CCA News

Best Kept Secret: UCI and the Development of Contemporary Art in Southern California, 1964-1971

Posted on Monday, February 6, 2012, by Lindsey Westbrook

Best Kept Secret: UCI and the Development of Contemporary Art in Southern California, 1964-1971
Laguna Art Museum, 2011
Paperback, 180 pages, $34.95

Grace Kook-Anderson (MA Curatorial Practice 2007), the Laguna Art Museum's curator of exhibitions, is a contributing writer to this recto-verso book published in conjunction with the Pacific Standard Time exhibition Best Kept Secret: UCI and the Development of Contemporary Art in Southern California, 1964-1971. This scholarly publication with primary research on UC Irvine and the development of its art department is the first to address the early years of the department. UCI was a hotbed of creativity and experimentation in the 1960s and early 1970s, with exceptional teachers such as Tony DeLap, Robert Irwin, and Vija Celmins teaching talented students such as Alexis Smith, Chris Burden, and Nancy Buchanan. The book includes an extensive timeline.