Gift of Yavno Photographs Expands MOCA Collection

The Museum of Contemporary Art has received 185 vintage and contemporary photographs and a $500,000 donation from the estate of the late Los Angeles photographer Max Yavno. The gift comes during a yearlong celebration of the 150th birthday of photography.

“It was an auspicious time to receive the gift,” explained Connie Wolf, research associate at MOCA. “It not only gives us a chance to reflect on our history but a chance to look at what the future holds.”

“We were given the opportunity to look through all his photographs to select the images we wanted for our collection,” explained Wolf, who is also the project director of an exhibition of Yavno’s work, opening Aug. 26 at MOCA. “We tried to find a balance and chose photographs that spanned the scope and breadth of his career. We included popular images as well as his work in the early ‘30s and his later work in commercials.”

The New York-born artist is best known for his documentation of California, which included scenes from glamorous Hollywood to the barrios, boxing matches and hot dog stands. In the late ‘50s, Yavno began a career in advertising. His commercial photographs were lauded for their “compositional strength and rare sensitivity to texture and form,” according to a MOCA press release announcing the gift.

“Max Yavno has played an important role in documentary photography. His photos in the 1930s dealt with depression. He used his camera as a means of documenting America during that period,” Wolf said. “He was an observer who was able to capture the flavor of a period and life style and the movement of a city.” Yavno also took photographs while traveling in Egypt, Israel and Morocco. Although MOCA has a “strong foundation of permanent documentary photographs,” Wolf said that Yavno’s work will greatly enhance the rich collection of images they have acquired. MOCA plans to use the money for educational programs, exhibitions, symposia and lectures concerning photography, she said.

“Since Max Yavno spent most of his life here, I think he felt it was important to give his work to a Los Angeles Institution,” Wolf said. “MOCA has a home for his images, and we want to continue to build on our photo collection.”

AT AUCTION: Art, jewelry, note cards and posters from Pasadena and Altadena artists will be sold Friday night at the eighth annual Charles White Art Auction at Farnsworth Park Pavilion in Altadena. The auction, scheduled for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., will feature work from 30 emerging minority artists and children, ranging from age 8 to 80.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit community art programs of the Pasadena Arts Workshop and a foundation established in honor of the late artist and teacher. The event is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Friends of Charles White, the Arroyo Gallery and the Pasadena Arts workshop.

“Our aim is to raise funds for the Charles White memorial foundation and help support the art workshop for children,” explained Roscoe Owens, owner of the Arroyo Gallery, a community showcase in Pasadena. “It also gives us a chance to show the work of artists that may not have access to mainstream galleries.”

“As a community-oriented gallery, we are glad to be involved with the continuation of such a worthy program,” Owens said. “Charles White made an amazing statement in the art world not only because he was black, but in terms of his level of acceptance and stature within the art community,” he said of the late Altadena artist. “I think this program provides an excellent means of inspiration to young artists and anyone who has the tenacity to stick it out.”

The auction will be followed Saturday by a children’s art exhibit, featuring the work of this year’s “Summer Art in the Park Program” participants.

APPOINTED: The Journal of Art has appointed art critic Jan Butterfield executive editor, in charge of a new West Coast bureau in Los Angeles. Since its inception a year ago, the monthly magazine has established itself in Europe and on the East Coast. With its new bureau, the Journal of Art “intends to address existing historical gaps in the history of art on the West Coast,” according to a press release. Plans are in the works to feature West Coast artists of international stature in addition to less-known emerging artists, the release states.

The Journal’s editor-in-chief, Barbara Rose, has said that Butterfield’s experience makes her the “logical choice” for the position. During the past 25 years, Butterfield has served as a critic and contributing editor for art magazines and written numerous catalogue essays. She has also taught at the San Francisco Art Institute, Mills College, UC Berkeley and San Jose State University. Butterfield is also the author of the upcoming book, “California Light and Space.”

NEW LOOK: New “moonlighting” fixtures have been installed in the Chinese garden at Pasadena’s Pacific Asia Museum to enhance the garden’s authentic look. Lights on the top of the trees are directed down to the garden area, creating shadows and unusual textures. Other lighting fixtures are located underwater in the Koi pool. Funds for the new night lights were contributed by one of the museum’s earliest benefactors, Dr. Samuel Phang, in honor of his late wife, Hannah Phang.