Today we’d like to introduce you to Bonnie Domingos.
Hi Bonnie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began as a Visual Arts major. I had a studio practice and at the time primarily worked in ceramics, textiles, and large mixed media installations. At my core I’m a maker. And I’ve never accepted the art world’s distinction between craft & art. In college, my studio practice offered me the opportunity to work on a grant-funded initiative to create a gallery and exhibition programming space at the CSUSM Kellogg Library working alongside their multi-cultural librarian, Melanie Chu. From there, I went to grad school to pursue a Masters in Library Science because I wanted to be a part of the emerging scene of libraries as cultural placemakers. It was during this time that I had exhibition and curatorial experiences at the Air & Space Museum, The CA Women’s Museum, and the Oceanside Museum of Art. That gave me entree into the world of design. It was this convergence of my visual arts background, my grad work in special collections, archives, and museum collections that brought me to SDPL in 2013. Currently, I direct the San Diego Public Library’s visual arts program that includes rotating exhibitions of professional and emerging San Diegan artists, as well as community and creative group art programming at 18 of our branch locations.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The inception of the library’s visual arts program was originally created by Mark Elliot Lugo in 1994 at the Pacific Beach branch library. Under his vision and stewardship, the program was successful in promoting San Diego’s mid-career and established artists to achieve wider local, regional, and national attention. The program today maintains that mission and we’ve done an excellent job in expanding opportunities to local emerging artists as well. There is so much diverse artistic talent in San Diego but the region has struggled to receive regional and national attention. I look forward to continuing the advancement of our binational region and supporting the artistic and cultural assests that make our region so unique. In fact, Tijuana and San Diego were just named the 2024 World Design Capital by the (WDO World Design Organization) and is the first U.S. city ever to receive the designation. This is an exciting time for the region and for the gallery because it will align with our co-collaboration in Getty’s Pacific Standard Time series that will explore the intersections of science and art in 2024. It will be a banner year for our binational region!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
For me, as a facilitator in the arts, connecting the arts to community causes is the most important aspect of my work. Which is why my work will always be anchored in libraries. Libraries stand virtually alone in terms of providing accessibility, equity, opportunity and inclusion. We play a central role; dedicating space where identity and belonging are championed. We are beyond our historical and traditional functions but libraries are also not traditional art spaces like private galleries, museums, and artist run spaces….so in a way, it allows a certain measure of independence from artistic approach, which I’m all about!! We are civic, cultural, and social exchange sanctuaries and I am determined to bring those voices/communities forward to reflect on the human experience and reveal through the prism of artistic practice.
Contact Info:
- Email: bdomingos@sandiego.gov
- Instagram: @bonnie_sundayz
