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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 exhibitions fall into at least one of three categories . “ One is this idea of looking back to look forward ,” she says . “ And so , I think it ’ s really important to acknowledge where we ’ ve been as a culture , as an institution , but also as people , and where are we now ? And then , where do we hope to go ?
“… The second is this notion of space and place and really acknowledging that Orange County is a specific place ,” she says . “… It ’ s about the weather , it ’ s about the quality of light , it ’ s about the ease and grace of the people who live here . And I think Orange County is a really innovative place … where people basically built something out of nothing . … So I think it ’ s really right for contemporary art — the art of our time . Because that ’ s basically what artists do is create something out of nothing .”
And the third category is the concept of sharing and caring . “ Empathy is really important for me and something we started exploring in Aspen , whether we could kind of create this center for empathy at the museum , and using works of art as a way of getting people to think about things
This 1976 piece , “ Untitled ,” by Fred Eversley , is part of OCMA ’ s exhibit that will highlight five decades of the sculptor ’ s career and his innovations with cast polyester resin .
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or people that they might not otherwise have any connection to — in a nondidactic way , just creating the possibility for those conversations ,” she says .
LOOKING BACK , LOOKING FORWARD The museum will open with five exhibits that draw from the past while also examining the influence of these artists , works and ideas on the present day and possibly the future .
The first one , “ 13 Women ,” Zuckerman curated as a nod to the visionary women who founded the museum , then called Balboa Pavilion Gallery . It ’ s not about those 13 women , but it ’ s about the idea of the power and influence that women can have when they come together , she explains . The diverse works , ranging from older pieces in the collection to new ones created for this exhibit , will rotate to showcase up to 100 mostly female artists — some living , some deceased — over the course of a year , through Oct . 1 , 2023 .
Another exhibit , “ California Biennial 2022 ,” is on display through Jan . 2 and highlights emerging and underrepresented California artists who have gone on to shape the region ’ s artistic landscape . This show revives the museum ’ s signature exhibition , “ California Biennial ,” which debuted in 1984 and defined OCMA ’ s spirit for years . “ It ’ s a really important part of our institutional history , so it was important to me that we look back at that and we update it ,” Zuckerman says . She invited back Elizabeth Armstrong , one of OCMA ’ s former chief curators , to curate the show along with Essence Harden , visual arts curator at the California African American Museum , and Gilbert Vicario , chief curator at the Phoenix Art Museum . New this time around , the biennial also explores the intersection of art , craft , social activism and marginalized histories .
On the museum ’ s mezzanine , the “ Fred Eversley : Reflecting Back ( the World )” solo show will examine five decades of the sculptor ’ s career and his innovations with cast polyester resin , from lenses to reflective forms that encapsulate his study of energy , optics and perception . His background as an aerospace engineer helped pave the way for him to make unique contributions to the light and space art movement in Southern California . In fact , OCMA ( then called Newport Harbor Art Museum ) presented a groundbreaking exhibition of Eversley ’ s work in 1978 . “ The [ new ] show is based on a work made for that show … and kind of punctuates his career , I would say ,” Zuckerman adds .
Meanwhile , the landing gallery will feature an exhibit ( through Jan . 15 ) on landscape architect Peter Walker , who designed the geometric-shaped hedges in front of Segerstrom Center for the Arts . “ The bushes over by the theater are like his rookie card ,” Zuckerman says . “ They ’ re the first thing he
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OCMA Director and CEO Heidi Zuckerman
ever did .” Walker would go on to help design the 9 / 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York City with architect Michael Arad : Twin waterfall pools are surrounded by bronze walls inscribed with victims ’ names , all in a plaza with more than 400 swamp white oak trees . “ Some of the works in our collection have influenced his practice , so it feels exciting to open by honoring this notion of place and where we are ,” Zuckerman says .
Up on the rooftop terrace , a 24-foot-wide , 16-foot-tall sculpture by Sanford Biggers will command the attention of visitors . “ I curated his first one-person museum exhibition 20 years ago and so it ’ s also about celebrating curatorial history ,” Zuckerman says . Commissioned for the space and on view through Feb . 5 , the sculpture titled Of many waters … brings together a European-style reclining male figure and a 19thcentury Baule double-face mask , incorporating references to antiquity and non-Western cultures , including the sacred geometry of Buddhism . The piece combines Biggers ’ ongoing “ Chimera ” and “ Shimmer ” series into a new form that the artist considers “ objects for a future ethnography ,” encouraging historical objects to be not only studied , but continuously reconsidered .
Zuckerman explains that the front of the sculpture is covered in black-and-silver metal sequins , which will reflect light and make a sound as they move in the wind . The back of the artwork will have a built-in bench , she says , “ so you can sit there and listen and look and think .”
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TOP : MARK HANAUER ; BOTTOM : OFSTUDIO /© FRED EVERSLEY ; OPPOSITE PAGE : RON DE ANGELIS |
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