Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA)

Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA)
OMA occupies the venerable 1934 former City of Oceanside City Hall designed by pioneering San Diego architect Irving Gill and the Frederick Fisher designed Central Pavillion opened in 2008.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Steampunk:Vintage Futurism


Title wall designed by Elizabeth Tallman


Denise Bonaimo, Steampunk Mannequin


Evan Chambers, Gas Huffer

Brian Giberson, Jetpack

Science fiction, fantasy, futuristic technology and Victorian era style collide in this benchmark exhibition of art and innovation inspired by the Steampunk aesthetic. Featuring the work of twelve artists from San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties including Preston Adell, Glenn Arthur, Tracy Black, Denise Bonaimo, Greg Brotherton, Evan Chambers, Sheri Cohen, Shay Davis, Sean Dietrich, Brian Giberson, Brooke O'Neill, and Jeffrey Steorts. This exhibition ponders the mystery of science and the possibilities of future technology through a Victorian lens.

The roots of Steampunk can be traced to 19th century scientific romances of Jules Verne, HG Wells, Mark Twain and Mary Kelly where creatures such as Frankenstein and inventions such as The Time Machine came alive in the reader’s imagination. Steampunk has been gaining traction since the 1980s when K.W. Jeter introduced the term to reference artwork and characters in his book Morlock Nights. In contemporary pop culture the Steampunk gestalt is prominent in movies, comics, fashion, and the fantastical sculptures created at the annual Burning Man Festival.

Steampunk: Vintage Futurism will be on view in the Groves Gallery November 5-9. The opening reception for the exhibition coinsides with Art After Dark: Dr. Steampunk's Art Extravaganza Friday, November 5 from 7:00-10:00 pm. Tickets are $25 or $20 for OMA members. Call 760.435.3720 for reservations or get your tickets at the door the night of the event. Admission includes Steampunk fashion show by Enigma Fashions, five art exhibitions, video art by Kim Moodey and Lisa Hutton, music by DJ Robin Roth and Danny Massure, live painting by David Joseph Gough, Steampunk creation station, photo booth with photographer Robin Shook, tasty bites from The Fish Joint, specialty wines, and handcrafted beer from The Lost Abbey.