House of Charm
Encyclopedia
Mission Revival Style architecture
The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....
. It acquired its current name, "House of Charm", during the park's second Exposition held in 1935-36. It now houses the San Diego Art Institute
San Diego Art Institute
The San Diego Art Institute’s “Museum of the Living Artist”, with its main gallery located in historic Balboa Park, is a Center for the Visual Arts for the Southern California /Baja California region. The institute functions much like a municipal gallery for the city/county...
and the Mingei International Museum
Mingei International Museum
The Mingei International Museum is a non-profit public institution that collects, conserves and exhibits folk art, craft and design. The museum was first founded in 1974 and its building opened in 1978. The word mingei, meaning 'art of the people,' was coined by the Japanese scholar Dr...
as well as rehearsal space for the Old Globe Theatre
Old Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons...
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Panama-California Exposition, 1915-1916
San Diego staged the Panama-California Exposition in 1915 to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal and to call attention to the fact that San Diego would be the first American port of call north of the Panama CanalPanama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
on the Pacific coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
. In 1910 San Diego had a population of 39,578, San Diego County 61,665, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
319,198, and San Francisco 416,912. San Diego's scant population made it the smallest city ever to attempt holding an international exposition. However, the Exposition was a huge success and was extended for a second year.
The building now known as the House of Charm was originally named the Mining Building, intended to showcase the mineral wealth and abundance of the region of San Diego. Another temporary name was the "Arts and Crafts Building," but by the time the fair opened in 1915 the building was called the "Indian Arts Building." When the fair was extended to 1916, the exhibits changed and the building was once again renamed, this time to the "Russia and Brazil Building." From 1917 to 1922 it was known as the "Science of Man Building" and housed specimens, casts, statues, and photographs illustrating the development of the human species. It was later used for refreshment stands and flower shows.
Bertram Goodhue
Bertram Goodhue
Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue was a American architect celebrated for his work in neo-gothic design. He also designed notable typefaces, including Cheltenham and Merrymount for the Merrymount Press.-Early career:...
, master architect of the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, had urged that the temporary buildings on Balboa Park's main avenue, El Prado, be torn down. However, San Diego's citizens scorned this advice. With the assistance of money from the federal government, they patched up the plaster palaces in 1922 and 1933. This meant that the most of the original buildings were available for re-use in the second exposition in 1935.
California Pacific International Exposition: 1935-1936
The California-Pacific International Exposition used many of the Mission Revival Style buildings remaining from the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, including the Science of Man Building. During the 1935-36 exhibition the building was renamed the House of Charm, by which name it is still known today. During 1935 it housed commercial concessions devoted to women's clothing, jewelry, hosiery, shoes, cosmetics and perfumes, as well as a drug store and refreshment stand. In 1936 the name was changed again to Palace of International Arts, featuring gems and artifacts from all over the world, some for sale and some for exhibit.Later use
Although there were ongoing doubts about the soundness of the building, which was not intended to be a permanent structure, it continued to be used during the 1940s and 1950s. Tenants included the Model Railroad Museum, the San Diego Hall of ChampionsSan Diego Hall of Champions
The San Diego Hall of Champions is an American multi-sport museum in San Diego, California. Located in the Federal Building in Balboa Park, the facility recognizes outstanding athletic accomplishments and traditions involving more than forty-two sports...
, and the San Diego Men's Art Club (forerunner of the San Diego Art Institute
San Diego Art Institute
The San Diego Art Institute’s “Museum of the Living Artist”, with its main gallery located in historic Balboa Park, is a Center for the Visual Arts for the Southern California /Baja California region. The institute functions much like a municipal gallery for the city/county...
). In 1978 the building was condemned as unsafe and was temporarily evacuated, but the San Diego Art Institute moved back in after sprinklers were installed. During the 1980s various tenants competed for use of the building, but none could afford the necessary renovations. Finally in 1989 the city of San Diego decided to tear down and rebuild the House of Charm, along with the House of Hospitality
House of hospitality
A house of hospitality is an organization to provide shelter, and often food and clothing, to those who need it. Originally part of the Catholic Worker Movement, houses of hospitality have been run by other organizations, including organizations that are not Catholic or Christian...
which was in similar disrepair. The recreated House of Charm building was reopened on September 21, 1996, with external features carefully duplicating the original highly ornamented exterior. The building now houses the San Diego Art Institute, the Mingei International Museum, and rehearsal space for the Old Globe Theatre
Old Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons...
