NASA Flight Research:

Probing the Sky

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MOAH Collection 30th Anniversary:

Recent Acquisitions Exhibition

Astronaut Karen Nyberg's Star Quilt

The New Vanguard: Scott Listfield

Gerald Clarke

The New Vanguard: Group Exhibition

Curated by Thinkspace

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Albrigo Examines Pettibon and Baseball

Jae Young Kim: Blah, Blah, Blah

The Wired Presidents

The New Vanguard Murals: Bumblebeelovesyou and MEGGS

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The New Vanguard: Alex Yanes Installation

NASA Flight Research: Probing the Sky

In late 1946, 13 engineers from the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in Virginia arrived at Edwards Air Force Base to establish what is now known as NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, participating in the first supersonic research flights by the Bell X-1 rocket plane. Just a year later, on October 14, 1947, Chuck Yeager flew his Bell X-1 over Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards, reaching an altitude of 40,000 feet and exceeding speeds of 662 mph, breaking the sound barrier for the first time in aviation history. Today, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center is the primary hub of atmospheric flight research and operations in the United States, housing some of the most advanced aircraft in the world. Critical in carrying out missions of space exploration and aeronautical research and development, the Center continues to accelerate advances and make important discoveries in the fields of science, technology, operations and testing. The Center also houses a fleet of manned and un-manned environmental science aircraft which support new developments in the fields of Astrophysics and Earth Science, fulfilling NASA’s goals of enhancing education, knowledge, innovation, economic vitality and stewardship of the Earth.

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Probing the Sky features over 50 pieces borrowed from the Flight Research Center’s collection, detailing the illustrious history of aviation innovation in Southern California. Featured works include “The Apollo Story” by the late aerospace artist Dr. Robert T. McCall, Robert Schaar’s painted portraits of the NACA/NASA pilots inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor on The BLVD and various paintings, drawings and sculptures by artists known for their work in and about the aerospace industry. Dr. Robert T. McCall’s “The Apollo Story” is a suite of five original cold stone lithographs depicting the legacy of the Apollo moon-landing program. Cold stone lithography is a printing process in which artists use greasy drawing materials to make original images on limestone, which is then chemically etched. Exhibiting artist Robert Schaar is a highly regarded portrait painter who is one of an elite group of artists comprising the NASA Art Program; his work was included in NASA’s Visions of Flight program, viewed in museums worldwide. Schaar’s “Walk of Honor” portraits feature test pilots whose aviation careers were marked by significant achievements beyond one accomplishment. Shown together, these works comprise a vivid retelling of some of the most significant figures and achievements in aeronautics.

MOAH Collection: Recent Acquisitions

As an institution, MOAH is dedicated to strengthening awareness, enhancing accessibility and igniting the appreciation of art, history and culture through an ever-growing collection of both artifacts and art. One of a museum’s primary functions is stewardship—the responsible planning and management of resources. At MOAH, this objective is implemented is through a focus on preserving Southern California’s unique history via the Museum’s extensive collection. As such, the art in this retrospective includes contributions by both local and internationally known artists, featuring pieces that represent our region both literally, with the inclusion of early California landscapes, and conceptually, with a nod to community involvement in the aerospace industry and artists’ use of new materials, resin and plastics. Beginning in 2012, the Museum developed its Juried Collection, which features the work of local artists who took top awards at MOAH’s annual All-Media Juried Exhibition. Through its dynamic collection, MOAH celebrates the richness of the region and the unique qualities that encompass the Antelope Valley.

