12:30pm | Local leaders from Long Beach museums and arts organizations gathered atop the AVIA Hotel downtown last Thursday to provide new information and express enthusiasm about a future partnership with the world-renowned Getty Foundation that will bring collaborative exhibits – and hopefully, tourism dollars – to Long Beach art museums.
The University Art Museum (UAM), Long Beach Museum of Art (LBMA) and Museum of Latin America Art (MOLAA) will all participate in the Getty Foundation’s Pacific Standard Time exhibit that includes 26 museums across Southern California and will begin in Fall 2011.
In Long Beach, museums that are highly regarded but often under-the-radar in the thriving Los Angeles arts scene expect to draw new visitors. The Convention & Visitors Bureau is joining the effort to provide marketing for the events in hope to draw as much attention as possible to the museums. Working with the Getty, arts leaders hope, will allow the three participating museums to shine.
“The cultural and economic impact of Pacific Standard Time on Long Beach will be immense,” said Richard P. Townsend, president and CEO of MOLAA.
The LBMA will present an exhibition that focuses on the role of video in Southern California contemporary art between 1974-1999, entitled Exchange and Evolution: World Wide Video / Long Beach. In true university fashion, the UAM will present a poster archive entitled Peace Press Graphics 1967-1987: Art in the Pursuit of Social Change that focuses on Los Angeles activist-artists who aimed for social change and political progressiveness. The largest of the three local grants goes to MOLAA, whose MEX/LA: The Legacy of Mexican Modernism exhibit will focus on postwar modernism from Mexican artists.
All exhibits will open in September or October of 2011.
“On behalf of the Getty I am particularly proud to be standing along our Long Beach partners,” said Angie Kim, of the Getty Foundation. “This region is known for its strong civic unity and the collaborative efforts that go on.”
The exhibits are seen as an opportunity to showcase museums that are overshadowed in a saturated region. With the promise of a highly-publicized campaign and the Getty Foundation endorsement, leaders of the Long Beach museums are eager to welcome new legions of arts lovers and show their stuff.
“It’s unprecedented in the history of art in California – I’m really thrilled to be a part of this,” said Ron Nelson, executive director of the LBMA. “I know that this is going to be an incredible Fall in 2011.”
Christopher Scoates, executive director of the UAM, summed up everyone’s anticipation and excitement.
“Let’s do this right,” he said. “Here we go.”
From left: Richard P. Townsend of MOLAA, Ron Nelson of LBMA, Long Beach mayor Bob Foster, Angie Kim of the Getty Foundation, Christopher Scoates of the UAM (photo by Sander Wolff).