Our picks of this week's events
Yes. We blurbed a cat show.
ART
To create
Some artists who try to eek out a living by making art find themselves selling out just to pay the rent, no longer creating simply for the sake of creating. Instead, they create things they know will sell. Big Muffins, a collective comprising local artists Mathhew R. Webb, DJ Brelje, Chris Warr and Johnny Stein, doesn’t care about the money. Although the Muffins do accept good-hearted donations of no more than $5 a person, they’re more interested in throwing a party with live music, free drinks and surreal and experimental paintings and sculpture. Big Muffins, along with Anna Troy and Seesaw Ensemble, will be doing just that at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at Black Box Studios, 2469 Broadway in Golden Hill. www.geo cities.com/bigmuffinsshow.
The wires: Roman de Salvo’s Electrical Conduit Series takes a building’s electrical system from its hidden space behind walls and thrusts it into the spotlight. The result is a twisting, turning sculptural installation that blends into a space while activating it at the same time. The three lovely ladies behind the San Diego Art Prize have selected de Salvo as the established artist in the next round of prize recipients, and, in turn, de Salvo has selected emerging artist Lael Corbin. Sculptures and installations by the pair will be on view in Research, an exhibition opening at the L Street Fine Art Gallery, 628 L St., across from the Omni Hotel downtown, from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26. www.lstreetfineart.com.
WORKSHOPS
Adding interactivity
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s Soundwaves: The Art of Sampling exhibition is anything but static. The show features active and/or layered sculptures, paintings and installations that reference the DJ technique of sampling and mixing—using parts to make a new and improved whole. From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 26, the exhibition adds another layer, kicking off a three-part series of interactive workshops, Creating in Context, which give participants the chance to work hand-in-hand with electronic artist Martin Schmidt of Matmos fame; Stephanie Hanor, the curatorial mastermind behind the exhibition; and artist Steve Roden. The cost of all three workshops is $85 for museum members, $100 for non-members, but expect to walk away with heightened awareness and an original work of art created by none other than you. www.mcasd.org/soundwaves or 858-454-3541.
MUSIC
Strings attached
Muriel Anderson is a master of manipulation. At 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship will demonstrate the ninja-like skill that is guitar fingerpicking. She’ll be joined by Thom Bresh, a guy with a crazy gray, feathered hairdo and an even crazier double-headed guitar called the Super Dualette. The finger-licking guitar-picking will go down at the Museum of Making Music, 5790 Armada Drive in Carlsbad. Reservations required. $15-$20. www.museumofmakingmusic.org or 760-438-5996.
BOOKS
It’s out
Anthony Horowitz, being the British book-writing machine that he is, has just released the seventh installment in his action-adventure series about Alex Rider, the teenage super spy. The book is called Snakehead: An Alex Rider Adventure, and it’s rumored to be a page-turning thriller good enough to get even the most anti-literary teen to read. But Snakehead isn’t just for pimply faced kids doped up on hormones—the witty spy book is Harry Potter meets James Bond, perfect for adults in search of some brain-candy-meets-brain-exercising literature. Horowitz will sign and discuss his new book at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, at Borders Mission Valley, 1072 Camino Del Rio North. 619-295-2201 or www.anthonyhoro witz.com. Horowitz will also be signing his book at Warwick's in La Jolla at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Electro racing
The exact whereabouts of the electric car have been the subject of countless enviro-conscience conversations and even a 2006 documentary, aptly titled Who Killed the Electric Car? From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26 and 27, the Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego reinvigorates the debate by presenting Electric Dragin’, the world’s first electric-drive-only drag race at 1932 Wildcat Canyon Road on the Barona Indian Reservation. Dozens of electric vehicles will compete in motocross and drag racing, as well as a Show n’ Shine car show. www.members.cox.net/ electric_dragin.
Cat crazy: Imagine walking into the living room of a crazy old cat lady who hoards hundreds of furry little felines in her home. Now take away the disgusting smell and the creepiness and you’ve got a scene similar to the Food & Water Bowl XVI, the “Super Bowl of cat shows,” as organizers like to say. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds’ Exhibit Hall (2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. in Del Mar), cat lovers will have a chance to see a showcase of exotic cats, buy cat toys, gifts and gadgets you never knew your kitten needed, purchase a pedigree kitten or adopt a rescue cat and—sound the drums, please—watch cat-agility competitions and household-pet competitions live and in person. $6-$8. www.sandiegocat.org or 760-735-8209.
Published: 01/22/2008
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