Wednesday, August 7, 2024 The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) is thrilled to announce two major upcoming events: the CommonGround Festival from September 13-22, 2024, and the “Young, Gifted and Black” exhibition, running from August 23 to December 29, 2024. During this period, Marla Novo will serve as Interim Executive Director. Novo brings 30 years of curatorial expertise and a dedication to MAH’s mission as the museum seeks a permanent Executive Director with the assistance of community input.
MAH proudly presents the return of the CommonGround Festival from September 13-22, 2024. This biennial event will showcase outdoor artworks by artists such as Jim and Brighton Denevan, Huy Truong, Susana Ruiz, and others. Art installations will transform Santa Cruz County’s picturesque locations, with notable highlights including a large sand drawing at Cowell Beach and video portraits projected onto trees at Evergreen Cemetery.
MAH invites everyone to engage with themes of public memory and historical justice through these evocative works. Running from August 23 to December 29, 2024, MAH will host the “Young, Gifted and Black: The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection of Contemporary Art” exhibition. This showcase features works by artists of African descent, including David Hammons, Kerry James Marshall, Mickalene Thomas, and Kara Walker, who explore themes of identity, politics, and art history.
Bernard Lumpkin, the collection’s founder, highlights the exhibitio.