoofs of classical culture, and drawing a parallel between the classics and rampant contemporary consumerism. By drawing from the grand tradition of European history painting, Antin wittily juxtaposes style of the past with some content of the present. It’s all accomplished through large-scale tableaux photographs. Subject matter is Greek and Roman history and mythology. A San Diego-based conceptual artist of national renown, Antin created these gorgeous pieces very recently, between 2001 and 2008, and SDMA organized the show. To view this complicated exhibition, one that will engage the alert visitor, visit Eleanor Antin: Historical Takes. It’s scheduled to remain at SDMA through November 2. (619/232-7931, www.sdmart.org) — Darlene G. Davies

Art For A Cause
"This is a charity show honoring my dad, who passed away last year," explains Melissa Walker, owner of Escondido’s Distinction Gallery and Artist Studios. Walker sent five-by-seven-inch wood panels to more than 100 artists around the world for Project 57. The original art will be sold silent auction-style (opening bids start at 50 percent of estimated value) in the week following the catered opening reception on August 9. "At least 40 of the artists will be in attendance," says Walker. Proceeds from the show’s $10 admission, as well as 100 percent of gallery auction profits, will go to the Lewy Body Dementia Association. Walker was moved to organize Project 57 after watching her beloved father, Charles "Chuck" Leslie Walker, suffer from Lewy body dementia. The progressive brain disease is the second-leading cause of degenerative dementia in the elderly. (760/781-5779, www.distinctionart.com) — AnnaMaria Stephens

Del Mar Decoded
While you may associate the creation of the Del Mar Fairgrounds with names like Ed Fletcher and Bing Crosby, authors Diane Y. Welch and B. Paul Welch have discovered the true founder while writing their recently published book, Images of America: Del Mar Fairgrounds. This historical account about the life of the fair reveals that James. E. Franks originally proposed making Del Mar the permanent location for the fairgrounds, information that was lost when the original grandstand was torn down, taking a plaque honoring Franks with it. "It was cool to think, here’s this guy who’s been lost to history and now I can revitalize him," Diane says. Among many subjects, the couple also explores the inaugural fair of 1880 held in National City, the many beauties crowned Fairest of the Fair, the involvement of armed forces, and all the fairgrounds has to offer today. (www.dianewelch.com) — Rina Van Orden

Culture Calendar

August

Ongoing: Juried Fine Art Show
The Carlsbad-Oceanside Art League (COAL) presents a juried fine art show by COAL members every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) on the lawn in front of the Carlsbad Inn. The show runs from 9am-4pm. In addition to presenting their work, the artists will also be demonstrating in various media. Admission is free. (www.carlsbadinnart.blogspot.com)

Thru 8/31: Pop & Beyond
Noel-Baza Fine Art in Little Italy presents an exhibition and sale of iconic and rare pop art including works by Jim Dine, Robert Indiana, Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Roy Lichtenstein, Peter Max, Andy Warhol, and more. (619/876-4160, www.noel-bazafineart.com)

Thru 9/2: Mummies: Secrets Of The Pharaohs
Ancient wonders, historic intrigue, and a modern-day forensic adventure come to life in this exciting new film at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s IMAX Dome Theater. Narrated by actor Christopher Lee (Lord Of The Rings and the original 1959 film The Mummy), Mummies tells the story of one of the greatest archaeological finds in modern history: the late 19th century discovery of a cache of 40 royal mummies — including 12 pharaohs of Egypt — in a single tomb. Mummies takes audiences back thousands of years to the age of the great pharaohs, to explore why mummification was so vital to ancient Egyptian life. (619/238-1233, www.rhfleet.org)

Thru 9/7: Artful Armadillos
Mingei is currently featuring more than 50 armor-plated, burrowing mammals — members of the native American family Dasypodidae. Primarily small figures that come from Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Suriname, Mexico, and the U.S., the armadillos are fashioned from materials that were easily available to their makers — many of whom were anonymous. (619/239-0003, www.mingei.org)

Thru 9/7: Humanitas: Images Of India
Fredric Roberts photographs ordinary life in India, from daily events to ceremonies, revealing the intimacy and community of place. Through the combination of portraiture and landscape, Roberts presents a fascinating and engaging depiction of domestic and economic life. Museum of Photographic Arts. (619/238-7559, www.mopa.org)

Thru 9/14: Flesh
South African artist Gary Schneider has long been fascinated with the possibilities of photographic portraiture to explore issues of identity. This exhibition includes his John in Sixteen Parts, a set of black-and-white fragments of his partner’s face seen through time; Genetic Self-Portrait, his installation, which employs medical-imaging techniques to depict his own body from the inside out; and Heads and Nudes, where Schneider uses exposures of up to three hours to explore and transform the flesh of friends and family. (619/238-7559, www.mopa.org)

