51勛圖窪蹋

Weekender: 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis Museums Invite Visitors to See Inner Workings

Both Exhibitions Have Students Involved in Creation

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Visitors walking past a colorful exhibition wall labeled "Backstory" in a gallery.
51勛圖窪蹋 Davis students and Assistant Professor Alexandra Sofroniew view an exhibition at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art that they helped create in a course. Backstory: Digitizing the Museum Collection is on view through May 2. (Gregory Urquiaga/51勛圖窪蹋 Davis)
A woman stands in an art gallery, gesturing near a green sculpture and various framed artworks.

Madeline Madrid, an art history M.A. student, was thrilled to see her favorite "frog" on view, as she had advocated. It is the work of the late artist David Gilhooly, who received his bachelor's and master's degrees at 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis in the 1960s. (Gregory Urquiaga/51勛圖窪蹋 Davis)

Students help show inner workings of Manetti Shrem Museums digitization exhibition

An exhibition on view at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis shows in real time the digitization of the universitys Fine Arts Collection. Visitors not only view the art but watch as its unpacked, photographed and entered in a database where it will be searchable by the public soon.

Backstory: Digitizing the Museum Collection was developed by museum staff with support from 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis students in a spring 2025 exhibition practicum course taught by Assistant Professor Alexandra Sofroniew. 

In this photo essay, see undergraduate and graduate students view the exhibition they helped create from Gilhooly frogs to Robert Arneson, Wayne Thiebaud and more. The exhibition is on view through May.

Make your own art at the Manetti Shrem Museum

Art Spark: Spinning Spiral Sculptures
Every Saturday in March, 1-4 p.m.

Drop by the Carol and Gerry Parker Art Studio at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art for an afternoon of art making inspired by works on view in the museum. This month, create a sculpture with found objects on a spiral wire base that twirls, inspired by The Elephant in the Room and other works in . All materials are provided. 

Visitors observing an exhibit with a screen and display case of books.
Visitors view exhibition at Design Museum. (Sam Snowball/Courtesy)

Design Museum's 'Village Homes: A Radical Plan' extended through June 19

Design Museum, 124 Cruess Hall. Open MondayFriday, noon-4 p.m. In addition, there will be special hours 2-4 p.m. on the following Sundays: April 12, 26, May 17 and June 14. 

Design Museum will be open on Saturday, April 18 (Picnic Day) 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Due to popular demand, the 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis Design Museum will extend Village Homes: A Radical
Plan which celebrates the 50th anniversary of an innovative west Davis neighborhood
community, through June 19.

Curated by Professor Timothy McNeil and guest curator Adrienne McGraw, the installation has
attracted numerous visitors as well as media attention including a feature on the community and
the exhibition in the spring edition of SacTown Magazine.
This ground-breaking Village Homes exhibition features original objects, archival photographs,
plans and drawings, a part-built section of a typical 1970s house in Village Homes recreating a
living space and demonstrating the passive solar features, and an interactive three-dimensional
site plan of the neighborhoods unique landscape. 

Other highlights include a 30-minute documentary film about the community and an illustrative commemorative poster.
The Design Museum, part of the College of Letters and Science and free to the public, is in 124 Cruess Hall. Open MondayFriday, noon-4 p.m. In addition, there will be special hours 2-4 p.m. on the following Sundays: April 12, 26, May 17 and June 14. In addition, the Design Museum will be open on Saturday, April 18 (Picnic Day) 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

The exhibition is sponsored in part by the 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) and the City of
Davis Cultural Affairs program.

See the full story here

Ongoing Art Exhibitions at 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis

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Coming up: Save these dates for dance, concert

Mondavi Center features Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater April 14, 15

Celebrating over 65 years of unparalleled artistry, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre is one of the most acclaimed dance companies in the world.

From the beginning, Alvin Ailey envisioned a company dedicated to enriching the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience.

Embarking on its next era under the leadership of new Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack, the company continues to be guided by Alvin Aileys pioneering legacy. Expect daring new works that promise to propel dance in exhilarating new directions alongside timeless classics like the soul-stirring masterpiece,Revelations. The production is at 7:30 p.m. both nights., April 14 and 15. 

More

Coltrane 100 is April 16. Watch for more in future arts blogs. 

Noon concert features flute and viola next week

Thursday, April 2, 2026, 12:05 p.m.  1 p.m., free, Recital Hall, Ann E. Pitzer Center

Tod Brody, flute
Ellen Ruth Rose, viola

Program

Works by Josiah Catalan, Chris Castro, Mei-Fang Lin, Ellen Ruth Harrison, and Brien Henderson. 

Multidisciplinary artists, photographer give art talks in April

Curved monochrome photograph of mountains displayed in a wooden frame on a white wall.
Andre Keichian, Salt in the I (Courtesy)

Three visionaries share their insight into their art at 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis this April. The California Studio: Manetti Shrem Artist Residencies at 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis explores the world of art through two presentations by artists Andre Keichian and Dyani White Hawk, while the Visiting Artist Lecture Series looks through the lens of photographer Mimi Plumb.

Andre Keichian is an interdisciplinary artist and educator working across photography, video and sculptural installation. His art addresses issues of exile, trans identities, and diaspora and questions how these connections might speak to geopolitical and subjective understandings of migration. His talk is Thursday, April 9 at 4:30 p.m. in the Main Theatre, Wright Hall.   

Watch the Arts Blog space for details on other talks as they come up.

Media Resources

Karen Nikos-Rose, Arts Blog Editor, News and Media Relations, 51勛圖窪蹋 Davis

Contact: kmnikos@ucdavis.edu

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