What’s on at the San Diego Museum of Art?

These three exhibitions span contemporary photo and visual arts — and mark some firsts for the artists.

A photo of a little girl in a green dress taken by artist Lisa Ross for an art exhibition in San Diego.

Lisa Ross, I Can’t Sleep (Green Dress), 2019. Archival pigment print on 100% cotton paper.

Courtesy of the artist and Palo Gallery

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Spiritual traditions. A chapel inside a museum. Wonders of the natural world. These are some concepts explored through three new exhibitions at the San Diego Museum of Art. Let’s see what’s on.

📷 “Lisa Ross: Elegy to a Uyghur Homeland”

Through photos and videos from her travels — including visits to 50+ holy sites — Ross’ exhibition captures the spiritual traditions of Uyghur shrines and daily life around the Taklamakan Desert. The exhibition is on display through Sunday, March 5.

⛪ “Chapel of the Rocks” by Justin Sterling

This immersive exhibition features a 1,000-sqft chapel custom-built inside the museum, created with 30+ shattered and mended stained glass windows. Sterling’s art explores the role of “bad faith” in society. There’s an area for visitors to reflect and record their own thoughts, too. This is the artist’s first-ever solo show, on display through Sunday, Feb. 12.

🎨 “Sergio Hernández: Embers of Oaxaca”

The Mexican artist showcases 30+ large-scale paintings and mixed media works with motifs inspired by his Indigenous heritage and wonders of the natural world. Don’t miss the series of five pieces painted on gold leaf — debuting for the first time as part of this exhibition. This is also Hernández’s first-ever solo show, on display through Sunday, Feb. 12.

🎟️ Ready to visit? The exhibitions are included with general admission, and the museum is open Sunday-Tuesday, closed on Wednesday. Pro tip: While you’re at the museum, grab a bite and craft beer at Panama 66.

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