Inside Out Issue 1

Inside | Out

a n e w stat e o f m i n d at t h e Oa k l a n d m useu m o f ca li fo rn ia

Rein ven tion expect the unexpected at the new omca

s n e a k pe a k

a b e h i n d -t h e- s c e n e s lo o k at t h e n e w i n s ta l l at i o n s

a c o n v e rsati o n wit h way n e t h i e bau d t h e l eg e n da ry a r t i st st i l l m a k es wav es

Spring 2010

|

welcome

Dear Museum members and supporters,

W

elcome to the first edition of Inside Out, the publication that you receive in appreciation of your support of the Oakland Museum of California. We are delighted to provide this magazine as one of many benefits of OMCA membership, together with free yearlong admission for yourself and a guest to our new galleries and upcoming programs, previews for special exhibitions, and discounts at our new Museum Store.

So, why the title Inside Out? First and foremost, we envision this publication as your guide to the inner workings of OMCA, with perspectives on Museum activities—from the behind-the-scenes discoveries of curators, to the views of artists whose work is represented in our collection, to the personal stories of other Californians like you.

The following pages will introduce you to a truly transformed OMCA and to some of the people who have been part of the incredible evolution of this institution. Indeed, you are part of this evolution, and we are deeply grateful for your membership at this moment of reinvention and reintroduction.

While there is much that is new and exciting, what remains constant is our commitment to being a “museum of the people”—a place that is as vibrant, inclusive, dynamic, and varied as California and Californians.

We look forward to welcoming you at our Member/Insider Open House on April 29 and to seeing you throughout the year—in and out of OMCA! Lori Fogarty Executive Director

2

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

t o p t o b o t t o m : A b i g ai l H u l l e r ; t e rr e n c e m c c ar t h y

At the same time, we hope this magazine will take you out and about throughout California. You’ll learn about people making a difference in our state, get recommendations from our staff and volunteers on places to visit, and have a chance to contribute your own ideas on California “top picks.” While there is much to see and appreciate within the walls of OMCA’s building and gardens, we are also a launching pad for your further exploration of the state’s natural and cultural wonders.

contents

|

features 8

OMCA Reopens with a Reinvented Museum Experience

c o v e r : p h o t o © t i m g riffi t h . T H I S P A GE , TOP t o B o t t o m : T e rr y Carr o l l ; Wa y n e Thi e b aud , Cak e s and Pi e s , 1 9 9 5 .

Interactive. Interdisciplinary. Transparent. Dynamic. Nimble.

The reconceived Museum unveils a revolutionary new approach to experiencing California’s ever-evolving art, history, and natural sciences.

departments 4 Opening Events Come celebrate OMCA’s exciting reopening at one of our special events!

5 Culinary Arts Chef Robert Dorsey III updates OMCA’s café with an all-new menu of California-inspired cuisine.

6 Thought Leaders Living legend Wayne Thiebaud speaks with Senior Curator of Art Karen Tsujimoto about the inspirations for his artful life.

16 38 Million Stories In a highly personal installation, June Yee reveals a unique perspective on the Bay Area’s Chinese population.

17 Member Spotlight Teacher and artist Cesar Barragan helps keep OMCA’s Días de los Muertos events on the cutting edge.

18 Calendar A guide to our don’t-miss trips, tours, and programs.

The Oakland Museum of California thanks the Oakland Museum Women’s Board for its generous support of the inaugural issue of Inside Out.

Inside Out is published three times a year by the Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607. museumca.org ©2010

Editor: Ann Dickson Contributors: Lori Fogarty, Maggie R. Pico, Sunny Green, Gail Bernstein, Rue Flaherty Produced by Diablo Custom Publishing dcpubs.com

SPRING 2010

3

opening e vents

Celebrate with Us!

