On Saturday, December 7th, members of the California and Northwest Chapters of the Patrons gathered in Pasadena for a vibrant morning of culinary delight and artistic exploration. The occasion began with a relaxed and elegant brunch at The Luggage Room, followed by a docent-guided tour of the groundbreaking exhibition Cai Guo-Qiang: A Material Odyssey at the USC Pacific Asia Museum.
The day began at 10:00 AM at The Luggage Room, a beloved neighborhood restaurant located in the historic 1934 Del Mar Train Station. Patrons enjoyed a regionally inspired menu of California brunch classics, reconnecting with familiar faces and welcoming new members in a casual, intimate setting.
At noon, the group reconvened at the USC Pacific Asia Museum, one of the few U.S. institutions dedicated to the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands. The highlight of the visit was a private, docent-led tour of Cai Guo-Qiang: A Material Odyssey—an exhibition that filled the museum’s first-floor galleries with explosive energy, literally and figuratively.
Cai Guo-Qiang, known worldwide for his use of gunpowder as a medium, creates work that bridges art, science, philosophy, and social commentary. His famed gunpowder paintings and large-scale explosion events have appeared in major institutions globally, including the Guggenheim and the Met, and he even designed the pyrotechnics for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
A Material Odyssey offered an in-depth look at Cai’s lifelong relationship with gunpowder—its history, properties, and power as an uncontrollable creative force. The exhibit included original artworks, scientific studies by the Getty Conservation Institute, and interactive programs that allowed visitors to better understand the tension between control and chaos that defines Cai’s creative process.
From shared meals to shared insight, the day was a powerful reminder of the mission that brings the Patrons together: to explore and celebrate the arts and the stories they tell. We are grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make this experience one to remember.