CONCERTS
Jazz, Chamber, New Music & Acoustics
Our Athenaeum Jazz fall series opens with the Ben Williams Quartet, featuring bassist Williams with vibraphonist Sasha Berliner, guitarist Andrew Renfroe, and drummer John Davis. “Ben Williams has a dark, righteous sound on an upright bass, and an almost liquid mobility through the fullness of his range” (New York Times). In November, the Karatz Chamber Concert Series continues with clarinetist Boris Allakhverdyan, pianist Alin Melik-Adamyan, and guest cellist Alex Greenbaum, who will perform music from Debussy, Martinu, and Mangani and will close with Brahms’ Trio for piano, clarinet, and cello.
LECTURES
Art History, Music & Architecture Lectures
In October, Dr. Mark Hargreaves and Hallie Swenson will lecture about The Distinct Modernism of San Diego. This series tells the story of architectural modernism in San Diego, going back to the work of Irving J. Gill (1870–1936). Each lecture features the work of architects who played a significant part in that story. Also, the Athenaeum and Murals of La Jolla will present Kelsey Brookes, with a special presentation of his career, process, recent projects, and 2014 mural One Pointed Attention for Murals of La Jolla.
ART CLASSES & LITERARY CLASSES
Fall 2024 Session
School of the Arts’ Fall 2024 art classes are now available! Join Friday Writers II (Fiction & Nonfiction) with Anna DiMartino in the Elliott North Reading Room. Explore Encaustics Workshops with Lisa Bebi in the AAC Art Studio. Paint Halloween Decorations in Plein Air on location with Kevin Inman. Create in the Drawing Workshop: White on Black with Jean Krumbein in the La Jolla Studio. Discover Japanese Stab Binding—Book in a Day with Judith Christensen in the AAC Print Room. Register today!
The Athenaeum offers a wealth of resources that are unique to this region. The library, devoted exclusively to music and art, has an outstanding and ever-expanding collection of books, periodicals, reference material, CDs, DVDs, sheet music, and librettos, as well as one of the most significant collections of artists' books in Southern California. Members have access to a wide variety of materials that range from rare, historic items to the latest in video technology.
Explore the concerts and lectures the Athenaeum has to offer. Enjoy intimate jazz, chamber, and new music concerts, as well as artists’ talks and art history lectures.
The Athenaeum Art Center (AAC) in Logan Heights has four exhibition spaces, an event space, a fully equipped print studio, a kiln, and art studio. It offers a unique set of bilingual programming that includes the exhibition of national and international artists, music concerts showcasing the distinct sounds of our binational region, participation in community festivities, free after-school art programs, art classes, and a variety of unique experiences in collaboration with local organizations.
Exhibitions
Carlos Castro Arias will exhibit his newest project, The Splinter in the Eye, an installation composed of paintings and objects in which the artist reflects about memory, trauma, and elements of the individual and collective identity.
Carlos Castro Arias is a Colombian artist, professor, and musician. He received a BA from the Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Bogota in 2002 and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2008 to the San Francisco Art Institute, where he received an MFA in painting in 2010. Castro Arias has been an associate professor at San Diego State University since 2019.
The show will be on display in the Joseph Clayes III Gallery and the Carolyn Yorston-Wellcome Rotunda Gallery from October 19, 2024 through January 11, 2025.
Murals of La Jolla is a project of the Athenaeum. The mural project enhances the civic character and vitality of the community by commissioning public art projects on private property throughout La Jolla. Each work is on view for a minimum of two years. Since 2010, thirty-seven large-scale artworks have appeared in a variety of locations throughout the village of La Jolla, some prominently displayed while others are tucked away in more discreet locations.
The Athenaeum's
Erika & Fred Torri
Artists’ Books Collection
Artists' books are works of art in book form. They are published in small editions or as one-of-a-kind objects. The Athenaeum's artists' books collection has become one of the most important collections in its holdings and is a driving force in the library's development. Among its holdings, it contains the complete collection of artists' books by Ed Ruscha, Ida Applebroog, Allen Ruppersberg, John Baldessari, Bruce Nauman, and other artists.
Join the Athenaeum
Becoming a member is the best way to enjoy everything that the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library—San Diego's only membership library—has to offer. For only $50 a year, members may check out materials from the library, receive exclusive discounts on our programs, and more! An Athenaeum Music & Arts Library membership supports art and music in San Diego.
The Athenaeum is supported by members like you!
