Opening Reception: Saturday, March 22, 5–8 PM
March 22–May 10, 2025

I Thought I’d Be Braver, Jiang’s debut solo exhibition, is a decade-long chronicle of her journey toward emotional courage. Her early work, characterized by bold colors and harsh textures, reflects the pain of repressed emotions and a fear of vulnerability. Gradually, this aesthetic softens into one of sheer, vibrant hues and delicate layers, mirroring her internal shift toward nurturance, forgiveness, and compassion. A testament to the beauty and complexity of spiritual survival, Jiang’s work offers viewers a poignant reminder of the courage and tenderness of the human heart.

January 18–April 19, 2025

Gallery Walk-through: Saturday, January 18, 11 AM

Julian Tan will give a free gallery walk-through of his Athenaeum exhibition, End Trances.

January 18–April 19, 2025

Opening Reception: Friday, January 17, 5:30–7:30 PM

For his exhibition End Trances, Los Angeles–based painter Julian Tan has created a body of work centered on a blinding, mysterious light in the sky and humans’ moments of wonder, panic, and solace as they witness it. In creating these paintings, Tan was thinking about recent trends including the use of AI in art making, the vastness of knowledge at our fingertips in a world dominated by instant information, public fascination with unidentified aerial phenomena, and a pervasive sense of being at the precipice of something—whether the end of the world or a cultural shift we have yet to understand as a society. The unknown light offers us all a glimpse of our own humanity, a sublime focal point in each work that remains open to interpretation.

Opening Reception: Saturday, January 11, 5–8 PM (during the Barrio Art Crawl)

January 11–March 14, 2025

Ana María Herrera’s work explores identity, displacement, and cultural coexistence through an intricate blend of found objects and diverse materials, such as wood, glass, metal, and fabric. Her compositions reflect the ephemeral nature of existence, particularly in the border region, where the complexities of migration and cultural negotiation are ever-present. By incorporating photographs, textiles, and three-dimensional elements, Herrera examines the emotional and physical boundaries that shape personal and collective identities, addressing themes of vulnerability, resistance, and resilience within the contemporary sociopolitical landscape. 

Opening Reception: Saturday, November 9, 5–8 PM (during the Barrio Art Crawl)

November 9, 2024–January 3, 2025

We are pleased to announce a Faculty & Staff Exhibition at the AAC Gallery. Athenaeum School of the Arts faculty and Athenaeum Music & Arts Library staff will submit a piece to display.

October 19, 2024–January 11, 2025

Opening Reception: Friday, October 18, 6:30–8:30 PM

Carlos Castro Arias will be exhibiting 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.

Opening Reception: Saturday, August 10, 5–8 PM (during the Barrio Art Crawl)

August 10–October 25, 2024

As the San Diego–Tijuana region is honored as the World Design Capital for 2024, the Athenaeum Art Center is thrilled to present What's Your Type?—an exhibition celebrating the area's rich design heritage and innovative spirit. From August 10 to October 25, 2024, immerse yourself in typographical creativity, featuring works from sign painters, muralists, block printers, and traditional letterpress and graphic designers. Engage with interactive installations and participate in printmaking activities that offer a hands-on experience with our extensive collection of historic type. Visit the Athenaeum Art Center and discover new depths in typography. Do not miss this unique opportunity to explore the intersection of art, design, and community! 

July 20–September 28, 2024

Opening Reception: Friday, July 19, 6:30–8:30 PM

One of the most prestigious juried shows in San Diego, selected artists will exhibit their work in our galleries, receive excellent exposure, and mingle with both artists and art lovers at an opening reception. Prize winners, including the recipient of the Leslie Von Kolb Memorial Award, will be announced at the opening reception.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

6 PM Reception; 6:30 PM Lecture

Unconscious Research features paintings and sculpture in which Takal explores exterior and interior expressions of the self. Predominantly working with oil on canvas, the paintings represent a shift in her work as she fully embraces the elemental language of abstraction, while her sculptural works showcase a collection of more linear and legible subjects. A Rolodex piece will be included in homage to the Athenaeum’s card catalogs, inviting visitors to peruse lists of personal feelings, collected from Takal’s friends and colleagues over the COVID-19 pandemic. Takal’s interests in the dissonance between our inner and outer consciousnesses and our human attempts to organize ourselves within that space are highlighted in this showcase of collective emotions and the inner workings of her artistic practice.

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 25, 5–7 PM

May 25–June 8, 2024

The Student Exhibition will include works by students who have completed a class at the Athenaeum School of the Arts during the last two years. Artwork entries for this exhibition will be accepted between Tuesday, April 2–Friday, May 10, 2024. Each artist may enter up to one (1) artwork for this exhibition. 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 11, 5–8 PM

May 11–July 26, 2024

The Athenaeum Art Center is proud to present an exhibition of artwork by graduate and upper-division undergraduate students of the School of Art and Design at San Diego State University. Since 2002, the SDSU Art Council has awarded scholarships to a select number of students who, in addition to the Council's financial support, receive the opportunity to present their artwork at the Athenaeum.

