Museum focuses on photos

The diverse and imaginative work of California photographers gilded newly painted walls when the University Art Museum opened for the summer season Tuesday.

"Beyond Boundaries: Contemporary Photography in California," exhibits the work of 65 artists and runs until Aug. 6.

The exhibit was born when an organization known as The Friends of Photography in San Francisco polled museum curators, gallery directors, art publishers and critics around California, and asked them to each nominate three photographers whose recent work they found compelling.

The poll yielded an astounding 350 names, which were then boiled down to the 65 artists whose work is now part of the exhibition.

"It was a pretty tough process," said Mary-Kay Lombino, curator of the exhibit at the museum. "There was a lot of art they [The Friends of Photography in San Francisco] wanted to include, but didn't make the cut."

Among the works featured are behind-the-scenes photographs of the set of a pornography movie done by Larry Sultan, and a piece by Robbert Flick in which he combines numerous photos to make a panoramic collage of the Long Beach Harbor.

An opening reception for the artists is scheduled to take place this Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and will include a gallery talk with Tim Wride, associate curator of photography at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Art museum is located in the North Campus Center and is open Tuesday through Sunday for the summer exhibition. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of $3 for adults and $1 for students.

For more information, one may call (562) 985-5761.