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Karen Nyberg: Star Quilt

When astronaut Karen Nyberg launched for her mission aboard the International Space Station, she brought with her some unusual items, including: a spool of ivory thread, five needles, and three “fat quarters” of fabric. During the five month stint that she spent living aboard the Space Station as a flight engineer, Nyberg became the first person to quilt while in orbit. As one might imagine, the astronaut and artist ran into some unique difficulties while striving to complete her zero-gravity project, including figuring out how to best store her sewing supplies (Velcro and Ziploc bags kept needles and strips of fabric from floating away) and how to cut floating fabric. Of the latter, Nyberg states, “Imagine if you take a piece of fabric and hold it out in front of you. Now, take your scissors and try to cut it and that is exactly what it is like. Because you can’t lie it down on the floor, and you can’t use a rotary cutter, you just have to cut.” Despite these difficulties, Nyberg successfully completed a nine-by-nine inch, red, white and blue quilt square. Upon returning to Earth, Nyberg expanded upon her “Astronomical Quilt,” calling for quilters from all over the world to submit star themed fabric blocks to be included in the final product. Nyberg received over 2,200 submissions, which were sewn together to create 28 quilt panels, with the original star at the center. “With a project like this, what I think is really cool, is that you can take somebody from every part of this world and find something that you have in common with them. And we really do have something in common with people from everywhere,” Nyberg said.

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Born in Vining, Minnesota, Karen Nyberg graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Dakota where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. She then earned a Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, for her work researching human thermoregulation and metabolic testing at the Austin Bioheat Transfer Laboratory, with special focus on thermo neutrality in space suits. Nyberg is currently an American mechanical engineer and NASA astronaut.

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Scott Listfield: Once an Astronaut

Scott Listfield is a contemporary artist known for his paintings featuring a lone exploratory astronaut lost in a landscape cluttered with pop culture icons, corporate logos and tongue-in-cheek science fiction references. Inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, a vision of the future which never quite came to pass, Listfield combines images of modern day landscapes with his signature astronaut, fully clad in space garb. Having grown up with the space-age perception of the future depicted in popular media, Listfield finds our present to be strange and unusual, worth exploring in its own right. He approaches modern existence in a way that makes it seem estranged and alien, allowing audiences the rare chance to interpret the contemporary society we live in from an outsider’s viewpoint.

Scott Listfield was born in Boston and studied art at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. In 2000, after some time spent abroad, Scott returned to America where, he began painting astronauts and, sometimes, dinosaurs. Listfield has been profiled in Wired Magazine, Juxtapoz, the Boston Globe, New American Paintings and on WBZ-TV Boston. He has exhibited his work in Los Angeles, Chicago, London, New York, San Francisco, Miami and Boston.

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Gerald Clarke: Manifest Destiny

Gerald Clarke is a Native American artist from Southern California whose artwork focuses on drawing attention to the contemporary existence of indigenous peoples.  With views of Native American culture being driven by popular stereotypes, Clarke aims to give back the essence of humanity to these groups. He searches for unconventional beauty in the world, often found through exploring his reality as a contemporary Native man. Clarke’s craftsmanship conveys pride, respect and authority, both celebrating and mourning what is revealed in his search for newfound appreciation of the world.  The artist seeks to teach through his work, attempting to express the passion, pain and reverence of contemporary Native life, invoking a greater understanding of these marginalized groups through an emotional response from his audience.  A self-proclaimed “kitchen-sink” artist, Clarke has no definitive visual genre, utilizing whichever format, tools or techniques most effectively express his desired message. He often explores aspects of installation, mixed media, video and performance, while incorporating Native American craft techniques such as traditional basket-weaving.

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Gerald Clarke is a member of the Cahuilla Band of Indians located about 40 miles southwest of Palm Springs, California. He is an artist, educator, cattle rancher and small business owner, taking an active role in preserving Native languages and culture.  Clarke teaches sculpture and new media at Idyllwild Arts Academy, where he is the Visual Arts Department Chair, and will begin teaching Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Riverside.  In the past, he has served as an Assistant Professor of Art at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. In addition to teaching, Clarke has been part of a variety of exhibitions featured both nationally and abroad.  In 2007, he was awarded the Eiteljorg Museum Fellowship for Native American Fine Art. Clarke resides in Anza, California, tending to his family’s ranch on the Native reservation where he served as Vice-Chairman on the Tribal Council from 2006-2012. Learn More

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The New Vanguard

The Lancaster Museum of Art and History, in collaboration with Los Angeles' Thinkspace Gallery, is pleased to present The New Vanguard, featuring works by over 55 artists from the New Contemporary Movement. The exhibition will present one of the largest cross-sections of artists working within the movement's diverse vernaculars, ever shown within a museological context in California to date. An ambitious compilation, The New Vanguard will bring together some of the most relevant and dynamic artists currently practicing from all over the world. The exhibition, opening August 13, will take place in tandem with this year's installment of POW! WOW! Antelope Valley.

