Past Forward:  Early Images of the Visual Arts Complex at CSU Fullerton

Location: College of the Arts/Office of the Dean, 2600 Nutwood Ave., College Park, 3rd Floor, Rm. 320
Visiting hours:* By appointment only. For appointment, contact jfrias@fullerton.edu. See instructions below.

*NOTE: Appointment is required to view the exhibition— a maximum of 15 individuals per group visit. Please provide at least 48-hour notice ahead for the gallery and Dean’s office personnel to coordinate staffing for your visit. A request to visit the exhibition is incomplete until you receive a confirmation email from the gallery staff.

Past Forward celebrates the sublime blend of form, function, and creativity characterized by the midcentury architecture and aesthetics of Cal State Fullerton’s Visual Arts Complex. The exhibition looks back at the iconic and boundary-pushing design led by architect Abell Thornton (1906-1984) that defined the era of architectural excellence on campus. It consists of historical photographs from the J. Paul Getty Trust, Getty Research Institute taken by renowned architectural photographer Julius Shulman, and building renderings from the University’s Archives & Special Collections. With the advent of the Modernization Project scheduled to unveil new and updated grounds and facilities in 2024, Past Forward reflects on the enduring legacy of the University’s architectural and design blueprint and its possibilities for the future.

Past Forward: Early Images of the Visual Arts Complex at CSU Fullerton is organized by CSUF Begovich Gallery and is curated by Marie-Andrée Chinchilla, BA candidate in Art History, ’23, and Enrique Del Rivero, BFA candidate in Illustration, ’25. Support for the project is provided by The Art Alliance, CSUF’s Instructional Related Activities Grant, the College of the Arts, and the Department of Visual Arts.

Image: Digital illustration by Enrique Del Rivero, BFA candidate in Illustration, ’25