Friday, September 17
10:00 a.m. PT
Speaker: John Raymond Mireles, Photographer
An artist with a conceptual bent, John Raymond Mireles challenges conventional notions of what photography is—both conceptually and in its physical manifestation. In his current exhibition at the Museum, Disestablishment: John Raymond Mireles, he presents large-scale photographs of remote and staggeringly beautiful landscapes that have recently had their US National Monument status revoked, opening the sites for mining and drilling. Then, he invites the public to take part in destroying the landscape images, transforming the exhibition into a visceral experience to deepen understanding of the potential damage facing these virgin landscapes. These destructive actions question complicity by mimicking the fate that awaits these areas.
Join us online via Zoom on September 17 as we hear from Mireles about his photographic work that crosses genres: it has ranged from portraiture to still life to landscape to street work to documentary projects.
Then, consider being part of the destruction by attending the in-person Public Destruction Event on the Museum steps starting at 2:00 p.m.
Reserve your spot for the online guest lecture by clicking on this link. All participants will be sent the Zoom link and instructions via email once you secure your place. Space is limited.
This lecture is presented as a part of the Guest Lecture Series, which focuses on works of art on view in the Museum as well as topics of interest in the broader art world. Lectures are followed by docent-led virtual tours.
Sponsored by The San Diego Museum of Art Docent Council.
Featured: John Raymond Mireles, Toadstools Hoodoos, Utah; formerly within Escalante National Monument, 2019 / 2021. Solvent ink on cellulose paper. Courtesy of the artist. © John Raymond Mireles.