The exhibition will feature site-specific murals and installations within the museum by Alex Yanes, Bumblebeelovesyou, Meggs, and Yoskay Yamamoto, a solo presentation of works by Scott Listfield in the Vault Gallery, and a diverse group exhibition of works in the South Gallery, including pieces by Aaron Li-Hill, Adam Caldwell, Alex Garant, Amandalynn, Amy Sol, Brett Amory, Brian Viveros, C215, Carl Cashman, Casey Weldon, Chie Yoshii, Cinta Vidal, Craig ‘Skibs’ Barker, Cryptik, Dan Lydersen, Dan-ah Kim, Derek Gores, Dulk, Erik Siador, Felipe Pantone, Fernando Chamarelli, Glennray Tutor, Henrik Aa. Uldalen, Icy and Sot, Jacub Gagnon, Jaime Molina, James Bullough, James Reka, Jana & JS, Jean Labourdette (aka Turf One), Jeremy Hush, Joel Daniel Phillips, Josie Morway, Juan Travieso, Kyle Stewart, Linnea Strid, Lisa Ericson, Low Bros, Lunar New Year, Mando Marie, Marco Mazzoni, Mark Dean Veca, Mark Warren Jacques, Martin Whatson, Mary Iverson, Matt Linares, Matthew Grabelsky, Meggs, Mike Egan, Nosego, Pam Glew, Ricky Lee Gordon, Scott Radke, Sean Norvet, Tony Philipppou, Wiley Wallace, X-O, and Yosuke Ueno.

The POW! WOW! Antelope Valley project will include public works by Amandalynn, Andrew Schoultz, Bumblebeelovesyou, David Flores, Julius Eastman, Kris Holladay, Mando Marie, Mark Dean Veca, Meggs, Michael Jones and Yoskay Yamamoto. All the works will be centered around the area of the museum, with David Flores actually adorning the backside of the museum with a massive new mural.

Historically, the New Contemporary movement has largely been relegated to spaces outside of art institutions and other arbiters of the "high," whether it be urban spaces or subcultural haunts. The movement, having had to create contexts for the reception of its work and support of its community, has never had the fixity of a singular genre - or its limitations for that matter - but rather has prospered under a fluidity, expanding into all manner of techniques, expressions, media, and spaces. This exhibition is significant in that it marks a period of transition in the vetted visibility of this movement and its artists, as it has become increasingly celebrated and acknowledged, not only within the context of popular culture but the institutional framework of museum spaces. No single art movement in recent memory has grown as exponentially in acceptance, visibility, and popularity in as relatively short a period, a phenomenon that attests to the power and sway of its cultural presence.

Perhaps most unified by its lack of stylistic exclusion, the New Contemporary movement, long helmed by its simultaneous embrace of multiple elements, incorporates narrative, the surreal, the gestural, the abstract, the figurative, and the illustrative. With no single defining formal or conceptual armature, the work produced by this new generation of artist is responsive, reactive, emotive, and grounded in the social. The New Vanguard highlights the imaginative breadth of these New Contemporary artists, showcasing the limitless potential of an art movement that began without walls and has now infiltrated galleries and museums the world over.

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Daniel Albrigo: Albrigo Examines Pettibon and Baseball

Daniel Albrigo is a Southern California based artist, drawing influence from aspects of modern American culture.  Albrigo predominately works with the medium of painting, but also includes photography, drawing and various printing methods in his work practice. Mostly self-taught, he explores classical and contemporary themes of realism, touching on American culture both appropriated and observed. Instead of the more traditional use of photography as reference for his paintings, he began taking portraits of artists in their studio spaces as part of an ongoing project of new American imagery.  Beginning in April 2015, Albrigo focused on artist Raymond Pettibon, photographing him in his New York City studio.  Over the course of a few visits, Albrigo captured Pettibon with various pieces of sporting equipment and was guided through the vast collection of sports memorabilia he had, filling up almost every corner of his studio.  In this series of photos, the audience will be privy to the raw passion for the great American sport of baseball in the working space of an iconic American artist. Baseball with Pettibon is the beginning of an ongoing series of Raymond Pettibon and his collection of diverse equipment, highlighting sports through revealing its longstanding influence on American culture.

