A team of San Diego artists will take the field against a team of curators and museum directors this Sunday in a softball showdown.
It may sound unlikely but these artists and curators are ready to show off some athletic prowess. They’ve even been practicing in the heat.
"Our feet were getting burned on the bottom of all of our shoes because it was so hot out there. And conveniently there was an ambulance in the parking lot," said Ginger Shulick Porcella, executive director of the San Diego Art Institute and organizer of Sunday’s game.
Porcella said it may seem like art and sports are two very different things, but she believes there are fundamental similarities.
"It takes the same amount of discipline, endurance and practice to really hone your skill and your craft," said Porcella, who's been a regular softball player in the past.
She's not the only seasoned softball player in the mix. Artist Bob Matheny, who is in his 80s, still plays softball twice a week. He'll play on the artist team with Richard Allen Morris, also in his 80s. Porcella said other artists like Tom Driscoll played baseball and Wick Alexander was a pitcher in high school, both of whom are participating in Sunday's game.
On the curator side, Hugh Davies, executive director of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego will be playing. So will John Wilson, formerly of the Timken Museum and now a consultant with the Denver Art Museum, as well as Porcella and a tough roster of other curators.
“It’s really a community building event to get artists and curators together outside of a museum or gallery setting,” Porcella said.
Surprisingly, they never came up with team names at all their practice scrimmages.
"No, it’s just artist and curators," Porcella said with a laugh. "We’re not that creative."
In some ways, it will be like any other ballgame. Bratwurst and beer will be served. But in other ways, not so much. There will be performance art between innings. Tickets are $15. Funds raised will be used by San Diego Art Institute to commission work from a local artist.
First pitch is at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Cabrillo Heights Neighborhood Park.
