West LA Times

UCLA artists, research centers, and public arts programs are making significant contributions to the Getty’s initiative PST ART, previously known as Pacific Standard Time. This year's event is themed “Art & Science Collide” and will engage audiences throughout Southern California. Supported by nearly $20 million in grants from the Getty, more than 60 exhibitions and a wide array of programs will address topics such as climate change, Indigenous knowledge, artificial intelligence, and eco-acoustic art.

UCLA stands out as the largest granted institution in this year’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide, receiving nearly $2 million in research and exhibition support from the Getty. The UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture and the UCLA Film & Television Archive are presenting seven programs and exhibitions running from July 20, 2024, through May 25, 2025.

Tiffany Chung’s “Stored in a Jar” will be featured in “Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice” at the Hammer Museum.

Among the presenting institutions are UCLA Arts’ two museums—the Hammer Museum at UCLA and the Fowler Museum at UCLA—two research centers—UCLA Art | Sci Center and UCLA Arts Conditional Studio—and its performing arts program, UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance (CAP).

The Fowler Museum will commence PST ART with “Sangre de Nopal/Blood of the Nopal,” opening on July 21. This exhibition focuses on ancestral knowledge, technical experimentation, immigration, and labor justice. On September 14 at the Hammer Museum is “Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice,” which features commissioned works addressing environmental art practices related to climate crisis and social justice issues.

Starting September 26 across multiple campus venues is “Atmosphere of Sound: Sonic Art in Times of Climate Disruption” by the Art | Sci Center. Thirteen artists will present interactive installations, live performances, sound walks, and other experiences exploring how sound can help understand climate changes.

The UCLA Film & Television Archive will present “Science Fiction Against the Margins,” a 12-night film series starting October 4 that showcases an alternative side to sci-fi beyond Hollywood spectacles. This series is presented in partnership with UCLA Cinema & Media Studies.

Two programs will extend UCLA Arts' presence into downtown Los Angeles for PST ART. Beginning October 5 at Human Resources gallery in Chinatown is “Art and the Internet in L.A.” by UCLA Arts Conditional Studio. This exhibition invites contemporary artists to respond to a 50-year history of internet-based art creation.

On December 7 at United Theater, CAP UCLA in partnership with REDCAT presents “Live Night: Cruising Bodies, Spirits, and Machines.” This event features experimental performances responding to REDCAT's exhibition "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace," rethinking artificial intelligence through underrepresented communities' perspectives.

Finally, on January 12, 2025, Fowler presents “Fire Kinship: Southern California Native Ecology and Art,” advocating for a return to Native fire stewardship practices essential for land management, community well-being, and tribal sovereignty.

For further details on PST ART: "Art & Science Collide," please refer to the full news release.

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