Fall 2024 Message from Interim Dean Lionel Popkin
Welcome to the 2024-25 Academic Year!
Last week, I had the privilege of welcoming 345 new undergraduate and graduate students to UCLA Arts, a remarkable community of artists, scholars, and creators. It was inspiring to spend time with so many new and returning students, faculty, and staff—alongside several alumni, friends, and supporters—all of whom came together at our annual opening event to celebrate the start of the year on a high note.
One of my core goals as interim dean is to nurture a sense of belonging and shared purpose within our community—one that fosters creativity, innovation, and excellence in a supportive environment. At UCLA Arts, we embrace diverse perspectives and believe in the transformative power of the arts to shape a better world. Our collective efforts amplify the role of the arts in fostering human connection and understanding, especially in uncertain times.
This year, we have multiple opportunities to experience the arts' profound impact, including our school’s significant contributions to Getty’s PST ART initiative, Art & Science Collide. As the single largest granted institution in this year’s initiative, our presence in PST ART includes exhibitions and programs organized by the Hammer Museum, Fowler Museum, UCLA Art|Sci Center, and UCLA Arts Conditional Studio, performances presented by our Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA), and a film series curated by the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
Dozens of UCLA Arts faculty, staff, and alumni are involved with projects across PST ART, including Amy Adler, Analia Saban, Ann Haeyoung, Candice Lin, Casey Reas, Catherine Opie, Cauleen Smith, Dan Bustillo, Devin Kenny, Gala Porras-Kim, Iman Person, Jennifer Steinkamp, John Divola, Judy Baca, Jules Kris, Lauren Lee McCarthy, Lita Albuquerque, Lucas Blalock, Mercedes Dorame, Pinar Yoldas, rafa esparza, Rebeca Méndez, Rebecca Allen, Refik Anadol, Romi Morrison, Sarah Rosalena, Tristan Espinoza, Tyler Yin, Valerie Green, Vasa Mihich, Vija Celmins, Xin Xin, Zach Blas, and Wendy Red Star, who was recently named a MacArthur Fellow.
UCLA’s expansive presence in PST ART demonstrates our unique strengths as a research institution and underscores our commitment to fostering artistic innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. I encourage everyone to explore this region-wide celebration of the arts, which you can learn more about here.
This year also marks the inaugural season from CAP UCLA’s executive and artistic director, Edgar Miramontes. The season, which kicked off with a mesmerizing performance from South African Gregory Maqoma’s Vuyani Dance Theatre at Royce Hall and two sold out performances from British-Iranian theater-maker Javaad Alipoor at The Nimoy, embraces cultural diversity and sparks conversations that reflect our shared humanity. The season features more than 80 visionary artists representing over 10 countries who are presenting works in poetry, dance, theater, music, multimedia, and more, including choreographer Shamel Pitts — another recently named MacArthur Fellow — and his multidisciplinary arts collective TRIBE, who will perform on campus in February. You can check out the entire season here.
And, of course, we’d also love to see you at one of the many upcoming events presented by our academic departments. Highlights this fall include an Oct. 17 lecture by artist and department of art faculty member Anna Sew Hoy at the Hammer Museum; an exhibition showcasing work from the department of design media arts’ stellar faculty-led research centers that runs from Oct. 17–24; a lecture by Marion Weiss, co-founder of the multidisciplinary design practice WEISS/MANFREDI on Nov. 18 at Perloff Hall; and on Dec. 5–6 the annual First Hand Dance faculty dance concert, which will be presented in Glorya Kaufman Hall.
This past Monday, we named Zoë Ryan as the Hammer Museum’s new director. Ryan, who joins us in January, will succeed longtime director Ann Philbin, who is retiring this November after 25 years of visionary leadership. I am looking forward to welcoming Ryan to the UCLA Arts community. Her cross-disciplinary vision and intellectual rigor promise to enrich not only the Hammer but the broader creative fabric of UCLA.
I also want to extend a warm welcome to three new faculty members joining us this academic year: building scientist and architectural educator Salmaan Craig has joined the Department of Architecture and Urban Design as associate professor; artist Tarrah Krajnak has joined the Department of Art as associate professor; and choreographer, educator, and creative technologist Kate Ladenheim has joined the Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance as assistant professor.
Whether you're a student, faculty, staff member, parent, supporter, or patron, you are part of a special community here at UCLA Arts, one devoted to cultivating creativity, fostering growth, and embracing the transformative influence of the arts. I encourage you to foster new connections, dig deep into your creative practices, and take advantage of the many ways the arts can inspire and connect us.
As we embark on this new academic year, I know that we will have many opportunities to celebrate our vibrant community. I also want to acknowledge that we are entering a season of national elections and a period that may bring tension and tumult, not just across the country, but also here on our campus. In moments like these, I invite you to join me in affirming a commitment to maintaining a community that values rigorous and respectful debate, understanding that such exchanges, even when we disagree, are essential to a healthy society.
Wishing you all the best for a healthy and productive fall quarter and year filled with possibility!
Lionel Popkin
Interim Dean, UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture
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