UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art

Introduction

The UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art is located in Costa Mesa at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and builds on the history of the former Orange County Museum of Art. Its collection and exhibition program have a strong focus on California and contemporary art, and its recent transition into UC Irvine gives the museum a new university-based institutional context.

Art and Artists

Langson OCMA has some Jewish representation, with Jewish artists having been represented in recent collection-based exhibitions, including 13 Women: Variation I–IV (2022–2023), which featured works by artists including Philip Guston and Lee Krasner. The museum has also historically organized exhibitions engaging Jewish artists, including Jack Goldstein x 10,000, which subsequently traveled to The Jewish Museum in New York.

The museum also has Israeli and Israel-born artists represented in its permanent collection, including Shirley Shor and Yoram Wolberger. Shor’s Landslide (2004) is part of the museum’s permanent collection, acquired through a museum purchase in 2004, and Wolberger’s Madonna (2004) was acquired by OCMA in 2007.

Policies

The museum’s institutional structure changed significantly with its acquisition by UC Irvine. Under UC Irvine’s management, the museum adheres to the University of California systemwide anti-discrimination policy that includes regular anti-discrimination training and specifically references antisemitism. The museum also refers to the university process for policies governing protests and solicitation.

As a university-affiliated museum, directly linking the applicable campus reporting and conduct policies from the museum’s own site would substantially improve accessibility and clarity.

Community Engagement and Programming

The museum reported that it does not have any partnerships with Jewish organizations or any specific Jewish educational programming.

The museum does not generally recognize heritage months, so Jewish American Heritage Month is not separately scored.

Bottom Line

Langson OCMA already has critical policies in place through its affiliation with UC Irvine. The museum should now focus on fostering strong Jewish institutional partnerships and developing more Jewish educational programming.