What if small paintings became murals: An opportunity for the empty wall space at the San Diego Art Institute

In a companion artblog, I discuss Paola Villaseñor's mural, The Savagery of Women, painted on the large empty wall space viewed directly across the entry to the San Diego Art Institute's gallery. The Institute's gallery is down a flight of stairs from the entry.

This empty wall space had been long considered as a place for art. Easy enough for projected images from across the open area. An actual painting requires a far more substantial effort. Villaseñor paves the way in showing how this would be done using a lift and scaffolding. True, the Michelangelos who braved the scaffolding of the Sistine Chapel had the greater challenge; still, here is a modest opportunity to take advantage of a large empty wall space.

Paola Villaseñor painting her mural at the San Diego Art Institute entry way wall space

With the magic of digital media, we can easily re-imagine this empty space with the frequent smaller fine art paintings such as recently presented at San Diego Art Institute's C-Note fundraiser event. At C-Note, artist members enter images at a relatively modest price. A number of these images would have a similar visual impact as Villaseñor's mural.

Villaseñor's mural has opened the door, so to speak, to thinking about how this space can be used for the more traditional 2D flat found in modest frames and hung on the usual gallery walls.  Below are two C-Note paintings, approximately 12 x 16", that would make the empty wall space come to life:  Bonnie Woods' In Thought and a Tijuana artist, Maria Evangelina Rodriguez' Cavalio II.

Re-imagined wall space across from SDAI entry:  Bonnie Woods / In Thought (L); Maria Evangelina Rodriguez / Cavalio II (R)

Of course, who would paint these large-scale versions?  I, for one, am a dubious candidate for painting at heights - even assuming I could capture the technique and artistry of Woods and Rodriguez. Perhaps Paola Villaseñor and fellow muralists could become collaborators in this scaling up of more intimate-sized art.

Upscaled images at SDAI entry way:  Robert Moses / Yorick (L);  Lauren West / Pike's Place (R)

Several San Diego Art Institute artists bring a perspective from different heritages - Persian, Russian, Spanish, Mexican and a host of other cultures. While a quick perusal of art might appear staid and traditional, a more open-minded approach will reveal as much drama as Villaseñor. As an anthropologist (as well as an artist), I find drama in the daily triflings as in the shock-effects of the momentous. A matter of mood, timing and the quality of the coffee. 

Shahla Dorafshan / Pink on Brawn (L); Silvia Vassileva/ Fall (R)

What is your opinion? The San Diego Art Institute is one of San Diego's art venues in Balboa Park and a home for contemporary art making. It is San Diego's oldest artist member organization that has worked diligently to provide a space for the grand diversity in the visual arts. 

Note:  The author is an artist member and member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Art Institute.