Oakland, CA – Catherine Wagner, internationally renowned Mills College professor of art, has received a two-year Artist in Residence fellowship from the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, CA. Spanning the transitional period from their temporary to new space, her residency will culminate in the inauguration of the Academy’s new “green” building, currently under construction in Golden Gate Park and scheduled to open in late 2008.
 
The fellowship is funded by a generous contribution from the LEF Foundation, a private foundation supporting the creation and presentation of contemporary work in the fields of visual art, performing art, new media, literary art, film, architecture, and design.

The new building, which emphasizes sustainable design, in harmony with the surrounding climate, will be a physical manifestation of the ideals of the Academy and its objectives of “scientific research and its role in protecting life on earth.”  Drawing from this spirit of ongoing investigation, as well as her concept of “archaeology in reverse,” Wagner will develop a project that explores art, science, and architecture and their similar elements of problem solving. The idea of process—especially relevant during the transformation of the academy—will provide a platform for discovery and a dynamic space to engage in conceptual thinking and creative research. This project would perhaps culminate in the production of a contemporary reinterpretation of Albertus Seba’s seminal collection, the “Cabinet of Natural Curiosities,” one of the most important documents in the field of natural history.

Founded in 1853 to survey and study the vast resources of California and beyond, the California Academy of Sciences is the oldest scientific institution in the West. Over the past 154 years, the Academy has grown to become the fourth largest natural history museum in the country. Home to Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, and the Kimball Natural History Museum, as well as world class research and education departments, the Academy's mission is to explore, explain, and protect the natural world.

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Consistently recognized as one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Mills currently ranks among the top 20 most diverse liberal arts colleges. The New York Times recently selected Mills as one of three leading California colleges for students to consider.

In 2006, the Washington Monthly College Rankings named Mills a leading liberal arts college based on community service, research spending, quality of preparation for graduate education, and social mobility. In addition, The Princeton Review’s annual guide, the Best 361 Colleges (2007) included Mills for the second year in a row among top U.S. institutions offering students an outstanding undergraduate education.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women’s leadership, social responsibility, and creativity.

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