On display at Orange Coast College’s Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion until Nov. 30, "Julia Bui: The Couch Surfing Paintings" explores international cultural exchange and hospitality in her oil painting portraits. Bui’s models were “couch surfers,” members of an online network connecting travelers for free lodging and cultural exchange. Bui offered them accommodation in exchange for modeling. Julia Bui, a professional counselor, self-taught artist, and Vietnamese-American based in Orange County, California, merges art and psychology in her work.
While each painting was completed within a few hours, the entire process spanned days, including interacting, sharing meals, and exploring Los Angeles with these “strangers” turned house guests. The series consists of over forty paintings featuring travelers from nineteen different countries.
The onset of the coronavirus pandemic amplified the project’s relevance. During the pandemic, hosts had to weigh the risks of hosting potentially infected travelers, and the spontaneity of social hospitality was challenged by the need to screen guests for COVID-19 and vaccination status. The concept of sharing spaces with “strangers” assumed new significance in the uncertain world. If couch surfing becomes obsolete, these paintings might serve as snapshots of a bygone era.
"Julia Bui: The Couch Surfing Paintings" is curated by Tyler Stallings, former director at the Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion, now working independently as a writer, artist, and filmmaker. A short documentary accompanies the exhibition, available to see here.
Concurrent exhibitions at The Doyle in Fall 2023 include “Seriously? Art & Humor in Challenging Times,” open until Nov. 30.
Admission is free for all exhibitions. Gallery hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., and First Saturdays (Oct. 7 & Nov. 4), 12-4 p.m. The gallery is closed on Fridays and school holidays. The Doyle is located next to OCC’s Parking Lot D, off Merrimac Way, building 180, between Starbucks and the Art Center classrooms. For additional information, call (714) 432-5738 or visit The Doyle website.