Korean art - Metamorphosed Peony by Kim Chonghak

July 11, 2023

The San Diego Museum of Art Presents the U.S. Debut of Korea in Color: A Legacy of Auspicious Images

Experience Color and Its Enduring Role in Korean Art and Culture San Diego, CA. (July 2023)– The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is pleased to announce the special exhibition Korea in Color: A Legacy of Auspicious Images, which sheds light on the use of color in Korean painting—known as polychrome painting (chaesaekhwa)—and its role in Korean culture. On view from October 28, 2023, through March 3, 2024, the exhibition will make its U.S. debut at The San Diego Museum of Art after traveling from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon in South Korea (MMCA). Exploring the continued influence of polychrome painting and its legacy of auspicious imagery, the exhibition will showcase contemporary works in dialogue with historical masterpieces. Fifty works of art from multiple lenders span a variety of…

May 23, 2023

The San Diego Museum of Art Announces Merger with The Museum of Photographic Arts

These two historic institutions unite to create a dynamic cultural destination celebrating the beauty and diversity of visual arts San Diego, CA. (May 23, 2023) – The San Diego Museum of Art and The Museum of Photographic Arts announced today that they will merge to become one unified institution. This strategic merger will allow the combination of collections, resources, and expertise for the benefit of the San Diego community and beyond. The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is one of the city’s oldest and most esteemed institutions, founded in 1926 with a collection that spans over 5,000 years of art history. The San Diego Museum of Art has more than 22,000 works of art, having added thousands of photographs to its collection over the last eight years, and has…
Janet Brody Esser

March 27, 2023

The San Diego Museum of Art Receives $2.4 Million to Acquire Art by Black Artists and Artists of the African Diaspora

This bequest is a transformative gift for the Museum to further position the institution’s positive impact on the community SAN DIEGO, Calif. (March 27, 2023) – The San Diego Museum of Art announced today the receipt of a $2.4 million bequest from the estate of Dr. Janet Brody Esser to acquire and display works of art by Black artists and artists of the African diaspora. In addition, the Museum has received more than 200 volumes from Dr. Esser’s library and select works of art from her personal collection, including a drawing by local artist Marianela de la Hoz and four lithographs by Luis Jiménez. Her bequest made possible the inaugural acquisition of a mixed-media work by contemporary artist Nick Cave and a recent major exhibition of work by Justin Sterling. As…
The San Diego Museum of Art facade and west wing. Photo by Javier Velez.

March 7, 2023

The San Diego Museum of Art Selects Foster + Partners as the Design Architect for Renovation Project

Electing a Global Studio Marks an Important Step Towards a Transformational Investment at the Museum and for San Diego San Diego, CA. (March 7, 2023) – Following a comprehensive search, The San Diego Museum of Art announces the selection of renowned international architectural firm Foster + Partners as the Design Architect for a future renovation project set to enhance the Museum’s facilities and visitor experience. These climate-conscious enhancements will make it possible to continue serving a diverse and growing community throughout Southern California and beyond. The project will begin its detailed planning phase in the coming months and is expected to break ground in 2026. Situated within Balboa Park, a historic urban cultural oasis, the Museum’s renovation plan aims to increase art display and further enrich the public’s interaction with…

January 31, 2023

The San Diego Museum of Art Launches Groundbreaking O’Keeffe and Moore Exhibition

Explore two iconic Modernists and their parallel contributions to the artistic development of the 20th century SAN DIEGO, CA – The San Diego Museum of Art presents O’Keeffe and Moore, a groundbreaking exhibition uniting the work of these artistic giants for the first time, on view at The San Diego Museum of Art from May 13, 2023 – August 27, 2023, and then traveling to Albuquerque Museum in New Mexico and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in Canada. The exhibition re-creates both Georgia O’Keeffe’s and Henry Moore’s studios with their original found objects, tools, and furnishings. Visitors can experience the working practices of the two artists to see how natural forms such as animal skulls and bones, coiled sea shells, gnarled driftwood, and interlocking and layered stones inspired the…