Don’t miss these festivities when we unveil our all-new OMCA experience this spring We’re throwing open our doors to the entire community—from the generous donors and funders who have made the Campaign for the Museum of California such an astounding success to the many adults, families, and students who rely on us as a vital cultural and educational resource. We look forward to welcoming you to one of these special events!

Opening Season Sponsors:

4

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

California Inside and Out: member/insider Open House Thursday, April 29, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

We invite members, insiders, and contributors to the Campaign to enjoy an exclusive Open House in advance of the public opening. Tour the new Galleries of History and Art, enjoy performances, and socialize in the renovated public spaces.

This event launches our new Thursday evening hours, which will become part of the regular schedule. The Open House is made possible by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board, sponsors of the annual White Elephant Sale.

Opening Celebration weekend presented by target Saturday, May 1, 11 a.m.–Sunday, May 2, 6 p.m.

Everyone is invited to our grand opening celebration, when OMCA will be open to the public, free of charge. Members of OMCA’s leadership, joined by civic and community leaders, will mark the occasion by thanking Oakland’s Measure G supporters and donors to the Campaign. Following the ribbon cutting, visitors can explore the Galleries and enjoy an exciting schedule of activities. On Saturday, we pay tribute to “California Firsts”; on Sunday, the theme shifts to “Celebrating California Families,” with activities and performances for visitors of all ages.

Golden Gala 2010: A Golden State of Mind Saturday, May 8, 6:30 p.m.–midnight The Golden Gala 2010 is a fundraiser for our award-winning educational programs. Now in a transformative moment, these programs have an enormous impact on the future of our state by connecting members of our community with California’s cultural and environmental heritage.

The Gala, held in OMCA’s gardens, terraces, and galleries, will begin with a champagne and mai tai reception. Guests will then enjoy an elegant dinner of California cuisine, followed by a lively auction and dancing. Guests may visit the reinstalled Galleries of California Art and California History throughout the evening. For more information on becoming a sponsor of the Golden Gala, contact Joni Hess at 510-238-7425 or jhess@museumca.org.

t e rr e n c e m c c ar t h y

|

culinary arts

C

alifornia is known the world over for pioneering approaches to food. Drawing on the state’s multicultural influences and its vast variety of food sources, California chefs continually invent new culinary traditions. So when OMCA’s Blue Oak café opens this spring, chef Robert Dorsey III will carry on this legacy by creating singularly inspired dishes.

“My style pushes cultural boundaries,” explains Dorsey, whose résumé includes stints at Kuletos, Bay Wolf, Firefly, and the award-winning Blackberry Bistro, which he founded. “I’d describe it as California cuisine with global influences.” Dorsey, an East Bay native, plans to use seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and will create special themed menus tied to OMCA exhibitions.

Blue Oak, named after the native California tree (with a nod to OMCA’s address on Oak Street), will have both indoor and outdoor seating, and will be open during regular Museum hours.

OMCA is also proud to offer California-inspired catering services, overseen by chef Karen Bevels. A celebrated events planner, Bevels uses fresh local foods and sustainable practices to create delectable meals and unforgettable gatherings.

Both Dorsey and Bevels are committed to telling the stories of California through its many flavors and cultural influences, and in so doing are making invaluable—and delicious—contributions to the new OMCA experience.

|

curators of california cuisine The chefs behind OMCA’s new café and catering services give California’s culinary traditions an inspired update

Chef Dorsey’s Miso-Glazed Salmon Filets / Serves 4

l e f t t o ri g h t : R o b e r t d o rs e y I I I ; A b i g ai l H u l l e r

Serve hot over steamed brown rice or chilled as a salad with udon noodles and baby greens. ¼ cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons soy sauce 4 tablespoons Mirin cooking wine 2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons warm water 2 tablespoons white miso (soybean paste) 1 teaspoon minced garlic 4 salmon filets (each 6 to 7 ounces) 2 tablespoons fresh chives Directions: Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine first seven ingredients in a bowl and and mix well with a whisk. Arrange filets in a shallow, greased baking dish. Season salmon with salt and pepper and evenly spoon on the miso glaze. Broil salmon 10 to 12 minutes, basting 2 to 3 times. Salmon is done when center is tender and the fish is lightly translucent. Remove salmon to a serving platter and sprinkle with chives.

