Restaurant Nine-Ten

Commissioned for the 2018 renovation of Nine-Ten in La Jolla, this site-specific installation serves as the visual anchor for the celebrated oceanfront dining space. Spanning the restaurant’s primary 35-foot wall, the work commands attention while seamlessly integrating into the room's elegant architecture. The installation is composed of three monumental sections, each measuring approximately 7.5 by 10 feet, subdivided into a total of nine panels to create a rhythmic, architectural flow that guides the viewer's eye across the dining room.

Titled Echoes of The Cove, the series pays tribute to the rich natural and cultural history of La Jolla’s distinctive coastline. While the project was subtly guided by the venue’s refined interior palette, the imagery was developed with full creative autonomy. The overarching goal was to draw the exterior environment inside, utilizing an organic, abstract visual language that complements the restaurant’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean without relying on literal representations of the beach.

The conceptual depth of the piece lies in its intricate layering of local history, science, and natural beauty. The foundational imagery relies on macro-photographs taken directly from the vibrant tide pools at La Jolla Cove. These organic textures are intricately woven with archival bathymetric maps from the renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography, exploring the delicate, hidden complexities of the coastal ecosystem. To ground this natural imagery in the site's architectural heritage, these marine elements are juxtaposed with historic blueprints of The Grande Colonial Hotel, which originally opened its doors in 1913. The resulting composite bridges sea and structure, science and memory, echoing the ongoing, symbiotic relationship between land, water, and the passage of time.

This panoramic artwork translates La Jolla's marine ecology into an immersive spatial experience, effectively turning the restaurant interior into a contemporary coastal tableau. As diners engage with the space, the layered cartographic lines and aquatic textures reveal themselves gradually, inviting continued exploration and mirroring the nuance of the culinary experience at Nine-Ten.

To maximize the visual impact, the final compositions were produced as high-definition photographic prints face-mounted to acrylic. This specialized medium was chosen specifically for its sleek, fluid quality, which mimics the alluring depth and luminescence of water. The acrylic surface catches and plays with the restaurant's ambient lighting, shifting in tone from the bright, natural light of the morning to the warm, intimate glow of dinner service. Ultimately, the installation refreshes the historic space with a modern, light-reflective aesthetic that harmonizes effortlessly with its coastal setting.