An Art Above: Open Walls Project
Article by Rebecca Romani
As people have been driving around the San Diego region recently, they may have gotten the feeling that there is a little something different about the drive these days. They might not be able to put their finger on it, but if they look up, they might see the latest installment of the “Open Walls project” curated by Ann Berchtold and Marcos Ramírez in a clever recasting of ordinary billboards as plein air gallery as a wrap around project of Art San Diego, the juried contemporary art show happening this weekend in Balboa Park.
The idea behind this year’s project is to start conversations around many of the issues being raised during the 2016 Presidential Elections, according to Ann Berchtold. For this project, Berchtold tapped internationally renowned artist Marcos Ramírez, known for works that engage issues on both sides of the Tijuana-San Diego border, to help choose the artists whose work would grace the San Diego skies.
It’s her third year working with Ramirez and Berchtold is clearly excited about the results.
“These are world-class artists who came because Marcos asked.”
“The idea is to curate in the public domain, something it would be interesting for someone to look up and see.
The result is provocative urban-style art that engages some of the issues of the neighborhood it floats above and the current climate in the US.
According to Berchtold, the seven billboards stretch from North Park to the border, standing high above the thoroughfares.
“It’s a different way of viewing things, said Berchtold. “Maybe it will start a conversation.”
Berchtold said the location of the billboards depend in part on what locations were available through Outfront Media and also whether or not the billboard could be read by passersby and if it would work with or could be juxtaposed with something in the surrounding environment.
The pieces range from the ultra simple but effective (“LIVES MATTER” against a black background) by Ramirez to the striking “Dare To Dream” with barbed concertina wire running through the letters by Andrea Bowers, currently above East San Ysidro Boulevard. Bowers, a Los Angeles-based multimedia artist, frequently creates work based around immigration, environmental activism and rape.
“It’s a very bold piece,” said Berchtold. “Not negative but provocative.”
Ramirez’ ‘Staten Island” piece debuted at the Art San Diego open Friday night.
Other billboards by Sam Durant –a Southern California based multimedia artist who works address social, political and cultural issues, Rigo 23 (Ricardo Gouveia)- a San Francisco-based Portuguese muralist and political artist, and Guadalajara-based multimedia pastiche artist who combines and reconfigures various elements to comment on daily life, are up throughout San Diego.
Berchtold herself is no stranger to bold, provocative work. An innovative art director on the San Diego art scene, Berchtold founded Art San Diego in 2009, and has been instrumental in creating funding and spaces to support emerging artists. Berchtold, who was listed as one of “50 People to Watch” in 2011 by San Diego Magazine, was just named one of “The Best of San Diego People: 2016” by San Diego Citybeat.
Berchtold is also curating the Heroic Procession exhibition on Saturday at Art San Diego. Heroic Procession is a collaborative performance by Tijuana visual artist Hugo Crosthwaite, violinist Marilu Salinas and Japanese Butoh dancer Theresa Magario, as a look at migration and movement.
According to Berchtold, the billboards will be up in various places until late November.
You can play spot the billboards as you drive through the San Diego area or, if you wish, you can learn more about the artists and find the billboards at their exact location at openwallsproject.com