SPRING 2010

5

thought leaders

a conversation with wayne thiebaud

The beloved California artist reveals the wisdom and wonder of a well-lived life

W

ayne Thiebaud, who turns ninety this year, is one of the country’s most revered working artists. Best known for his iconic paintings of pies, cakes, and gumball machines, Thiebaud has also created a prodigious body of landscapes, streetscapes, portraits, drawings, and prints. As a teacher, he has inspired generations of art students, first at Sacramento City College and later at UC Davis, and has received many honors, including the National Medal of Arts in 1994. The Oakland Museum of California, which in 1977 exhibited the retrospective “Wayne Thiebaud: Survey 1947–1976,” is proud to have many of his works in its permanent collection. Here, Senior Curator of Art Karen Tsujimoto chats with the living legend.

K.T.: It’s probably hard to answer this in a nutshell, but can you talk about your work’s evolution?

W.T.: It pretty much goes along on a rickety, seat-ofthe-pants basis. I like to paint anything that attracts my attention. I have a fear of losing options, so I continually take risks. And that has resulted in the patchwork career I’ve had in painting. I like to stop and do prints often based

6

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

on previous subject matter, like taking a gumball machine and forcing it into a black-and-white etching to see how the transfer can be engaged. So, I rattle along. Sometimes, I’ll go back and paint a pie, like I did in 1959, just to see if I know how to make a slight change.

K.T.: How did you start painting pies and cakes?

W.T.: In my early years, I tried painting everything I could see and every style I could find. Then, I went to New York in the late 1950s and met my heroes—Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and others—and I was amazed to find that their take on painting was quite different from what I had gotten from their writing. Talking with people of that New York era gave me a different set of goals. The primary thing was that you don’t have to think about “what is art” all the time. Instead, it’s better to think about something you know and avoid trying to figure out what you should do, as opposed to what you love doing. That meant a lot to me.

So when I came back to California, I began painting in a different way. And that was to try to get things to sit on a plane in a contrived fictional space. I started with shapes like circles and triangles. At the same moment,

t e rr e n c e m c c ar t h y

|

l e f t t o ri g h t : OM c A , g if t o f dr . and m rs . ja m e s B . g ra e s e r ; c o ur t e s y o f Wa y n e t hi e b aud

I was thinking of my experience working in restaurants and being brought up in America. So the triangles became pies, and the circles became plates. It fascinated me, but it made me think, “This cannot be a serious enterprise. I’m going to be laughed out of the so-called art world.” But I couldn’t leave it alone.

Cakes and Pies, 1995. Oil on linen.

K.T.: Do you have concerns about being identified as a “California artist”?

W.T.: I’ve always thought that that’s like talking about California mathematics or California science. You realize very quickly that there is one kind of painting, one language of paint. It’s fascinating that our location and other parts of America have always seemed like outlands in comparison to New York. In my judgment, California has been poorly served in terms of hierarchy of achievement. Many wonderful painters, sculptors, and other artists inhabit the state of California, and I’m very proud to be called a California artist after all.

K.T.: Do you have any thoughts about museums and their role in society?

W.T.: I love museums. I see them as wonderlands, saving extraordinary objects that both give us pleasure and Urban Square, 1980. Oil on canvas.

establish criteria. But at their center should be a goal to establish consistent and far-reaching standards of excellence. I don’t know how that can be done, but I think it needs to be done. I also think that it may have been a mistake to establish contemporary art museums. I know this is heretical, but I’m going to say it anyway. If museums have a standard of high achievement, there should not be separated out an intrapeer group that limits museums to a particular time or form. I may be talking nonsense, but I am willing to do that.