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Daniel Albrigo was born in Pomona, California in 1982. Albrigo has had solo exhibitions at the Guerrero Gallery in San Francisco, Muddguts Gallery in New York City, and a split show at Western Exhibitions in Chicago with Genesis Breyer P-Orridge. The collaborative work he created with P-Orridge has been shown at Utah Museum of Contemporary Art in Salt Lake City, The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and The Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. Albrigo currently resides and works in Long Beach, California.

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Jae Yong Kim: Blah Blah Blah

Jae Yong Kim is a Korean native who has spent the majority of his life traveling, observing and developing the themes of his art. His work greatly reflects the turmoil of a highly mobile existence, with the question of “home” appearing as a recurring theme as he explores what this concept means to him. On the subject of his art, Kim states, “We live in an incredibly fast paced culture that encourages and requires people to have confidence and strength, and there is seldom any room for failure and doubt, even though these are essential elements in life and absolutely necessary for growth.” Kim primarily works with ceramics and installation, displaying a consistent, quirky and eccentric style that accurately reflects the artist’s own personality, making his work truly recognizable.

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Donuts first appeared in Kim’s work as a symbol of greed and gluttony, representative of his somewhat negative experiences while endeavoring to understand the financial world of New York City. “The donuts I see as a possibility of working out problem situations in my life and addressing how money is handled and treated in America,” said Kim. Rather than focusing on how to make money and learning a business-based jargon that the artist didn’t particularly care to understand, Kim decided to instead create his own language to say what he thought was important. “I started making more donuts because this is what made me happy,” said Kim. “Donuts are a treat but they aren’t all good,” he said, “Donuts, sweets and junk food are typical fare for those living in poverty or just above it. Cheap and yummy, donuts also give a quick burst of energy which lets you keep going. They can also provide a satisfying balm when life and trying to get by is difficult.” Created from clay fired with three different types of glaze, these sculptures come in several shapes and finishes, representing the varieties of the actual treat as well as the artist’s interest in paying homage to the works of relevant art-historical figures such as Yayoi Kusama and Jackson Pollock. A self-proclaimed perfectionist, Kim has stated that each donut is unique and carries the mark of the artist’s hand.

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Jae Yong Kim spent a significant portion of his early childhood traveling, having lived in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia before moving back to South Korea. After high school, he moved to the United States by himself in order to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts from the University of Hartford. From there, he went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts for Ceramics from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. Kim has participated in both group and solo exhibitions and shown internationally in settings such as the Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art in Japan, the Korean Craft Promotion Foundation Gallery in Seoul, the Art and Industry Gallery in San Diego, the Lyons Wier Gallery, Marshall M. Frederick’s Sculpture Museum, The Dennos Museum Center, Hunterdon Art Museum, Kate Shin Gallery at Waterfall Mansion and Philadelphia Art Alliance, as well as numerous group exhibitions worldwide. Kim lives and works in both Seoul, South Korea and the New York City area; he is currently a professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology.

The Wired Presidents

The artists that have produced this work are an unnamed collective of local creators that seek to promote inquiry-based interactions in art. These questions are explored in the collection of works from this group of artists, who come from diverse backgrounds and specialties. Their experiences range from blockbuster films to special effects, props, puppetry, video games, toys and technology.

What does the effect of technology have on the electoral process or the office of the presidency?

How does information and technology craft our narrative of what constitutes a perfect candidate?

Why is it that Abraham Lincoln is considered one of America’s favorite leaders?

What qualities did he have that warranted that categorization?

How did the technology of Lincoln’s time impact the public conversation?

Do we design our own ideal leader within an information-based society?  How does that affect our expectations?

