New Los Angeles landmark connects narrative art to nature

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art was unveiled to the media on Sept 2 in Los Angeles, bringing together art, architecture and visual storytelling inside the new cultural landmark.

Located in the city's Exposition Park, the museum, designed by Chinese architect Ma Yansong, was founded by American filmmaker and Star Wars creator George Lucas and his wife, financial expert Mellody Hobson.

The museum is dedicated to showcasing and exploring the power of visual storytelling.

Covering about 27,800 square meters, the museum features more than 9,300 sq m of exhibition space across more than 30 galleries.

Its inaugural exhibitions trace the history of narrative art through more than 1,300 works spanning paintings, illustrations, comics, photography, film, and murals. The collection includes concept designs, props and costumes from the Star Wars films, as well as works by artists such as Vincent van Gogh, George Bellows and Jacob Lawrence.

Innovative technology is a dominant feature, including high-resolution images and 3-D scans, that presents high-fidelity reproductions of artworks, architecture and archaeological sites from around the world, allowing visitors to experience art and cultural heritage that might otherwise be difficult to access.

For Lucas, the museum is rooted in the enduring relationship between images and stories.

"Images have tremendous power, and stories have tremendous power," Lucas said at the event. "When you put those two elements together, they can create a society."

He said narrative art can unite people with common beliefs, enabling cooperation and achievements beyond individual capabilities.

In contrast to conventional rectangular buildings, the Lucas Museum features a sweeping, organic structure that appears to float above the park. Its curved architecture creates a fluid relationship between the building and the surrounding landscape.

Designed without a single straight line, the building creates a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces — an approach architect Ma Yansong has described as creating an environment or scene rather than simply a building design.

"The museum merged like a natural feature of the Exposition Park landscape. The building invites everyone to participate in a journey of discovery and become part of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art's story," Ma says.

Ma says he and his team were invited by Lucas to participate in the design competition 12 years ago, competing as the only Chinese architectural design team.

His team drew inspiration from traditional Chinese gardens and architecture, exploring how the concept of "harmony between humanity and nature" could be expressed through the museum's design.

Ma says the goal was to connect people, nature and architecture not only ecologically, but also through emotional and cultural links.

In recent years, Chinese architecture has continued to innovate while drawing on its cultural heritage, gaining increasing international influence and offering new ideas for modern urban design and development, Ma says.

Tracey Bates, CEO of the museum, says that the collection reflects a vision of narrative art — stories that are illustrated and can be seen in a single frame.

"Many museums and galleries around the world have presented incredible works of this kind in particular areas, such as comics or graphic storytelling. But to have such breadth of collection presented permanently in an institution of this size is different and incredibly special," Bates says, adding that "we want people to come to the museum, discover their own story here, and truly engage with the museum".

She says the museum hopes to attract visitors from around the world, including from China, where there is a large community of Star Wars and George Lucas fans.

The museum will open to the public on Sept 22.