It seems like whenever there is any kind of problem, the arts are always the first item to go. On the local, state and national level, the arts and those who enjoy them are constantly struggling for funding and recognition to keep (or make) creative expression a major part of our culture.
This is entirely reflective of our idea of the arts as being one of the disposable, less important things that is siphoning funding away from things whose benefits are needed immediately, like road repair or other kinds of improvements to infrastructure, school improvement or national security.
This time, it’s Cal State Long Beach President F. King Alexander and Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster whose actions might hurt campus arts by trying to move the University Art Museum (UAM) off campus to a larger location. While noble in their efforts, this move is completely misguided.
One of the major topics Alexander addressed when coming to Long Beach was the need for the campus to move away from the commuter campus culture and create more of an interconnected community on campus.
The UAM certainly aids in the creation of a campus community and is aptly placed in an area with a lot of foot traffic. It is near the largest parking area and can catch the attention of people walking to or from their classes with little time to kill. It’s also next to the ever popular Steve and Nini Horn Center.
If there is any lack of interest from students, it’s probably because of the creepy museum employees that follow patrons around the museum or the lack of publicity about the amazing exhibits our museum has hosted, including art from some of the most important artist of the 20th century, which also addresses many important issues in current affairs including those directly affecting Long Beach. The location certainly isn’t a problem.
Some of the important works recently shown at the UAM include a small exhibit of the sketches of Kathe Kollwitz, the Likeness exhibit which featured artists depictions of other famous artists using various mediums and the most recent Fantasy Islands: Landscaping Long Beach’s Oil Platforms, an exhibit that offered students a creative way of understanding one of the largest problems effecting the city.
Another fundamental problem of moving the museum off campus is one of semantics. If the museum is moved off campus it ceases to be a university museum, something that is central in improving campus life.
The UAM is an important part of CSULB. If we move it to give it more space, as Mayor Foster claims is the reason for moving the museum, there won’t be anyone to appreciate the new space. Very few people will want to drive to see their campus’ museum. The benefit of having it on campus is that it is convenient for students to visit.
If the museum needs more space, cut into the Horn Center where all the rooms for meetings always sit empty. It would probably cost less and it would leave our museum in a suitable spot that is accessible and easy to find for students and faculty.
Art is an important part of our treasured right to free speech. Let’s not limit the amount of diverse ideas and types of expression present on this campus. Keep the UAM on the CSULB campus.
