Established in 1981, the Stuart Collection at UC San Diego consists of 22 permanent art installations by some of the world’s most influential modern artists. Renowned for its assortment of art, the collection is famous for pieces such as Do Ho Suh’s iconic Fallen Star and Tim Hawkinson’s Bear sculpture—examples of work that help us question conventional understandings of public art.
Now, the Stuart Collection is partnering with Oram Hotels to elevate the next generation of artists. The San Diego hospitality collective includes the historic Granger Hotel and The Guild. The Granger Hotel, a Romanesque 1904 landmark, is considered one of the city’s most architecturally significant hotels, while The Guild is a meticulously restored reimagining of the iconic Armed Services YMCA building, which opened in 1924.
“The Stuart Collection is an extraordinarily important collection, not only to San Diego, but also as an internationally recognized collection,” says Jennifer Findley, founder of JFiN Collective and Oram Hotels’ first Director of Arts & Culture.
(L to R): Jess Berlanga Taylor, Kevin Mansour, and Jennifer Findley
This new collaboration is stewarded by Findley alongside Oram Hotels co-founder Kevin Mansour and UC San Diego chief campus curator Jess Berlanga Taylor. The program is designed to showcase San Diego’s cross-border visionaries.
Mansour emphasized the deeper commitment: “Our properties feature numerous original works from local artists, but Jennifer’s appointment and her connection with UC San Diego’s Stuart Collection take this commitment to a new level,” says Mansour. “Together, we are creating living cultural spaces where art and hospitality intersect.”
Findley, a native San Diegan, made sure the project was rooted in community authenticity. “I told Kevin, ‘If you want to do something with art, it has to be authentic. The art featured has to be real, and it has to be something that helps San Diego,’” she says.
The program, in conjunction with UCSD’s Emerging Artists Program, offers these iconic buildings as a creative base or muse for visiting artists during the development of public works commissioned for its campus. Findley noted that the downtown location was key, as it allows artists to experience “real San Diego” and create authentic works that are in conversation with the region’s geography and culture.
Max Hooper Schneider, The Extinction of Neon 6, 2018
The residency program debuts this November at the Granger Hotel with Los Angeles–based sculptor Max Hooper Schneider. Schneider is known for his colorful dioramas that blend the organic and material world seamlessly. His particular practice, which involves major research at places like Scripps and the Natural History Museum, is “very inspired in the layered, almost maximalist element of the Granger,” Findley adds. Over the course of a year, his residency will advance a project to be realized on campus.
The program aims to give emerging artists a platform they might not otherwise receive. “This is a different dynamic in which we are showing art and we are showing artists with the aim of giving them a place they typically haven’t had. Some have never been shown in a gallery before,” Findley explains.
Featured Art by Denja Harris
While Oram properties serve as a supportive homebase for these artists, they also host art exhibits and collaborative activations. The first of these, “Everything Touches,” premiered November 12 and will be open through February 14. It features fiber artist Denja Harris, painter Walter Redondo, multidisciplinary artist Yomar Augusto, and ceramist Josh Herman, among others.
“For us, the idea of Everything Touches is really about the dialogues that we have with each other,” Findley says, describing the ethos behind the exhibition. “It’s really about understanding how we can, in a space, meet, connect, and through those connections be transformed.”
The next artists in residence will include Mexico City–based collective RojoNegro and fashion designer Carla Fernández, set to start their residencies in 2026. The upcoming exhibition at The Guild Hotel will focus on the theme of the border, featuring artist David Montvirgen.
The program is a part of a larger effort to raise the profile of San Diego’s creative community. Findley believes the city’s structure is its strength. “New York is a very defined city. The paths of entry into those cities are very rigorous and very difficult. San Diego is a bit more organic, and that’s the beauty of it,” she says. “Anyone who can care, can really do something in this city “.
Featured Art by Yomar Augusto
Ultimately, the goal is mutual investment. “It’s art for our sake,” Findley says. “It’s really about our community. And if we invest in the arts, we’re really just investing in ourselves and our own well being.”
