OMA to Present ‘Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean’

Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) is thrilled to announce the upcoming exhibition ‘Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean,’ part of Getty’s initiative PST ART: Art & Science Collide.

Open from August 17 in part and from September 7 in full through January 19, 2025, ‘Transformative Currents’ will showcase works by 21 contemporary artists and collaborative teams from diverse Pacific regions, exploring the cultural and environmental dynamics of the Pacific Ocean.

Showcasing Diverse Artistic Perspectives

‘Transformative Currents’ is the first exhibition of its kind in Southern California to channel this geographically diverse range of perspectives on environmental issues throughout the Pacific Ocean.

It’s a testament to the power of collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches, bridging artistic, scientific, and Indigenous knowledge systems to foster a deeper understanding of the Pacific’s vast cultural and ecological landscapes.

Each project addresses a specific issue affecting the oceanic environment; together, they highlight interdependency and the impact of local actions on global problems.

Meet the Artists and Their Works

The participating artists, all hailing from various Pacific regions, include:

Irwan Ahmett and Tita Salina (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Ana Andrade (Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego)
Jake Atienza (Irvine/ Bantayan Island, Philippines) and Martha Atienza (Bantayan Island, Philippines)/ DAKOgamay, in collaboration with GOODLand
Isabel Beavers (Los Angeles)
Ohan Breiding and Shoghig Halajian (Brooklyn, NY)
Sean Connelly (Honolulu, HI)
Megan Cope (Meeanjin/Brisbane, Australia)
L. Frank (Santa Rosa) and Jane Chang Mi (Honolulu, HI)
Maja Godlewska and Marek Ranis (Charlotte, NC)
Beatriz Jaramillo (Los Angeles)
Liz Larner (Bellingham, WA)
Charles Lim (Singapore)
Marcos Lutyens (Los Angeles)
Alex Monteith (Te Piha, Aotearoa/New Zealand) and Maree Sheehan (Waikato, Aotearoa/New Zealand), in collaboration with Te Kāhui o Taranaki Takutai Kaitiaki (Te Kāhui o Taranaki Iwi) and Project Reef (Te Tai-O-Rehua/ Tasman Sea, South Taranaki Bight)
Enrique Ramirez (Santiago, Chile and Paris, France)
Tiare Ribeaux (Honolulu, HI) and Qianqian Ye (Los Angeles)
Genevieve Robertson (Nelson, British Columbia)
Paul Rosero Contreras (Quito and Galápagos, Ecuador)
Fran Siegel (San Pedro, CA)
Angela Tiatia (Sydney, Australia)
Cecilia Vicuña (New York and Santiago, Chile)

The exhibition features diverse media, including video, sculpture, drawings, and photography, organized around the theme of ocean currents. This metaphor suggests fluidity, interconnectivity, and collective responsibility, central to the exhibition’s narrative.

Curatorial Vision and Community Engagement

Curated by Cassandra Coblentz with assistant curators Aaron Katzeman and Ziying Duan, ‘Transformative Currents’ emphasizes the role of art in addressing ecological challenges and fostering community engagement.

The inclusion of artists from across the Pacific region echoes the exhibition’s far-reaching material and highlights the interconnectedness of the issues explored.

“We cannot separate the issues facing the Pacific; they are interrelated and affect us all,” explains Cassandra Coblentz, lead curator of the exhibition. “This exhibition is a call to recognize our shared responsibility and the dynamic interconnectedness of our actions.”

OMA Executive Director Maria Mingalone adds, “Creating a dialog between Southern California artists and others in Pacific regions, who are interconnected by oceanic currents that traverse the Pacific, is a beautiful way to celebrate OMA’s mission of sharing the art and stories of Southern California artists.”

‘Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean’ will have two off-site satellite installations with partner organizations: The Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) and the Crystal Cove Conservancy.

The Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) in Costa Mesa will present work by Liz Larner, and the Crystal Cove Conservancy in Newport Beach will present an installation created by Maja Godlewska and Marek Ranis.