Thru 9/30: Grand Canyon Adventure: River At Risk
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s IMAX Dome Theater’s newest offering presents an exhilarating river-rafting adventure down the Colorado River with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and anthropologist Wade Davis on a critical mission of water conservation and river restoration. Narrated by Robert Redford and featuring music by the Dave Matthews Band, this film combines science, adventure, and natural beauty to deliver an uplifting message of hope and inspiration. (619/238-1233, www.rhfleet.org)

Thru 10/5: Asia
The Ordover Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition by internationally recognized National Geographic photographer Art Wolfe. Wolfe’s ethereal imagery explores the landscape, people, and customs of remote locales. The Ordover Gallery has moved and can now be found at 410 South Cedros Avenue. (858/720-1121, www.ordovergallery.com)

Thru 10/12: Spirits In Stone — Art And Animals Of Africa
The San Diego Natural History Museum presents an exhibition featuring sculpture of internationally acclaimed Zimbabwean Shona stone sculptors, as well as masks, jewelry, and baskets. All of the stone artwork is available for purchase with the proceeds benefiting the museum as well as the African communities in which the Shona artists live. The exhibition will also feature an open enclosure with African lizards as well as exhibits with various types of African bugs, fish, frogs, snakes, and more lizards. (619/232-3821, www.sdnhm.org)

Thru 10/20: People, Prints, & Politics: China 1920-1980, Woodblock Prints Of Xian Rang Yong
This exhibition provides a unique perspective of Chinese culture as seen through the artistry of esteemed educator and scholar Professor Xian Rang Yong. His broad aesthetic and insight of his own culture as seen through 43 original and digital woodblock prints lends viewers perspective on China, a diverse and populous nation garnering much attention as the host of the 2008 Summer Olympics. (619/239-2001, www.museumofman.org)

Thru 11/2: Aerial Portraits Of The American West: Photographs By John Shelton
The San Diego Natural History Museum presents a black-and-white photography exhibition, a retrospective of Shelton’s work, that marks the first time works by the well-known geologist will be exhibited for the public. Shelton is the author of Geology Illustrated, considered by many scientists and professors one of the best geology reference books available. (619/232-3821, www.sdnhm.org)

Thru 11/2: Eleanor Antin: Historical Takes
The San Diego Museum of Art has organized a solo exhibition of the celebrated artist Eleanor Antin, known for her works at the intersection of photography and performance. The exhibition is the first to focus on Antin’s recent series of large-scale tableaux photographs based on Greek and Roman history and mythology, which are presented together for the first time. (619/232-7931, www.sdmart.org)

Thru 1/4/09: Forms In Wood And Fiber — Southern California New Work
On display at Mingei International Museum, this exhibition features the work of six distinguished San Diego wood artists and California Fibers — a group of artist craftsmen from Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. Recognizing the rich diversity of excellent wood and fiber artist craftsmen in this region, the exhibition is conceived as a lively conversation among peers and between two artistic media. Both fresh perspectives on traditional forms and cutting-edge contemporary expressions will be included in works of superior design and craftsmanship. (619/239-0003, www.mingei.org)

Thru 1/11/09: Beyond Reasonable Drought: Water And Culture In A Changing Climate
This exhibition demonstrates how knowledge from the past can help people today manage water resources in a changing climate, by highlighting people from the Southwest, including San Diego, and their connection to water. Following the course of the Colorado River, the exhibition reveals the adaptation and innovation people practiced to manage changing water resources in arid environments. (619/239-2001, www.museumofman.org)

Thru 2/1/09: Picturing The Process: Landscape Through Time And Space
The Museum of Photographic Arts presents the second in an ongoing series of education-based exhibitions. Exploring issues related to the landscape, the exhibition includes over 40 works from the museum’s permanent collection, and will present a selection of discrete approaches to landscape photography from the landscape as a representation of beauty, as a means of artistic expressions, and as a forum for political and environmental issues.

