OCMA (Orange County Museum of Art)

The 2025 iteration of the California Biennial focuses on the richness of late adolescence, a stage of life full of hope and potential yet fraught with awkwardness, anxiety, and myriad pressures. Titled after the first album by Emily’s Sassy Lime, a band founded in 1993 by three Orange County teens, the Biennial takes a range of approaches toward young adulthood, featuring early work by established California artists and others who revisit their own youth as material, artists who collaborate with their own children, and work by present-day teenagers and those of the past who have unabashedly shaped the culture of their moment. By bringing these works together, the Biennial emphasizes the important dialogue between artists in different places and of different generations who strive to build creative communities.

 

In addition to the 12 featured artists, Desperate, Scared, But Social includes two exhibitions within the Biennial. One is a presentation of paintings drawn from the Gardena High School Art Collection—a pioneering collection of California Impressionism that began in 1919 and was assembled by the student body. The second is organized by OCMA’s inaugural Orange County Young Curators—a select group of teen curators who have been invited to participate in a yearlong exhibition-making program at OCMA that culminates in a show drawn from the museum’s collection. At a time when the future may seem bleak, the 2025 California Biennial shines a light on the fearless youth of the recent past and offers a platform to the young people who will shape the world to come.

 

Desperate, Scared, But Social is organized by OCMA Chief Curator & Director of Programs, Courtenay Finn and founder of C/O: Curatorial Office, Christopher Y. Lew, with Associate Curator Lauren Leving.

 

Artists:

Seth Bogart (b. 1980, Tucson, AZ; lives and works in Los Angeles, CA)

Emily’s Sassy Lime: Emily Ryan, Amy Yao, Wendy Yao (est. 1993, Southern CA; members live and work in Irvine, CA, Los Angeles, CA, and Topanga, CA)

The Linda Lindas (est. 2018, Los Angeles, CA; members Lucia de la Garza, Mila de la Garza,

Eloise Wong, and Bela Salazar live and work in Los Angeles)

Miranda July (b. 1974, Barre, VT; lives and works in Los Angeles, CA)

Stanya Kahn (b. 1968, San Francisco, CA; lives and works in Los Angeles, CA)

Heesoo Kwon (b. 1990, Seoul, South Korea; lives and works in San Francisco, CA)

Woody De Othello (b. 1991, Miami, FL; lives and works in Oakland, CA)

Laura Owens (b. 1970, Euclid, OH; lives and works in Los Angeles, CA)

Brontez Purnell (b. 1982, Triana, AL; lives and works in San Francisco, CA)

Griselda Rosas (b. 1977, Tijuana, Mexico; lives and works in Tijuana, Mexico / San Diego, CA)

Deanna Templeton (b. 1969, Huntington Beach, CA; lives and works in Huntington Beach)

Joey Terrill (b. 1955, Los Angeles, CA; lives and works in Los Angeles)

 

Lead sponsorship of Desperate, Scared, But Social is provided by Cheryl and Bruce Kiddoo 

Supporting sponsorship is provided by Patrick Chen and Keqi Tang 

 

Orange County Young Curators Program  

Lead sponsorship by the OCMA Visionaries
Sponsorship is provided by a grant from Bank of America 

Additional support is provided by Michael J. Marcus