Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum Launches Material Concerns: Acquisition Fundraiser

The advisory board  for the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum’s is presenting a three-part artist lecture fundraising series titled Material Concerns. Ticket packages for the exhibition help support the acquisition of works by artists who use innovative materials. 

The lecture series highlighting women artists and their innovative use of materials features Doris Sung, Maren Hassinger and Dyani White Hawk, 

The first event on Nov. 11, features architect Doris Sung, who is also an artist, an academic and the dean of undergraduate architecture at University of Southern California. Kristina Newhouse, the curator of exhibitions at Kleefeld has worked with Sung in the past and they both knew that they wanted to do a project or two together while the museum was under construction. 

Sung is installing sm[ART]box, a metal port shipping container Sung converted into an exhibition space, complete with installed windows. What Sung has created is both an art object and a research station. It will be set there, outdoors on the California State University Long Beach campus for two years. Computers inside of sm[ART]box will gather readings and determine how effective this technology could be for mass application.

The key takeaway regarding sustainability for this project is people tend to think that high-tech solutions are necessary to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. But sm[ART]box shows that smart solutions often derive from simple ones — and that they can be elegant while being highly effective. 

Visitors can experience the activation of the InVert self-shading grid system which happens when heated and to see the way the natural environment is actually working more than the artificial one, reducing the use of air conditioning. 

Baker Prindle discussed the architect’s motivation in creating sm[ART]box. Sung has said we are looking at a world with increasing population. A world that is getting hotter and urban scapes are growing fastest in growing parts of the world where population growth is explosive. Soon many people who didn’t have access to air conditioning in the past will now have access to it and that has significant consequences for our planet. So, Sung explored how to design buildings that can regulate their temperature without consuming energy, or requiring coal plants, oil or electricity.

“This potentially has significant watershed for the built environment because it offers architects and designers opportunities to build buildings that are self cooling or self insulating,” Baker Prindle said.

Kleefeld has a match in place for this fundraiser. They have already raised $5,000 and their current goal for this acquisition is to match that for a total of $10,000 

“Talking about growth, change and innovation,” Baker Prindle said. “We are excited about this with all these [lectures]. The museum is very much in evolving mode right now being that we are under construction and reaching out to the community to contribute to this growth.” 

Material Concerns ticket packages will include two VIP passes to the re-opening party for the new museum in 2022. The program supports equitable collection acquisitions of works by BIPOC [black, indigenous,people of color] artists and makers of difference.

Ticket holders will be updated on significant renovations and improvements from the museum’s expansion leading up to the re-opening and get sneak peeks into the construction progression as they enjoy an up close and personal vantage of the transformation of the museum. Kleefeld is also accessible and offers educational resources to the community through their Artist Series Videos on YouTube with Plugged-In Virtual Connections videos and the Art Encounter series.

Details: Doris Sung: sm[ART]box and Sustainable Design  

The innovative architect will describe Sm[ART]box—a sustainable architecture design with self-

shading thermobimetal windows soon to be installed on CSULB campus.

Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11

Maren Hassinger: Nature Sweet Nature

The multi-disciplinary artist will discuss the her career and practice which connects the industrial

and natural worlds while incorporating dance, performance, sculpture, and collaboration.

Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18

Dyani White Hawk: A Lineage of Innovation 

This award-winning artist will narrate how she has come to incorporate glass beads into her

paintings while calling attention to the fascinating history of trade beads in Indigenous culture.

Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 

Details: Tickets for all Events at http://bit.ly/MaterialConcerns