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Bumblebeelovesyou

Born and raised in southeastern Los Angeles County, Bumblebee takes the largely ignored parts of the city and uses it as his personal canvas by remodeling urban furniture, such as newspaper boxes and telephone booths, to tell stories of everyday life and comment on the collapse of the bee population through the rise of cell phone usage. He also utilizes the technique of stenciling and mixed media to create images of children on the unloved, deserted walls of his hometown in Downey. Considerate and thoughtful, Bumblebee’s work also deals with issues such as child homelessness and the impact modernity has on nature. Despite the seriousness of his subject matter, his works are not heavy for the viewer. Instead, they are whimsical, playful and exude a sense of childish innocence, freedom and joy.

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Bumblebee has participated in numerous group exhibitions at various institutions, including: Carmichael Gallery, Thinkspace Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park, Street A.K.A. Museum in conjunction with the Portsmouth Museum of Art, and Outside/In, a partnership with the Art Center College of Design. His art has been covered by numerous media outlets including LA Weekly, TedX Illinois, Complex Magazine, Unurth, Arrested Motion, and Downey Beat. In 2015, he was awarded the Readers’ Choice award for Best Street Artist in LA Weekly

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MEGGS

David “MEGGS” Hooke is one of Australia’s most progressive street and fine artists recognized for his unique, expressive and energetic style with references to pop culture, the natural world and socio-cultural issues. His technical use of color and movement combines clean, bold, illustrative elements with intuitive, textural and free flowing design. By constantly searching for the harmony between form, abstraction, order and chaos, MEGGS pours his all-or-nothing personality into every inch of his work. His life manifesto is that the “journey is the reward” and his work reflects this eternal search for balance. MEGGS’ emphasis on constant growth and passion for travel is demonstrated by his continual exploration of artistic techniques and mediums.

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Adapting his street art and graffiti to fine art has granted MEGGS extensive opportunities to travel, professionally exhibit his work and participate in mural festivals around the globe. His street art and gallery works are recognized nationally and internationally in cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, London, San Francisco, Paris, Tokyo, Hawaii, Mexico, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. MEGGS’ art works are included in the permanent paper collections of the National Gallery of Australia and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) of London.

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MEGGS has traveled and contributed his art to support the ambitions of numerous not-for-profit organizations, including Fareshare, Pangeaseed, and POW! WOW! HAWAII. His cooperative practices have led to collaborations with various artists and brands from cultures worldwide. His commercial work with companies such as Nike, Stussy, Addict, New Balance, Burton and Endeavor Snowboards has contributed to the constant evolution of his talent and furthering his range of designs and ideas.

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MEGGS was born and raised in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Design from Swinburne University School of Design in 2000. He is a founding member of the Everfresh crew, a unique collective of street art pioneers who opened the world renowned Everfresh Studio in 2004. MEGGS’ adoration of comic book art, sci-fi fantasy, skateboarding, graffiti culture, heavy metal and punk rock music are at the core of what inspired him to pursue his career in fine art. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

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Alex Yanes

Alex Yanes is a Miami artist drawing influence from his family’s Cuban roots through his exploration of local Miami culture.  It was there that he was exposed to the gritty, fast-paced and ever-evolving nature of art.  Much of his work closely relates to his exposure to the skateboard, tattoo, hip-hop and rock culture present in Miami during the 1980s and ‘90s, creating his own form of reality through combinations of materials like wood, acrylic, resin and enamel in three-dimensional installation pieces that seek to reveal elements of Yanes’ own personal history and the impacts of fast-paced city life. In this sense, his art serves as an autobiography, directly associated with Yanes’ individual experiences through his lifetime. Through the innovative use of color and his whimsical and imaginative style, Yanes’ art takes on a form that is widely relatable, speaking volumes to both collectors and new art lovers alike.

Alex Yanes was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He has been interested in art since childhood, having won his first award at the age of six. Yanes began pursuing art full-time in 2006.  Since then, he has worked with Adidas, Red Bull, Sony, The Learning Channel, Vans, Kidrobot, Neiman Marcus, St. Jude’s Hospital, The Dan Morino Foundation, Miami Children’s Museum, NBA Cares and The Children’s Trust, spreading his art to as many corners of the world as possible.  Yanes’ work is now a staple in Wynwood, Miami’s art district, and he awaits upcoming exhibitions to showcase his art worldwide in locations such as New York, Illinois, California, Germany, The United Kingdom, Australia and Brazil.