Press Contact: Dan Bell, Communications and Community Relations Director
Phone Number: (909) 395-2400
Date: May 22, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Ontario
Department of Museum, Arts & Culture
Ontario Museum of History & Art and Chaffey Community Museum of Art Present: The Art of Healing
The Art of Healing explores the intersection of art and healing through commissions from contemporary artists and select artworks from the San Antonio Hospital Collection The Ontario Museum of History & Art (OMHA) and the Chaffey Community Museum of Art (CCMA) present their biennial joint exhibition, The Art of Healing. Through commissions from contemporary artists and select artworks from the San Antonio Hospital Collection, the exhibition pays homage to local community institutions as well as influential medical figures, including the first Ontario woman doctor, Dr. Idris H.B. Gregory. OMHA will showcase The Art of Healing: Holistic Expressions, and CCMA will present The Art of Healing: Highlights from the San Antonio Hospital Collection. The exhibition opens on Thursday, June 27, and closes on October 20, 2024. The museums will hold a community reception on Sunday, June 30, from 2 PM to 4PM.
Inspired by San Antonio Community Hospital’s architectural transformation during the 1950s- 70s to improve its patients’ recovery process, OMHA will transform its North Wing galleries, formally offices for the City of Ontario’s Public Health department, into communal healing spaces through a series of immersive installations, large-scale artworks, and participatory art commissions from contemporary artists including: Amabelle Aguiluz, Flora Kao, Caylin Yorba- Ruiz, Denise Silva, Melissa Ellyn Watkins, and others.
“From Aguiluz’s unconventional fiber sculptures to Kao’s deeply personal, immersive installations and Silva’s dream-like murals, all these artists interpret the topic of healing through their artistic practice,” said Samantha Herrera, Assistant Curator of Exhibits. “Their inventive designs and art-making processes extricate the inherent potential of the human mind andbody to heal itself. In so doing, they offer alternatives to aid and challenge conventional medical interventions.” The Art of Healing: Highlights from the San Antonio Hospital Collection, presented by CCMA will pay homage to the San Antonio Community Hospital located initially in North Ontario (now Upland). The exhibit includes works by Phil Dike and other significant artists living and working in the Pomona Valley.
Additional Information
The Ontario Museum of History & Art preserves, interprets, and celebrates the history and cultural heritage of Ontario and the surrounding area. From developing exhibitions, to engaging visitors through educational experiences, and events that inspire creative action, the Museum is an anchor to the growing downtown arts district. The Museum recently achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. The Museum is uniquely housed in Ontario’s former City Hall, a historical landmark funded by the Works Progress Administration.
About the Ontario Museum of History & Art
The Ontario Museum of History & Art is located at 225 S. Euclid Avenue, Ontario, California 91762. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, Noon to 4 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 11 AM to 5 PM. Admission is free. The Ontario Museum of History & Art is a facility of the City of Ontario’s Department of Museum, Arts & Culture. The Ontario Museum of History & Art Associates is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization that supports the Museum’s education programs. For more information call (909) 395-2510, email MuseumInfo@ontarioCA.gov, visit www.OntarioMuseum.org or follow @ontariomusuem_artsculture on Instagram.
About the Chaffey Community Museum of Art
Since 1941, the Chaffey Community Museum of Art (CCMA) has been sharing the gift of visual art with artists and residents of the inland communities of Southern California. First founded as an art association, CCMA has since grown into an important regional museum that provides public access to fine art and supports the local artistic community. CCMA is located at 217 S. Lemon Ave., Ontario, California. For more information visit www.chaffeymuseum.org.
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About the City of Ontario
The City of Ontario is enhancing the quality-of-life by creating urban lifestyle districts that create sustainable places to live, work and play. Located just east of Los Angeles and Orange counties, the City of Ontario is ideally situated as a gateway to Southern California. With major freeways, rail transportation and an International Airport, Ontario invites the rest of the world to be a part of a culturally diverse community with rich history that is well positioned for quality development and economic sustainability for its residents. Complementing its business and residential core, Ontario offers premium entertainment venues such as the Ontario Convention Center, Toyota Arena, and Ontario Mills. To learn more about the City of Ontario, visit OntarioCA.gov or call (909) 395-2000.