pandemic in 2020 , the museum was in a temporary location at South Coast Plaza Village in Santa Ana . With more than 4,500 works in its collection , which includes 80 ( surpassing its goal of 60 ) added in honor of its anniversary last year , OCMA focuses on modern and contemporary pieces mostly by artists living in California . The institution has aimed to present and preserve groundbreaking artwork created in the Golden State with major holdings representing early and mid-century modernism , Bay Area figuration , assemblage , the California light and space movement , pop art , minimalism and installation art .
MODERN MUSEUM Looking across the front of the museum , its profile undulates in a seemingly continuous — but perhaps more modern — set of curves from the Reneé and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall next door . OCMA ’ s facade is covered with white terra cotta tiles , each weighing 70 pounds and requiring two people to install in the specific place it was crafted to fit .
“ One of the things that ’ s cool about the terra cotta is that it ’ s outside , then it ’ s inside and then it comes back outside again ,” Zuckerman says , adding that , on one of the upper levels , “ you get up close and personal with the terra cotta — you can touch it .”
Among the building ’ s iconic elements are these tiles and two cantilevers , including one that houses the education pavilion and another that serves as a planter on the rooftop terrace and the end of a “ window gallery ” that juts out from the main structure . A grand staircase that winds through the building is fashioned after the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City . Those who don ’ t take the stairs can ride up in an elevator or choose the translucent walkways . Large windows let in plenty of light . And the landscaping takes an eco-friendly approach : Several living walls feature plants growing on the building ’ s exterior , and rainwater falling into the cracks between terrace tiles is captured to irrigate the California live oaks and palo verde trees .
“ I think that our overall goal is really to build the museum of the 21st century or the museum of the future ,” Zuckerman says . “… And a big part of that is to make people feel welcome . We ’ re doing that not just through the free general admission , but also through the way we ’ re thinking about programming .”
Zuckerman explains that all of OCMA ’ s
Left : some of Verdant ’ s dishes ; above : The cafe ’ s outdoor seating space can be transformed for private events .
Culinary Creations
OCMA IS NOT ONLY HOME TO PAINTINGS , PHOTOS AND SCULPTURES , BUT CULINARY CREATIVITY , TOO .
Verdant cafe co-founders and executive chefs , Ross Pangilinan ( left ) and Nicholas Weber |
On the building ’ s upper floor , a plant-forward cafe called Verdant serves a menu of California cuisine filled with organic , locally
sourced ingredients for lunch and dinner six days
a week ( the museum is closed Mondays ).
Verdant and a coffee bar on the museum ’ s first
floor were developed by Executive Chefs Ross
Pangilinan and Nicholas Weber , who are behind
new Cal-French bistro Populaire at South Coast
Plaza . Pangilinan also owns and operates Terrace
by Mix Mix at South Coast Plaza ; Mix Mix Kitchen
Bar in Santa Ana , which earned a Michelin Bib
Gourmand designation in 2019 and is now closed ;
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and ReMix Kitchen Bar in Long Beach . Weber most recently served as executive chef of 24 Carrots , a top catering company in OC .
In addition to food service , the cafe offers gourmet coffee and tea including ceremonial-grade matcha , as well as craft cocktails and a curated wine list at the expansive bar . Both indoor and outdoor seating are available as the restaurant opens to the rooftop terrace . The dining room features a sleek , minimalist design with long , family-style tables and round tops , plus velvet and macrame textiles and hints of greenery from indoor trees and other plants .
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ALL PHOTOS THS PAGE : RON DE ANGELIS |
30 SPRING / SUMMER 2023 | LATITUDE33MAGAZINE . COM