K.T.: Can you tell us about your relationship with the Oakland Museum of California?

W.T.: I have a great love of the Museum. It celebrates California art, and that is wonderful in itself. It also has a very human scale and attitude. I remember when it was in the Oakland Auditorium and I participated in an invitational exhibition. Then Paul Mills came along, and I loved the fact that he gave exhibitions of California painting, which endeared me to the Museum. It was a great thrill when they built the new building, in 1969, and to have a much better facility for showing art. I’ve long appreciated the Museum and look forward to the new opening.

SPRING 2010

7

©TIM GRIFFITH

REI NTIO 8

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

INVEN ON The Oakland Museum of California reopens this spring with a 21st-century take on our original mission: to be a museum for the people

SPRING 2010

9

“The Gallery is incorporating interactivity in a deep and robust way. One piece even allows viewers to draw self-portraits and project them onto flat screens on a salonstyle wall, next to portraits by artists like David Park and Carmen Lomas Garza.” ­—René de Guzman, Senior Curator of Art

PrOvoca

A

intersections

taking An interdisciplinary approach • Enjoy the mash-ups: People don’t live in silos, and neither should museums.

Art, history, and science are deeply intertwined, and our galleries reflect these interrelationships.

• Do deeper dives: Stop in a Loaded Lounge to explore connections, get different perspectives, and ask: what is art, anyway?

10

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

flexibility

offering A nimble way to experience art • View art your way: Move a chair in front of your favorite artwork and sit as long as you like.

• Expect the unexpected: With four regularly changing exhibition spaces, the Gallery offers dynamic experiences that evolve with your input.

• Get engaged: Touch materials, write in journals, draw your self-portrait.

t err y carroll

The reconceived Gallery of California Art tak and visitor participation—to a whole new lev

An Exceptional Eye Designer Ted Cohen breathes new life into the Art Gallery

ocative

With more than

aesthetic sen-

fifty years at the

sibility to every

Oakland Museum

project he under-

of California and

takes. “Not only

eighty-two years

does Ted’s work

on the planet, Ted

always shine,”

Cohen enjoys a

says Fogarty,

unique perspec-

“he’s one of the

tive on the chang-

hippest people

es at OMCA—and

I know. For him,

welcomes what

the reinvention of

he sees.

the Museum has

Art

kes the creative process— vel

> The new Gallery of California Art has been transformed into a living, breathing

to p to b ottom : a b ig a i l H u l l e r ; t e rr y c a rro l l

space, pulsating with energy and ideas. Renovated and expanded by San Francisco architects Mark Cavagnero Associates, the team behind the Museumwide reinvention, the Gallery of California Art features engaging interpretative tools, playful lounges, and refreshingly unorthodox installations. Organized thematically, the Gallery is installed along three motifs: California Land, California People, and California Creativity. This thematic approach allows visitors to see works in different media and from different periods side by side, inspiring new ways of looking at California’s evolving role as a cutting-edge center of visual expression. Seminal works by artists such as Albert Bierstadt, Dorothea Lange, Richard Diebenkorn, Edward Weston, and David Ireland remain highlights of the art collection, but museum-goers can also count on making new and thoughtprovoking discoveries every time they visit.

A lead consul-

tant in the rede-

been a long time coming.”

sign of the Gallery

Among Co-

of California Art,

hen’s innovations

Cohen was first

is the introduc-

hired at the Oak-

tion of vividly

land Art Museum

colored walls. “I

in 1959 and has

am anti-white

played a major

walls for contem-

role ever since,

porary muse-

designing, light-

ums,” explains

ing, and mounting

Cohen, “and I love

many landmark

coming up with

exhibitions. Ac-

different creative

cording to Execu-

solutions. Right

tive Director Lori

now, I’m doing

Fogarty, Cohen

some of the best

brings a beautiful

work of my life.”

“The Oakland Museum of California is not just an art, history, or science museum, but all three. The goal is to create a holistic experience that visitors shape for themselves.

