Now On View! Langson IMCA, Common Ground: Early 20th-Century Artist Communities in Southern California

Image caption: William Wendt, The Lake, 1940, Oil on canvas, 30 ¼ ​​× 36 ⅛ in. UC Irvine Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art. Gift of The Irvine Museum.

Exhibition: February 8 through May 17, 2025

UC Irvine Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art (Langson IMCA) presents Common Ground: Early 20th-Century Artist Communities in Southern California. The exhibition examines artistic communities in Laguna Beach, La Jolla, and Los Angeles in the early 20th century and their influence on California plein air painting.
On view February 8 through May 17, 2025, the presentation of 36 paintings, works on paper, porcelain, and bronze pieces is organized by graduate students from UC Irvine’s Visual Studies Ph.D. program Ileana De Giuseppe, Zachary Korol Gold, and Dada Wang. Artists formed clubs and associations ranging from highly selective toopen membership to cultivate friendships, enable artistic exchange, and show their work to the public. Key figures from each of these communities are represented alongside their stories. For example, George Gardner Symons and William Wendt traveled together and painted in each other’s company whereas Frank Cuprien and Maurice Braun transformed their homes into galleries and gathering places for fellow artists.

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
UC Irvine Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art
18881 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 100

 

Public Programs: No registration required

All programs listed below are free, open to the public, and take place at 18881 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine, CA 92612. Parking in Airport Tower garage is free for two hours with validation.
 

Saturday, February 8th, 11:00 am PT

- Gallery Talk with Dada Wang, Exhibition Co-Curator and UC Irvine Visual Studies Ph.D. Student

Join co-curator Dada Wang on opening day for a walkthrough of the exhibition. Following the

program, Wang will be available in the gallery to answer questions and speak with visitors and

program attendees.

 

Saturday, April 26, 2025, 11:00 am PT

- Performance | Songs of Common Ground: Voices of a Creative Community

Join us for a special choral performance that adds a dynamic new dimension to UC Irvine

Langson IMCA’s Common Ground exhibition. Members of the UC Irvine Chamber Singers will

present an evocative selection of choral works inspired by the themes of artistic collaboration

and the natural beauty that defined California’s early 20th-century plein air movement. As you

enter the gallery, harmonies will resonate with the artworks, creating an immersive experience

celebrating the pioneering spirit, community, and creativity that shaped Southern California’s

artistic legacy. An exhibition curator, Dada Wang, will introduce the exhibition and the

performance will be followed by a brief in-gallery discussion.
 

Saturday, May 3, 2025, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm PT

- Family Workshop with artist Ruben Ochoa

Details to come. Please check imca.uci.edu/public-programs/ for updates!