.
Museum of the Living Artist (MoLA)
San Diego Art Institute
The San Diego Art Institute’s “Museum of the Living Artist”, with its main gallery located in historic Balboa Park, is a Center for the Visual Arts for the Southern California /Baja California region. The institute functions much like a municipal gallery for the city/county...
's (SDAI) Museum of the Living Artist
Museum of the Living Artist
The Museum of the Living Artist is hosted by the San Diego Art Institute . It features a new exhibition of works by San Diego artists opening every four to six weeks in a 10,000-square-foot gallery, dedicated to the advancement of the visual arts through outreach, education, and exhibition. Solo...
(MoLA) has a 10000 square foot gallery in the House of Charm, featuring works by San Diego artists. A new exhibit opens every four to six weeks. Solo artist exhibitions are also featured. With more than 30 shows a year, SDAI aims to be a supportive center for local emerging artists. The Institute also offers many outreach and educational programs. The David Fleet Young Artists' Gallery showcases art done by students at regional elementary, middle and high schools, while the Outreach through Exhibition Series calls upon artists to address community issues in their art.
MoLA regional exhibitions
SDAI's most visible activity focuses on showcasing the work of San Diego area emerging visual artists through a program of over 30 juriedJuried (competition)
A juried competition is a competition in which participants' work is judged by a person or panel of persons convened specifically to judge the participants' efforts, either by the competition's stated rubric or by a subjective set of criteria dependent upon the nature of the competition or the...
shows a year (regular show, a one-foot show, special outreach shows, youth art & others). Different art professionals are selected as jurors for each show. Juror's Choice and Honorable Mention certificates are awarded at monthly public receptions.
MoLA Annual International Award Exhibition
Since 1955 SDAI has produced "the Annual" -- a juried show drawing interest from artists all over the world. A different internationally known juror is invited each year. This show is juried by slides and makes international competition available to regional artists. Awards are presented at SDAI's annual Gala Celebration.MoLA Outreach Through Exhibition
Outreach Through Exhibition is a call to artists to respond to social and community issues. This is a unique visual art venue that marries the artist's talent with community awareness. Some previous exhibitions have been:- "Winged Victory -- Transcending Breast Cancer"
- "Art Without Frontiers/Hasta La Raya"
- "eARTh" -- environmental awareness
- "Our Healing Arts" -- AIDS awareness
- International Youth Art Exchange.
MoLA youth programs
The mission of the David Fleet Young Artists' Gallery is the exposure to the creative process of the youth of San Diego within the curriculum of the school. "The Fleet", on a monthly basis, showcases youth art by regional elementary, middle and senior high schools. SDAI liaisons with the city of San Diego/ County Art Educators Association for curators, school participation and selection. Regional jurors choose the SDAI Youth Achievement Awards each month.The SDAI Youth Tour is a docent tour of the SDAI galleries aimed at young audiences. SDAI also maintains a separate facility for art education and for comprehensive computer classes in multimedia and animation.
Mingei International Museum
Mingei International MuseumMingei International Museum
The Mingei International Museum is a non-profit public institution that collects, conserves and exhibits folk art, craft and design. The museum was first founded in 1974 and its building opened in 1978. The word mingei, meaning 'art of the people,' was coined by the Japanese scholar Dr...
reveals the beauty of use in folk art
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
, craft
Craft
A craft is a branch of a profession that requires some particular kind of skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to the Medieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towards people occupied in small-scale production of goods.-Development from the past until...
and design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
from all eras and cultures of the world. The word mingei
Mingei
', the Japanese folk art movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu .-Origins:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of a curiosity for Korean crafts...
, meaning 'art of the people,' was coined by the Japanese scholar Sōetsu Yanagi by combining the Japanese words for all people (min) and art (gei). Yanagi's teachings awakened people to the essential need to make and use objects that are unfragmented expressions of head, heart and hands. Established in 1978, Mingei International Museum collects, conserves and exhibits these arts of daily use - by anonymous craftsmen of ancient times, from traditional cultures of past and present and by historical and contemporary designers.