We’re creating a museum that is not just for the visitor, it is with the visitor.”

—Kathy McLean, Consultant

SPRING 2010

11

—Lori Fogarty, Executive Director

living

> There’s nothing static about the new Gallery of California History,

and for good reason: California—multilayered and ever evolving—has no single storyline, no fixed narrative. Millions of individuals and their unique stories have shaped how we perceive California, and the new Gallery reflects this diversity in its vibrant new installations. “Coming to California” is the Gallery’s overarching theme, emphasizing the profound impact of the state’s successive waves of immigration. Explorations of Californians’ varied ethnicities, relationships with the environment, global connections, and dreams and aspirations also run through the 30,000-square-foot Gallery in interactive presentations that showcase more than 2,200 artifacts, works of art, photographs, and ethnographic materials. Visitors can add their stories, too, becoming a permanent part of OMCA’s experience and inspiration.

12

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

The transformed Gallery of California History tells the evolving stories that have shaped the state—and keep it on the cutting edge

clockwise from T O P : Terr y carroll ; D oro t h ea L ange , migran t mo t h er , nipomo , 1 9 3 6 . omca , doro t h ea lange collec t ion , gif t of paul s . t a y lor ; t err y C arroll

“California has always been a place of great diversity, and there have always been new people coming who have changed the culture. Whether your family has been here for generations or you arrived two weeks ago, the idea of coming to California resonates— because ‘coming to California’ is both a geographic idea and a metaphorical one.”

interactivity

Engaging visitors to participate • Chill out: Visit the Loaded Lounges and listen to a 1940s jukebox or read about California’s literary heritage.

• Get playful: Imagine you’re a gold miner, rancher, or railroad magnate in our interactive exhibits.

• Share your story: Tell us a bit about yourself in the Story Booth or on the Immigration Map.

transparency

Demystifying the museum experience • See conservation in action: OMCA will display partially restored artworks, allowing visitors to see how the process works—and the effect it has.

• Get the inside story: Wall text is multilingual and reflects the voices of many Californians, providing different perspectives on the meaning of California history.

“History is made up of individual stories, and OMCA is a platform for bringing these stories out. We’re not here to be the textbook of California history.

We’re not aiming for encyclopedic coverage. We’re trying to evoke the notion that there are all these stories out there and that visitors’ stories are just as valid.”

t err y carroll

—Louise Pubols, Chief Curator of History

SPRING 2010

13

scintillating The reimagined Gallery of California Natural Sciences will explore the state as a resource-rich but ecologically challenged hot spot

sci

> The new Gallery of California Natural Sciences will invite Californians to explore, appreciate, and

“The Gallery of California Natural Sciences will inspire visitors about California’s natural resources, raise awareness of the state’s environmental challenges, and strengthen their sense of place and responsibility toward the natural landscape that we share and treasure.”

—Douglas Long, Chief Curator of Natural Sciences

14

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

t err y carroll

sustain the wonders of nature in our own backyard. Scheduled for completion in 2012, the Gallery is being reconceived in partnership with leading community groups and conservation organizations, including The Nature Conservancy California, Golden Gate Audubon Society, Bay Nature, East Bay Regional Parks, and YMCA of the East Bay. Plans are to contemporize dioramas and engage visitors with re-creations of different California habitats, including Point Reyes, Yosemite, and Oakland itself.

By fostering a deeper connection to these and other treasured places, the Gallery aims to spark a sense of urgency about today’s threatened ecosystems and nurture grassroots actions to protect them. Stay tuned for developments on this exciting work in progress—and drop by the Gallery to test prototypes and contribute your ideas.

