We’re open today from 11 AM—7 PM
Inner Workings: The Art of Collecting
May 16, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Free
This event is wheelchair accessible via our main entrance. For any specific accommodation, please e-mail info@mcasd.org.
MCASD’s Inner Workings program series pulls back the curtains of the art and museum world, offering a rare glimpse into the often-overlooked roles and disciplines that shape institutions and the broader art industry. Designed to spark curiosity and deepen understanding, this series invites our communities to explore the hidden mechanics of art institutions, shedding light on the expertise and behind-the-scenes activity that bring contemporary artists' work to life.
For our first edition of Inner Workings, join us for a conversation on starting an art collection with panelists Alessandra Moctezuma, Gallery Director and Professor of Fine Art at San Diego Mesa College, Morgan Wylder, Associate conservator of paintings at Balboa Art Conservation Center, and Jennifer Nelson, MCASD Trustee and the Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, moderated by MCASD’s Senior Curator, Jill Dawsey. Panelists will discuss approaches to collecting, how to discover new artists, archival methods of caring for one’s collection, and more.
All program RSVPs include admission to the Museum.
Program
5PM: Doors Open
5:30PM: Introductions
5:40PM: Discussion with Alessandra Moctezuma, Morgan Wylder, and Jennifer Nelson, moderated by Jill Dawsey
6:40PM: Panel Ends. Mixer at The Kitchen begins for Avant Garde Members
About the Panelists
About Alessandra Moctezuma
Alessandra Moctezuma is Gallery Director and Professor of Fine Art at San Diego Mesa College, where she leads the Museum Studies program and teaches courses on Chicano Art. In Los Angeles, she was a founding member of the artist/architect collaborative ADOBE LA and a member of the collective Collage Ensemble. Moctezuma has extensive experience as a curator, educator, and artist, and in public art administration. She holds Bachelor of Art and Master of Fine Arts (Painting/Printmaking) degrees from UCLA.
About Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer Nelson is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, a nonprofit organization that provides pro bono legal assistance to low-income San Diegans. She has long had a passion for contemporary art and its power as a medium to express beauty while sparking dialogue about important societal issues. Jennifer received her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and her bachelor's degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles.
About Morgan Wylder
Morgan Wylder is an Associate Conservator of Paintings at BACC, where she examines and treats a wide range of paintings, conducts technical analysis of art objects, and gives lectures and workshops on preventive conservation and artist materials. Wylder holds a dual bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and Art History from Cornell University and earned her graduate degree in the Conservation of Easel Paintings from The Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. She has held internships and fellowships at institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Chrysler Museum of Art, and private studios in New York and Washington, D.C. She is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation and is a co-founder and co-editor of Materia: Journal of Technical Art History.
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