January 31, 2023

The San Diego Museum of Art’s Signature Fundraiser and Community Celebration Art Alive 2023 Returns March 31-April 2

Celebrate Art and Community with Floral Interpretations of Famous Works of Art Inspired by the Museum’s Collection SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Museum of Art is in full bloom this spring with floral designers transforming famous works of art from the Museum’s collection into floral displays March 31–April 2, 2023. Art Alive is The San Diego Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser, providing critical year-round support for exhibitions, education, and outreach programs in the community. The signature celebration will feature nearly 100 floral arrangements inspired by works of art in the Museum’s collection. The theme for this year’s Art Alive is Modern Women, taking inspiration from the exhibition of the same name showcasing works of art by monumental women in the art world, including Sonia Delaunay, Françoise Gilot, and key…
Rachel Jans, Associate Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art

January 4, 2023

The San Diego Museum of Art Appoints Rachel Jans as Associate Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (January 2023) – The San Diego Museum of Art welcomes Rachel Jans as Associate Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art beginning December 1. Jans will curate exhibitions, advise on acquisitions, and conduct research for all modern and contemporary art at the Museum. With more than 10 years of experience, she joins the institution from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art where she served as Assistant Curator of Painting and Sculpture. “We are thrilled to welcome Rachel to The San Diego Museum of Art and believe that she will play a critical role in continuing to provide visitors with a cultural and thought-provoking experience at the Museum,” said Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO at The San Diego Museum of Art. “Her extensive experience in…
Artist Sergio Hernandez at work

October 17, 2022

The San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Present the 22nd Annual Axline Lecture Featuring Celebrated Oaxacan Artist Sergio Hernández

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (October 2022)  – The San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) are pleased to present internationally renowned artist Sergio Hernández as the featured speaker for the 22nd annual Axline Lecture on Monday, November 14, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. PST. This year’s Axline Lecture will be a hybrid event with a limited number of tickets available for in-person attendance, and additional tickets available for virtual viewing via Livestream. The Museum will also be featuring Sergio Hernández: Embers of Oaxaca, a dedicated exhibition with works by Sergio Hernández on view from November 12, 2022, through February 12, 2023. Oaxacan-based Sergio Hernández is among Mexico’s leading contemporary artists. Focusing on the wonders of the natural world, including native species of southern Mexico, the…

September 12, 2022

The San Diego Museum of Art Welcomes Sergio Hernández

Internationally Renowned Contemporary Mexican Artist Debuts First Solo Museum Exhibition in the United States SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Museum of Art presents Sergio Hernández: Embers of Oaxaca, an exhibition by the Oaxacan contemporary artist Sergio Hernández, on view November 12, 2022 – February 12, 2023. The first solo museum exhibition in the U.S. for the artist, the showcase features more than 30 large-scale paintings and mixed-media works with motifs drawn from the iconography of Hernández’s Indigenous heritage and wonders of the natural world, including native species of southern Mexico, Pacific Ocean marine life, and constellations of the night sky. Among the most renowned Mexican artists of his generation, Hernández follows in the tradition of fellow celebrated Oaxaqueños Rufino Tamayo and Francisco Toledo, while his use of local materials…

September 12, 2022

The San Diego Museum of Art to Open Chapel of the Rocks by Justin Sterling

The first large-scale, solo show for the artist explores urban decay and questions faith SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Museum of Art presents Chapel of the Rocks, an exhibition by New York–based visual artist Justin Sterling on view October 29, 2022 – February 12, 2023. The first solo museum show for the artist, Chapel of the Rocks is a space dedicated to exploring conversations on protest and “bad faith”, a term used by existentialist philosophers to describe the act of rationalizing our decisions or actions through a biased belief system. Utilizing the built environment as his medium, the artist is installing over 30 broken and mended stained-glass windows into a 1,000-square-foot chapel custom-built within the Museum. Before taking their place within the chapel, each window was found in the street,…