Go with the Flow

Ecologist Chris-

Bay Area would

Mapping the Bay Area’s Creek System

topher Richard

take to reach the

has seldom met

Bay. The process

a creek he didn’t

is both ecologi-

love. In fact, Rich-

cally enlightening

ard, who oversees

and fun for the

OMCA’s creek-

discoverer.”

mapping project,

To that end,

seizes every op-

Richard encour-

portunity to raise

ages people to

awareness of the

pick up a map and

Bay Area’s origi-

go out on a rainy

nal creek system,

day for a self-

much of which

guided adventure.

has been lost to

“Put on slickers,

development.

grab umbrellas,

ience To date,

and watch where

Richard, working

the rain goes.

with partners at

Eventually, it will

William Lettis,

end up in a creek.

the San Francisco

Following water,”

Estuary Institute,

adds Richard, “is

and The Bay

great Sherlock

Institute, has

Holmesian fun.”

published fifteen maps of local

Sausal Creek

creek systems.

Walk

The work will

One of Richard’s

be visualized in

favorite walks is

OMCA’s Gallery of

along Oakland’s

California Natural

Sausal Creek.

Sciences, where

He recommends

the East Bay’s

starting at the en-

waterscape will

trance to Dimond

figure prominent-

Park and follow-

ly in a section de-

ing the creekside

voted to Oakland

trail to El Centro

and surrounding

Avenue. There,

habitats.

pick up Dimond

t op t o bo t t om : j ane t sowers ; t err y carroll

Restoring

community

Embracing the diversity that enhances our lives • Collaborate: Share ideas and input— and help shape exhibits.

• Get involved: Participate in our neighborhood programs, hikes, and bike tours—and get to know your own backyard.

sustainability

Sparking new ideas to protect our environment • Get inspired: Apply what you learn from our ecologists to your own environment.

• Hear the call of the wild: Discover California’s natural treasures, from Yosemite to the marine sanctuaries.

Canyon Trail and

creeks to their

follow it until you

natural ecologi-

reach Highway 13.

cal function has

Highlights along

many benefits,

this scenic two-

says Richard.

mile walk include

Not only do you

WPA projects

get a community

from 1939.

amenity, you can

For more in-

return fish and

formation on this

birds to their

creek walk and

original habi-

many others, visit

tats. “We try to

museumca.org.

illustrate the path a raindrop falling anywhere in the

SPRING 2010

15

|

3 8 Million stories

breaking down barriers In a provocative artwork, June Yee explores conflicts and commonalities among the Bay Area’s divergent Chinese population

16

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

“I was surprised at how much misunderstanding there was. They called us FOBs, for fresh off the boat, and they were ABCs, Americanborn Chinese.

Ironically, we did not fit each other’s stereotype.”

A b i g ail H uller

J

une Yee was fourteen years old when she and her family left Hong Kong for California. The year was 1969, and many Chinese in the former British colony feared their lives would be dramatically changed by the upheaval of Mao Tse-tung’s Cultural Revolution. Taking advantage of relaxed immigration laws in the United States, many of them came to the Bay Area, where Chinese-American families had lived for generations.

But if the newcomers expected a seamless transition into an established Chinese community, they were in for a shock. “I was surprised at how much misunderstanding there was,” recalls Yee. “They called us FOBs, for fresh off the boat, and they were ABCs, American-born Chinese. Ironically, we did not fit into each other’s stereotype, even though we were all Chinese. We weren’t aware of the anti-Chinese sentiment they had endured for years. And they didn’t understand our feelings about Mao, who in the ’60s was a hero for many ABCs who joined the student protests. I remember being appalled by ABCs who embraced Mao’s Little Red Book.”

This disconnect is the subject of a project Yee created for OMCA, where she serves on the Asian Pacific Advisory Council. Yee is one of twenty-four Californians invited by OMCA to tell their personal stories in an exhibit called “Forces of Change: 1960–75,” in the Gallery of California History. Her piece, Two Chinese Worlds in California, is an arrangement of images depicting the cultural clashes she experienced firsthand. At the center is a photograph of Yee’s marriage—to a Chinese-American man—which represents the common ground the two groups are increasingly finding.

