Getty Museum Spotlights Malibu's Surf Culture Through Photographs Collection
The Facts
On August 4, 2026, the J. Paul Getty Museum published a feature highlighting photographs from its collection that capture Malibu's evolution from a rural ranch to a global surfing destination. The selection includes works by Robert Weingarten, Anthony Friedkin, Robert Shlaer, John Divola, Ed Ruscha, and Herb Ritts, spanning from the 1960s to the early 2000s. Images document Malibu's iconic waves, architecture, and sunsets, with contextual notes on the area's history, including the 1926 founding of Malibu Colony and the 1929 opening of Pacific Coast Highway. The feature is part of the museum's ongoing series exploring Los Angeles neighborhoods through its photography holdings, with the next installment focusing on Santa Monica.
The Signal
The feature underscores the Getty's strategy of using its extensive photography collection to examine regional cultural identity, positioning Malibu as a lens for California's broader surf and beach mythology. For collectors, the inclusion of works by established figures like Ruscha and Ritts alongside lesser-known artists like Friedkin and Shlaer signals the museum's interest in both canonical and niche photographic practices. The series also reflects a trend among institutions to digitize and publicly present collections thematically, offering curators a model for engaging audiences with local history through art.
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- Artists: Robert Weingarten, Anthony Friedkin, Robert Shlaer, John Divola, Ed Ruscha, Herb Ritts, Raymond Pettibon, Harry Gesner
- People: Mazie Harris, Paul Martineau, Virginia Heckert, Shannon McKee
- Museums: J. Paul Getty Museum
- Locations: Malibu, Los Angeles, Santa Monica
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