Westmont Hosts California Premier of Tire Sculptor

The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, hosts the West Coast premiere exhibition of internationally famous sculptor Chakaia Booker Dec. 11-Jan. 31. A free, public opening reception with Booker is Thursday, Dec. 11, from 4-6 p.m.

The exhibition features about two dozen of Booker’s reinvented rubber tire sculptures and works on paper. Her sculptures range from otherworldly configurations to sensual, anthropomorphized forms. Booker collaborates with Master Printer Phil Sanders to create her prints.

Judy L. Larson, Askew professor of art history and director of the museum, first met Booker when Larson was directing the Women’s Museum in Washington, D.C., and organizing an exhibition of Booker’s work.

“Visitors really connected to her energetic and rhythmic works, even more so when they realized she sculpts out of tires,” Larson says. “Her works address issues of race and gender but also touch on profound messages about the limited and precious resources of our Earth.”

Booker, a New Jersey native, uses industrial tools to tear apart the tires and bands of steel before slicing and twisting them into works of art. Each day, she also transforms herself into a kind of walking sculpture wearing a large headdress and layers of colorful clothes.

The museum will host “Rembrandt and the Jews” on Feb. 12-March 28. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed Sundays and college holidays. For more information, please visit www.westmontmuseum.org or contact the museum at (805) 565-6162.