Artist Presentations: Thursday, May 9, 2–4 PM

May 11–July 26, 2024

The Athenaeum Art Center is proud to present an exhibition of artwork by graduate and upper-division undergraduate students of the School of Art and Design at San Diego State University. Since 2002, the SDSU Art Council has awarded scholarships to a select number of students who, in addition to the Council's financial support, receive the opportunity to present their artwork at the Athenaeum.

Closing Reception: Saturday, May 4, 4–6 PM

March 2–May 3, 2024

Tarrah Aroonsakool, a first-generation San Diego native with Thai and Lao heritage, embarked on a journey of self-discovery through art. Aroonsakool’s creative path led them to New Orleans, where they found a supportive community and showcased their work globally after her first show in 2013. Motivated by a desire to foster a creative community in their hometown, Aroonsakool returned to San Diego, where they continue to push boundaries and transform their art, incorporating everyday objects and found materials into the work.

April 20–July 13, 2024

Gallery Walk-through: Saturday, April 20, 2 PM

Unconscious Research features paintings and sculpture in which Takal explores exterior and interior expressions of the self. Predominantly working with oil on canvas, the paintings represent a shift in her work as she fully embraces the elemental language of abstraction, while her sculptural works showcase a collection of more linear and legible subjects. A Rolodex piece will be included in homage to the Athenaeum’s card catalogs, inviting visitors to peruse lists of personal feelings, collected from Takal’s friends and colleagues over the COVID-19 pandemic. Takal’s interests in the dissonance between our inner and outer consciousnesses and our human attempts to organize ourselves within that space are highlighted in this showcase of collective emotions and the inner workings of her artistic practice.

April 20–July 13, 2024

Opening Reception: Friday, April 19, 6:30–8:30 PM

Unconscious Research features paintings and sculpture in which Takal explores exterior and interior expressions of the self. Predominantly working with oil on canvas, the paintings represent a shift in her work as she fully embraces the elemental language of abstraction, while her sculptural works showcase a collection of more linear and legible subjects. A Rolodex piece will be included in homage to the Athenaeum’s card catalogs, inviting visitors to peruse lists of personal feelings, collected from Takal’s friends and colleagues over the COVID-19 pandemic. Takal’s interests in the dissonance between our inner and outer consciousnesses and our human attempts to organize ourselves within that space are highlighted in this showcase of collective emotions and the inner workings of her artistic practice.

Gallery Walk-through: Saturday, April 13, 7 PM (during the Barrio Art Crawl)

March 2–May 3, 2024

Join us on April 13 and dive into Through the Maze with a special Q&A and guided walk-through led by artist Tarrah Aroonsakool. Starting at 7 p.m., Aroonsakool will guide small groups through the immersive maze, sharing insights and answering your questions. Don't miss this unique opportunity to connect with the artist! The Barrio Art Crawl runs from 5 to 8 p.m.—the perfect Saturday plan to explore galleries and experience art in a new way. See you there! 

Opening Reception: Saturday, March 9, 5–8 PM (during the Barrio Art Crawl)

March 2–May 3, 2024

Tarrah Aroonsakool, a first-generation San Diego native with Thai and Lao heritage, embarked on a journey of self-discovery through art. Aroonsakool’s creative path led them to New Orleans, where they found a supportive community and showcased their work globally after her first show in 2013. Motivated by a desire to foster a creative community in their hometown, Aroonsakool returned to San Diego, where they continue to push boundaries and transform their art, incorporating everyday objects and found materials into the work.

Monday, February 19, 2024
7 PM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library and San Diego Books Arts present two International Artists for an evening gathering of conversations on fine bindings, as well as precision tool making. Sol Rébora and Juan Gross Diseño will share some of their work and processes as we enjoy one another's company.

Gallery Walk-through: Friday, February 16, 6:30–8 PM

December 9, 2023–February 23, 2024

Join us for an artist walk-through with Evan Apodaca, where he delves into his ongoing research for The Secret City, currently showcased at Athenaeum Art Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the walk-through commencing at 7 p.m. Free admission.

Sunday, January 28, 5–7 PM

December 9, 2023–February 23, 2024

Join Evan Apodaca and Project YANO for a discussion and presentation on the history, the present, and the future of resistance to militarism in San Diego. Apodaca and Project YANO will be discussing local defense contractors’ involvement in the current conflict in Israel and Gaza, the militarization of the border, the environmental impact of naval shipyards on historically Chicano neighborhoods, and other related topics. Audience participation is welcomed for this open forum. This event is part of Enero Zapatista, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Zapatista uprising. Free admission.