Thru 4/19/09: India Adorned
India Adorned is the title of a beautiful exhibition currently at Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park. More than 150 objects on view have been carefully selected from Mingei’s Stephen Huyler Collection, with Huyler serving as curatorial advisor. It’s a role for which he is eminently suited, since he has traveled throughout India, documenting village life and arts, for the last 36 years. As a result, he carries with him a deep reverence for the creativity of rural Indian people, who surround themselves with a rich array of clothing, bodily ornaments, tools, vessels, carvings and architectural detail, all in a pleasing variety of materials. These objects of daily use are part of religious expression, family life and home care. An added bonus — Huyler’s newest book, Daughters of India: Art and Identity, which accompanies the exhibition, will be available only at Mingei prior to its fall release. (619/239-0003, www.mingei.org)

8/12-17: A Chorus Line
Broadway San Diego presents a winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical and the longest-running American Broadway musical ever. Mature language and themes. Civic Theatre. (619/564-3000, www.broadwaysd.com)

8/2-17: Big River — The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
This unforgettable musical (based on Twain’s timeless classic) sweeps viewers down the mighty Mississippi as the irrepressible Huck Finn helps his friend Jim, a runaway slave, escape to freedom. Propelled by a Tony award winning score from Roger Miller, this jaunty journey provides a brilliantly theatrical celebration of pure Americana. The story of their journey downstream captures the rhythms, sounds and spirit of life on the Mississippi. The cast is led by San Diego’s own Shaun T. Evans as "Jim" with a special appearance by 12-year-old Broadway and film star and Point Loma native Austyn Myers as "Huckleberry Finn." Myers is actually also currently co-starring on the big screen alongside Eddie Murphy in Meet Dave. Lyceum Stage in Horton Plaza__. (619/944-7574, www.cyctheatre.com)

8/7: New York Muse
Madison Gallery in La Jolla presents the premiere of New York Muse, a solo exhibition by Jamali, whose works are in 5,000 private collections in the United States. He brings together mysticism and quantum mechanics in a beautiful and powerful chthonic art. An opening reception with the artist takes place on August 7 at the gallery. (858/459-0836, www.madisongalleries.com)

8/15-31: Spring Awakening
Starting as a workshop reading at La Jolla Playhouse and going on to win eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Spring Awakening is based on the infamous 1891 Frank Wedekind play and features an original score by Grammy-nominated recording star Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater. It is a story of uncontrollable emotions and undeniable passions, of first love and lasting regrets. But most remarkably, it is a musical that answers the questions teenagers have been asking forever. Note: Brutally honest and ultimately optimistic, this show contains explicit language, brief nudity, scenes of sadism, sex, and suicide. Presented by Broadway San Diego at Civic Theatre. (619/564-3000, www.broadwaysd.com)

8/16: B-Side Players
The Belly Up. (858/481-8140, www.bellyup.com)

8/18: Tap Fever Presents The Heat Is On
The Belly Up presents a night of tap dancing featuring San Diego firefighters and rescue workers. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. (858/481-8140, www.bellyup.com)

8/19-9/28: Memphis
La Jolla Playhouse presents the fictionalized life story of a white disc jockey in the segregated south who started playing black music on the radio. Set in the 1950’s, Memphis explores interracial relationships, the power of radio, and how music broke down racial barriers. (858/550-1010, www.lajollaplayhouse.org)

8/25: Matthew Sweet
The Belly Up. (858/481-8140, www.bellyup.com)

8/27: Radiohead With Liars
Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre. (619/220-TIXS, www.ticketmaster.com)

9/6-28: The Good Body
Taking the audience on a journey to surgical centers, gyms, and beauty salons around the world, The Good Body exposes the naked truths from women who share their deepest secrets, obsessions, and hard won peace and celebration of themselves. San Diego Repertory Theatre at the Lyceum Theatre. (619/544-1000, www.sandiegorep.com)

9/23-28: The Drowsy Chaperone
The Drowsy Chaperone is a new musical comedy swooping in to town with tons of laughs and the most 2006 Tony Awards of any musical on Broadway. San Diegan Casey Nicholaw (Tony-nominated for Drowsy and Spamalot) directed and choreographed, with costumes by San Diego’s Tony Award-winner Gregg Barnes. (619/564-3000, www.broadwaysd.com)

10/21-11/16: Water And Power
Members of Culture Clash, America’s premiere Latino theatre troupe, return to the Lyceum Theatre with the award-winning drama Water And Power, directed by the Rep’s artistic director SAM WOODHOUSE and featuring Herbert Siguenza as Power. Written by the group’s ensemble leader Richard Montaya, it takes a penetrating look at Southern California’s power politics and the Latinos and gringos who hold our future in their hands. San Diego Repertory Theatre at the Lyceum Theatre. (619/544-1000, www.sandiegorep.com)

11/23-12/21: The Princess And The Black-Eyed Pea
Set in the heart of two exotic African kingdoms, The Princess and the Black-Eyed Pea transforms Hans Christian Andersen’s cherished fairy tale into a soulful musical comedy. San Diego Repertory Theatre at the Lyceum Theatre. (619/544-1000, www.sandiegorep.com)