“My piece is about how preconceived notions get in the way of understanding each other,” says Yee, a financial adviser who lives in the East Bay. “And this is a fabulous place for me to tell my story, because OMCA is open-minded and curious and celebrates the shared experiences we have living in California.”

|

member spotlight

Altar(ed) States Artist and teacher Cesar Barragan puts a fresh spin on OMCA’s Días de los Muertos celebrations

top to b ottom : clifford b lueitt ; A b i g ail H uller

“I love

the creative spirit of the Bay Area,” says Cesar Barragan, an Oaklandbased artist, curator, and high school teacher.

Born in Tijuana, Barragan frequently explores issues of border politics, immigration, and identity in his work as well as in the exhibitions of contemporary art that he has curated for edgy Bay Area galleries. “The arts scene here is inclusive and forwardlooking,” he says, “and I like being involved with it on many levels.”

One way that Barragan stays engaged with the arts community is through his volunteer activities at the Oakland Museum of California. He became a member, he says, because OMCA celebrates different

cultures and often shows work by Latino artists whom he knows and admires. Invited by poet and artist Rafael Jesús González to join OMCA’s Días de los Muertos (Days of the Dead) Advisory Council four years ago, Barragan plays a vital role in shaping the popular community event, held every year prior to the key dates of October 31 through November 2.

“Días de los Muertos is a Mesoamerican tradition that combines respectful remembrance and joy,” explains Barragan. “We honor it with a celebration of music, food, and altars.” Many of the iconic elements associated with Días de los Muertos—such as skeletons, sugar skulls, and marigolds—are available at OMCA, so people can incorporate them into

their own altars to honor the deceased. Two years ago, Barragan encouraged his high school students to create altars honoring immigrants who died while crossing the border, and the results were displayed in front of OMCA. For Barragan, Días de los Muertos is not only an opportunity for artistic expression, it’s a family

affair. His wife, lawyer Vylma Ortiz, and their two young sons are active participants in the annual tradition. “We go to OMCA all year long, but we especially love Días de los Muertos,” says Ortiz. “It’s anchored in tradition, but OMCA always makes it contemporary. It’s all about going forward without detracting from your roots.”

Cesar Barragan with his wife, Vylma Ortiz, and their sons, two-year-old Mario and seven-year-old Diego.

SPRING 2010

17

|

calendar

Left to right: a picturesque Bay Area lighthouse; an illustration by Miné Okubo

APRIL April 19 • History Guild Day Trip: Historic Lighthouses of San Francisco Bay See lighthouses from aboard the Delphinus.

Contact: Mary Lou Ciranni (650-345-9031) or Helen Tryon (510-834-2964) April 28–30 • History Guild Trip: Historic Sierra Nevada Chief Curator of History Emeritus Tom Frye leads this trip to

Donner Lake, Truckee, Lake Tahoe, and Nevada City.

Contact: Marlynn Dykstra (510-339-0371) or Kay MacFarland (510-758-6643)

MAY May 1 • Exhibition: Miné Okubo: Citizen 13660 Okubo, a former assistant to Diego Rivera, was an accomplished artist and instructor at UC Berkeley when she was sent to the Tanforan internment site

during WWII. Curated by Senior Curator of Art Karen Tsujimoto, the exhibition is based on Okubo’s illustrated account of her internment. Through Sunday, August 1.

May 11–22 • History Guild Trip: Colonial America Visit historic sites where our nation’s independence was born, fought for, and won.

Contact: Mary Lou Ciranni (650-345-9031) or Kay MacFarland (510-758-6643)

May 13–18 • Art Guild Trip: Connecticut Canvas The tour includes visits to artists’ studios, private collections, and small museums, and ends at the Mayflower Inn and Spa. Contact: Candy Caldwell (925-283-0269) or Sandy Wolfe (925-284-2838) May 16 • Bike Tour: Oakland on Two Wheels Explore Oakland with the Museum’s bike-tripping docents.

