Art collection donated to UCI

To the Anteater community:

An exquisite but long-hidden collection of California art – considered to be the largest of its kind in the world – was donated to UCI by the trust of Gerald Buck, a Newport Beach developer and art aficionado who died in 2013. The collection includes more than 3,200 original works, ranging from classic California impressionist scenes to a mesmerizing Los Angeles skyline and an iconic “freeway series” painting. It comprises works by such luminaries as Richard Diebenkorn, Joan Brown, Ed Ruscha, David Park, Arthur Mathews and Helen Lundeberg.

Currently stored in a Los Angeles facility and in what was Buck’s own private exhibition space, the collection will eventually be displayed in a new building at UCI in the exact place architect William Pereira foresaw a museum in his original campus designs. In the meantime, select pieces may be viewed on our website and in a video tour guided by Stephen Barker, dean of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts. We also are developing plans to exhibit works on campus in the coming months.

You can learn more about the Buck Collection in our public announcement today.

The Buck Collection helps fulfill UCI’s ambition to create one of the nation’s premier centers for the study and appreciation of California art. We are incredibly proud to be the steward of such an impressive, revered collection that will be cherished by the entire campus and community.

Please join me in extending our gratitude to the Buck family for entrusting us with this legacy, with special thanks to Michael Clark, senior vice provost of academic affairs, and Dean Barker for their tireless work toward making this gift a reality. I hope you will celebrate and share this news with your family and friends.

Fiat Lux,

Chancellor Howard Gillman