SAN DIEGO, CA.- On view is a selection of 441 realist portraits by Dana Van Horn. He completes one mugshot in monochromatic watercolors every evening between 9:30 and 11:00 PM, which are arranged here in columns of seven, for each day of the week.

Van Horn began this practice as a nocturnal ritual in early 2021 after seeing a news article about colorizing 19th and early 20th century Australian mugshots. The emergence of mugshots became standard practice in the 1840s, each photographed in a style which has remained uniform in presentation and composition. Fascinated by the endless variation of human physiognomy, Van Horn picks his subjects mostly for formal artistic qualities, removed from the context of their arrest. Van Horn was born in San Diego, CA and currently lives and works in Allentown, PA.

What exactly is The Museum Of__?

The Museum Of__ is a small Southern Californian museum devoted to the study and exhibition of the exotic and ordinary objects that make up the human condition.* In other words, it is open to showing anything of interest.

How does one become a member?

Membership is open to all.** In fact, you are already a member. However, the museum recommends you upgrade your membership and obtain the Annual Pass. With the Annual Pass, you’ll always have an inspiring place to go and have free, priority admission year-round. This is the museum at your fingertips.

* The human condition is all of the characteristics and key events that compose the essentials of human existence, including birth, growth, emotion, aspiration, conflict and mortality.

** Everyone’s a member, like it or not.