The California Arts Center (CAC) is an art museum located in Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, California.[1] The CAC has five galleries located within it.[2]
The museum was initially considered obscure compared to big museums like the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).[1] The CAC's board of directors hired Bette Porter to revamp and raise the museum's profile,[1] which she succeeded with controversial but groundbreaking exhibits such as Provocations.[3][4]
History[]
The L Word[]
The CAC was previously considered obscure compared to big museums like the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).[1] Four years prior to "Labyrinth" (TLW 2x05), Bette Porter was hired to revamp and raise the museum's profile.[1]
Under Bette, the CAC gained a reputation for combining art and social activism, which no other museum was doing at the time.[5] Among the exhibits curated by Bette for the CAC was a constructivism show that included the works of László Moholy-Nagy and El Lissitzky; this show inspired art student Nadia Karella.[3] Under Bette, the CAC also landed the controversial but groundbreaking Provocations exhibit which opened at the museum in "Limb from Limb" (TLW 1x13). Even nearly two decades years later, the CAC is still remembered for the "radical act" of hosting Provocations.[4]
Bette was the Director of the CAC in seasons one and two, until she was fired in "Lacuna" (TLW 2x13) following a leave of absence to look after her dying father.
Helena Peabody joined the CAC board of directors in "Loyal" (TLW 2x08), and thanks to her personal ties to the artist Allyn Barnes, the CAC were able to mount a retrospective exhibit of Allyn's work.
Generation Q[]
In "Light" (GQ 2x07), Bette collaborates with the CAC to organize a Black Lives Matter group exhibit built around Pippa Pascal's work. However, Bette pulls Pippa's art from the exhibit after finding out that the CAC accepted a large endowment from Dani Nùñez, under her family's embattled company Nùñez Inc.[4] Other artists follow suit, pulling their work from the CAC and mounting a public protest at the CAC. Under pressure, the CAC board of directors return the donation thus humiliating the Nùñez family.[6]
Known employees[]
- Bette Porter was the Director of the CAC in seasons one and two of The L Word, until she was fired in "Lacuna" (TLW 2x13).
- James was Bette's personal assistant.
- Franklin Phillips was the Chairman[7] of the CAC board of directors and Bette's direct boss.
- Xandra Rosenman was a member of the CAC board of directors.[8]
- Leo Herrera was initially contracted to join the CAC for six months to help them raise money in "Lagrimas de Oro" (TLW 2x06), but later replaced Bette as the CAC's director in "Lacuna" (TLW 2x13).
- Helena Peabody joined the CAC board of directors in "Loyal" (TLW 2x08).
- Malik is the CAC's director as of "Launch Party" (GQ 2x08).
Known exhibits[]
- Provocations
- Allyn Barnes retrospective
Gallery[]
The L Word[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The L Word, 1x03: "Longing".
- ↑ The L Word, 2x08: "Loyal".
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The L Word, 4x02: "Livin' La Vida Loca".
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Generation Q, 2x08: "Launch Party".
- ↑ Generation Q, 2x01: "Late to the Party".
- ↑ Generation Q, 2x09: "Last Dance".
- ↑ The L Word, 1x12: "Locked Up".
- ↑ The L Word, 1x04: "Lies, Lies, Lies".