Clockwise from left : Blue Calcite Eroded Venus of Arles by Daniel Arsham ; “ Second Fiddle ” by Mary Weatherford in the “ 13 Women ” exhibit ; “ Nuns in the Park ” by Alice Neel , part of the “ Alice Neel : Feels Like Home ” exhibit opening June 23 ; “ No !” by Tony Lewis , in the “ Tony Lewis : Casual T ” exhibit , also opening June 23 |
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“ One of the things I love about the building is its transparency ,” Zuckerman says .
From the first moment that visitors arrive , the OCMA team wants everyone to feel welcome above all else . “ We want it to feel like a personal invitation to enter into a moment of relaxation . … They can experience art and they can experience people in this really beautiful space that ’ s like an oasis ,” says Meagan Burger , the museum ’ s director of learning and engagement .
Staff members stationed at the front desk and in the galleries answer questions or engage in conversations , helping to guide each visitor through their experience and tailor it to the individual . “ So instead of a sign , there … [ is ] a person there that you can interact with and … you can start a conversation with ,” she says , noting that they can share a story about the artist or some insight about the texture or the fabric in a piece , for example . “ Or , if you want to just kind of commune … and connect with the art , that ’ s also available .”
In addition to strolling through the museum at your leisure , some special programs are offered , like
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family art-making events . “ Part of our focus … [ is ] on connecting families , strengthening this quality time together through art and creation ,” Burger says . “
Also offered are monthly late nights for adults to come to the museum to peruse the artwork , listen to music , nosh on food or sip beverages ( both for sale ) and enjoy immersive experiences as well as some surprises , which could be anything from a person writing poems for guests to special cocktails or a dish with a flavor inspired by a piece of art or an artist .
Burger says the OCMA team wants to make visitors feel comfortable to experience both the artwork and their response to it .
“ Art can be , for some people , very intimidating . So the lesson , if anything , that we hope to share is that your own ideas are … the core of the experience ,” she says . “… We have no judgment . We really just encourage you to stop and take a moment to look closer because we are saturated today with thousands of images … [ on ] social media [ and ] TV . It ’ s really bombarding and it can be overwhelming .”
And with instant access to information on our
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smartphones just a Google search away , sometimes there ’ s “ a level of discomfort if people are not immediately able to get what they consider an answer to their question .” And there may be lots of questions , she says , since contemporary art is often more than beautiful pictures : It can be messy or conceptual and take many different forms .
“ The museum … is an incredible , rare space where you can take a moment and look [ at the art ] for yourself and pause and really value your own reaction to it and connect to it in a very personal way . And if you love it , great . If you hate it , fine . We want to make sure that , whatever your reaction is , … you feel comfortable in the space .”
Zuckerman reiterates that the staff really just wants everyone to know they ’ re welcome .
“ It ’ s not just words , it ’ s deeds ,” she says . “ With the free admission , with the window gallery , with all the places to sit , with the idea of this progressive menu [ at the plant-forward restaurant ]. … Our goal is an intergenerational experience so people can come with the people that they love , however they define that .”
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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT : CLAIRE DORN / COURTESY OF DANIEL ARSHAM AND PERROTIN ; COURTESY OF MARY WEATHERFORD ; COURTESY OF THE ESTATE OF ALICE NEEL AND DAVID ZWIRNER ; EVAN JENKINS / COURTESY OF TONY LEWIS |