San Diego Modernism: Furniture and Arts for Daily Living

San Diego's dynamic history of mid-20th century modernism in art and architecture remains unfamiliar if not completely unknown. In the years after WWII a robust community of San Diego-based practitioners including architects, painters, craftspeople, and designers formed vital membership organizations (such as the Allied Craftsmen), helped establish and program local museums and designed prominent features of the built environment. They wrote for the newspapers, put on lectures, film screenings, demonstrations, and concerts, and went on to preeminence in the areas of enameling, furniture design, architectural crafts and body ornament–all in a place many people considered devoid of culture.

As curator of the 2011 Pacific Standard Time exhibition San Diego’s Craft Revolution at Mingei International Museum and author of the companion book, Dave Hampton began to illuminate San Diego’s little-known contributions to post-WWII contemporary craft and design and its key role in shaping the image of “California Design" as disseminated via the Pasadena Art Museum's powerfully influential series of exhibition surveys.

Designed to complement and contextualize the film and panel discussion following this presentation, Jack Rogers Hopkins: California Design Maverick, Dave Hampton will talk about the design and making of Furniture and Architectural Elements –murals, doors, grilles, lanterns, windows, fountains, gates, handles, fireplace surrounds, etc.– in San Diego, connecting this work to San Diego's unique culture of modernism and architecture, from Irving Gill to Lloyd Ruocco, Sim Bruce Richards and Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, and illustrate furniture by John Dirks; Larry Hunter; Jack Rogers Hopkins; Wendy Maruyama; Douglas Deeds and Carl Ekstrom, and architectural elements by Ellamarie & Jackson Woolley; Svetozar & Ruth Radakovich; James Hubbell; Rhoda Lopez; Malcolm Leland; Kay Whitcomb & the Lemurian Crafts.  modernsandiego.com   objectsusa.com  esotericsurvey.blogspot.com  lloydruocco.com 

$15

Things to Know
This event is for ages 12 and older.
The entrance to the Annenberg Theater is located behind the Annenberg Theater Box Office, adjacent to the Palm Springs Art Museum's North Parking Lot.
Ample free public parking is available in the multi-level public garage across from the Palm Springs Art Museum.
Handicap parking is available. This event is wheelchair accessible.
The organizer of this event is Modernism Week.

Event Check-in Location 
Annenberg Theater,  Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 N. Museum Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92262
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Photo Credits: Dave Hampton