Participants must be 12 or older.

A Whopper of a Sale The annual White Elephant Sale is a colossal (and colossally fun) fundraiser for the Oakland Museum of California Once a year, the Oakland Museum Women’s Board presents the sale to end all sales, with proceeds from the two-day event supporting OMCA’s programs and exhibitions. Attended by thousands of people, who come from all over the state to rummage through a veritable treasure trove of donated goods, the sale is the biggest of its kind in Northern California. Now in its 51st year, the sale was held on March 6 and 7, 2010, and raised vital funds for OMCA’s ongoing activities. To learn more about the legendary event—and to donate to or volunteer for the 2011 sale—visit whiteelephantsale.org.

18

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

clockwise from T O P L E F T : shutterstock ; O M c A , g ift of the estate of M in é oku b o ; omca

museum trips, tours, and programs

clockwise from left: C ourtesy of pi x ar ; shutterstock ; courtesy of mark dion and tanya b onakdar g allery, new york

Clockwise from far left: Pixar’s Ratatouille; Philadelphia’s Independence Hall; installation view, Mark Dion: Microcosmographia, South London Gallery, London, 2006.

Bring your own bikes, helmets, and repair kits. Meet at the main entrance to OMCA on Oak Street at 10 a.m. Free.

Contact: 510-238-3514 or docentcenter@museumca.org May 28–June 7 • Art Guild Trip: Berlin 20 Years after the Wall, plus Leipzig and Prague (with optional extension to Vienna June 7–10) Explore the superb contemporary architecture and design of post-reunification Berlin, and visit historic Leipzig and Prague.

Contact: Candy Caldwell (925-283-0269) or Judy Wood (925-254-7047)

JUNE June 4 • Natural Sciences Guild Day Trip: Creepy Crawlers at Olompali State Park Join Chief Curator Douglas Long on a search for snakes and lizards, salamanders and frogs, spiders and scorpions—or what Long calls “uncharismatic microfauna.”

Contact: Tik Thurston (510865-4507) or tik.thurston@ gmail.com June 6 • FREE First Sundays Admission free to visitors all day.

Made possible by Wells Fargo.

June 8–12 • History Guild Trip: Ashland This trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival features plays, lectures, and a special “Feast of Will” dinner.

Contact: Mary Lou Ciranni (650-345-9031) or Helen Tryon (510-834-2964) June 11 • OMCA relaunches our popular late-Friday programs June 20 • Family Explorations!

Join us for fun family activities.

Made possible by Chevron.

June 20 • Bike Tour: Oakland on Two Wheels Explore Oakland with the Museum’s bike-tripping docents.

Participants must be 12 or older.

Bring your own bikes, helmets,

and repair kits. Meet at the main entrance to OMCA on Oak Street at 10 a.m. Free.

Contact: 510-238-3514 or docentcenter@museumca.org

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS Pixar: 25 Years of Animation July 31, 2010–January 9, 2011 An in-depth look at the creative work behind the Emeryvillebased studio’s acclaimed films.

The Marvelous Museum: A Project by Mark Dion September 11, 2010– March 6, 2011 Drawing on overlooked treasures from the Museum’s collections, Mark Dion creates site-specific installations and interventions.

Please visit museumca.org for more information about upcoming exhibitions.

Museum Hours Monday

Closed

Tuesday

Closed

Wednesday

11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Thursday

11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Friday

11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Saturday

11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Sunday

11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Second Friday of Month

11 a.m.–9 p.m.

SPRING 2010

19

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE Oakland Museum of California 1000 Oak Street Oakland, CA 94607-4892

PAID

SALT LAKE CITY, UT PERMIT NO.6563

you’re Enjoy a sneak preview

of the new galleries at a special Member/Insider Open House, April 29, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

invited! don’t miss our opening celebration weekend presented by target

free admission to the public May 1, 11 a.m.–May 2, 6 p.m.