February 2023

I’LL MELT WITH YOU Reflect on yourself in

these languid mirror shapes, bower- studios.com $4,500.

“I think if San Diego wants to be an arts destination , and wants to be known as such, we need to be thinking as a global city and not as a local city.”

travels, combined with his 20-years of experience in curation and arts organization, make Ütt seem like the most likely candidate to take our city to that lauded echelon. Tinged with altruistic ambition, he admits, “It’s my responsibility to bring in artists that are doing interesting things.” Ütt hopes that with ICA’s broad reach throughout the county he can make art accessible, informative, and, yes, challenging. “I’m a true believer that if someone doesn’t like art, then it’s working,” he says, “and that’s a good thing because then they start to be more aware and cognizant of the things around them and the ideas that are being presented.” He’s not asking you to give up the beach, just to give art a chance, too.

clocked him hundreds—if not thousands—of hours interviewing makers and getting to the core of their visions. “I think something we’re missing in San Diego that has a huge potential is to just surround ourselves with art,” he says. “We’re getting there.” Through his guidance, ICA’s dual locations in Balboa Park and Encinitas offer that chance to be surrounded: Both locations feature art classes and exhibitions from artists-in-residence. “I think if San Diego wants to be an arts destination, and wants to be known as such, we need to be thinking as a global city and not as a local city,” he says. A prodigal San Diego son himself, Ütt returned to the city after a post-art school stint in San Francisco and years abroad in Europe and South America. These

CLOCKING IN Keep track with this surrealism-meets- animation timepiece, woodyothello.com .

TUBULAR Liven up your living space with ceramic tube- and-glass tables finished with swirling post- modern pastels, hyunuko.com $7,200.

WHERE’S THE CHAIR Artist Darren Romanelli (DRX) upcycles camo for oversized, sustainable comfort, friedmanbenda.com $25,000.

57 SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE

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