Phenomenal: California Light, Space, Surface focuses on perceptual investigations undertaken by artists during the 1960s and ’70s in Los Angeles, fomenting some of the most vanguard practices engaging young artists today. Larry Bell, Mary Corse, Robert Irwin, Bruce Nauman, James Turrell, and Doug Wheeler are among a cadre of artists whose work focused on visual perception and facilitated an awareness of the viewer’s physical body moving through space. MCASD, which was founded in La Jolla in 1941, has been actively collaborating with many of the artists featured in Phenomenal since the 1960s.

The exhibition will feature key works from MCASD’s collection as well as loans from prominent public and private collections. Phenomenal is part of Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980, a major region-wide initiative funded and spearheaded by the Getty Foundation. The exhibition is organized for MCASD by Director Hugh M. Davies and Curator Robin Clark.

Phenomenal: California Light, Space, Surface is accompanied by a scholarly catalogue co-published by MCASD and University of California Press. The publication is edited by Robin Clark with essays by Michael Auping, Robin Clark, Stephanie Hanor, Adrian Kohn and Dawna Schuld and a foreword by Hugh M. Davies.

Phenomenal: California Light, Space, Surface has been made possible by major grants from the Getty Foundation. The project has also received a generous contribution from Farrell Family Foundation, and grants from the Henry Luce.

Pacific Standard Time is an unprecedented collaboration of more than 50 cultural institutions across Southern California, which are coming together to tell the story of the birth of the LA art scene. Initiated through grants from the Getty Foundation, Pacific Standard Time will take place for six months beginning October 2011.

San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus 2011 “Cyber Season” Concerts Yule Tube – Holiday Concert Will be performed at the historic Balboa Theatre. Ring in the holiday cheer early with everything that’s great about the holidays! You’ll hear beautiful, traditional music of the season and new takes on holiday tunes from today’s hottest artists. Blend in some gay men’s chorus magic and spice, some handsome dancers and a few surprises, and it’s another holiday hit from your favorite collection of Santa’s helpers!

Children: Children under the age of 6 are not allowed into this performance. Children over the age of 6 may attend this event and must have own ticket in same section as parent. For your comfort and the enjoyment of others, please use discretion when bringing young children to any live theatre performance.

Hold It Contemporary Home will be closed Christmas Day. We will re-open Monday, December 26th at 10am. Happy Holidays!

San Diego Parade of Lights begins at Shelter Island and ends at the Coronado Ferry Landing. For more information, visit the Parade of Lights website.

Rustic elegance is what the Lyell is all about. The Lyell Dining Table, from our line Reclaimed Modern, is made of a beautiful reclaimed wood and offers a great natural touch to a modern space. The 87″ long table comfortably seats 8 and is perfect for Holiday entertaining.

The Lyell is available at Hold It Contemporary Home starting at $1,425.

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Sometimes toys you played with as a kid can be incorporated into design and be just as fun. The Pin Press by OOO My Design can function as a book shelf, a storage area or just a fun. And with Christmas so close, I wouldn’t mind seeing this cool modern design under my Christmas Tree.

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Nearly 50 yards above the ground, visitors can become a part of a sculpture called “Tiger & Turtle- Magic Mountain. Artists Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth created the sculpture in Duisburg, Germany after more than a year of work. The twisting turns appear to whip through the air, but the entire piece is entirely walkable to visitors. The artists describe their work: “The curved flight of stairs inscribes like a signature on the landscape and recruits the nimbus of the classical roller coaster.”

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As the weather turns cool, cozy up and image taking in the scenery at this beautiful Garden Shed in Finland. Designed by Ville Hara and Linda Bergroth, this greenhouse offers a home for gardening or living. Made from reclaimed bricks and solar panels, the hidden shed gives you the perfect place to take in the views.

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Mirrors offer a simple way to distort, enlarge, and confuse our perception. The “Ring” installation in Paris confuses perception better than any installation that we’ve seen before. Created by Arnaud Lapierre, the Ring was first a part of the FIAC Art Fair. The project developer says the “Ring” “ installation embodies a visual effect that is to connect all of these interactions through the implementation of an optical effect: the repetition of an cubic mirror to break the perception of the place.” See if you can figure out exactly what everything is while looking at the Ring.

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Milk crates have shaped this green structure on Governor’s Island in New York. The 10-foot-tall pavilion uses recycled milk crates to host home to various forms of plants and grass. The structure, which was designed by Ann Ha and Behrang Behin, was on display until last month, and then all the products used were recycled again throughout NYC.

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