Event Date(s):
February 8𑁒May 17, 2025
Event Location: UC Irvine Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art (Langson IMCA)
Irvine, CA 92612
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 to open 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.
Free and open to all. Parking in the Airport Tower structure is free for two hours with validation.
Public Programs
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 8, 11 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, February 22, 2025, 10 am–1 pm PT
Adult Workshop | Exploring the Landscape through Collage and Drawing
Join artist Fran Siegel for a hands-on exploration of color and light inspired by Common Ground: Early 20th-Century Artist Communities in Southern California. Focusing on some of the landscape paintings in the exhibition, participants will discover how artists used color to create depth and space in their work. In her own practice, Siegel combines a love for California’s natural beauty with different techniques like collage and drawing.
This program is open to all participants aged 16 and up. Registration is required.
Saturday, April 26, 2025, 11 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 am–12 pm PT
Family Workshop with artist Ruben Ochoa
Details to come. Please check imca.uci.edu/public-programs/ for updates.