January 20–April 13, 2024

Gallery Walk-through: Saturday, January 20, 1 PM, free

In The Magician Longs to See, Peter Cochrane presents an alchemical tale about the natural world and humanity, using stories of life, death, and the human desire to preserve. Cochrane draws inspiration from indigenous plants in his home state of California and from the Athenaeum’s own botanical archives. Darkroom prints and abstractions of roses, pine cones, and other local plantings recreate traces of life that once lived in and around the library, including the Torrey pine that stood as a sentinel for the building’s entrance, and climbing roses proposed by Kate Sessions for a 1921 garden renovation. Cochrane’s interest in horticultural and photographic histories also considers the optical manifestation of the alchemical pursuit—the transformation of lead into gold—through which, working with analog photographic processes, metals, and translations, the artist explores the materiality of elements across humanity’s attempts at preservation. 

January 20–April 13, 2024

Opening Reception: Friday, January 19, 6:30–8:30 PM

In The Magician Longs to See, Peter Cochrane presents an alchemical tale about the natural world and humanity, using stories of life, death, and the human desire to preserve. Cochrane draws inspiration from indigenous plants in his home state of California and from the Athenaeum’s own botanical archives. Darkroom prints and abstractions of roses, pine cones, and other local plantings recreate traces of life that once lived in and around the library, including the Torrey pine that stood as a sentinel for the building’s entrance, and climbing roses proposed by Kate Sessions for a 1921 garden renovation. Cochrane’s interest in horticultural and photographic histories also considers the optical manifestation of the alchemical pursuit—the transformation of lead into gold—through which, working with analog photographic processes, metals, and translations, the artist explores the materiality of elements across humanity’s attempts at preservation. 

Saturday, January 13, 2024
11 AM; Free

Inspired by the blue cast of twilight, Anne Labovitz will present illuminated pieces, sculptural artists' books, and colorful, immersive works to interact with visitors, exploring a state of calmness, emergent energy, and feeling. Her work responds to today’s world by challenging isolation, loneliness and disconnection through activating color and light in large-scale works. Local context and creating connections with others is embodied in the artist's creative process and public interventions.

Thursday, December 14,2024
6 PM Reception; 6:30 PM Lecture

Inspired by the blue cast of twilight, Anne Labovitz will present illuminated pieces, sculptural artists' books, and colorful, immersive works to interact with visitors, exploring a state of calmness, emergent energy, and feeling. Her work responds to today’s world by challenging isolation, loneliness and disconnection through activating color and light in large-scale works. Local context and creating connections with others is embodied in the artist's creative process and public interventions.

Opening Reception: Saturday, December 9, 5–8 PM (during the Barrio Art Crawl)

December 9, 2023–February 23, 2024

Since 2017, Evan Apodaca’s work has aimed to confront the hyper-militarization of San Diego and its global implications. His video installation Monumental Interventions creates illusory worlds where toppled statues come to life, addressing San Diego’s complicity in US hegemony in Latin America and the Pacific, all while examining the militarization of the US-Mexico border. With anonymous community participation, Apodaca’s work delves into the saturation of patriotism within San Diego’s socially and physically constructed landscape while shedding light on the environmental injustices experienced in Barrio Logan due to pollution from nearby naval shipyards. The artist’s series of drawings entitled Reruns and documentary films Oceanside 69 and Del Mar 72 collectively provide an intimate window into San Diego’s tumultuous antiwar era from 1969 to 1972.

Saturday, November 18, 2024
4:30 PM; Free

Inspired by the blue cast of twilight, Anne Labovitz will present illuminated pieces, sculptural artists' books, and colorful, immersive works to interact with visitors, exploring a state of calmness, emergent energy, and feeling. Her work responds to today’s world by challenging isolation, loneliness and disconnection through activating color and light in large-scale works. Local context and creating connections with others is embodied in the artist's creative process and public interventions.

November 18, 2023–January 13, 2024

Opening Reception: Friday, November 17, 6:30–8:30 PM

Inspired by the blue cast of twilight, Anne Labovitz will present illuminated pieces, sculptural artists' books, and colorful, immersive works to interact with visitors, exploring a state of calmness, emergent energy, and feeling. Her work responds to today’s world by challenging isolation, loneliness and disconnection through activating color and light in large-scale works. Local context and creating connections with others is embodied in the artist's creative process and public interventions.

September 16–November 11, 2023

Closing Reception: Friday, November 3, 6:30–8:30 PM

Join the Athenaeum for a closing reception for our special exhibition of works by late French artist Françoise Gilot, featuring many never-before-exhibited lithographs.

September 16–November 11, 2023

Opening Reception: Friday, September 15, 6:30–8:30 PM

The Athenaeum is pleased to present a special exhibition of works by late French artist Françoise Gilot, featuring many never-before-exhibited lithographs.