Degenerate Art

This illustrated lecture by Julia Fister will explore the Degenerate Art Exhibition organized by the Nazi Party in Munich, Germany in 1937. The exhibition presented 650 works of modern art, confiscated from German museums, by artists such as Franz Marc, Otto Dix, and Pablo Picasso. It was staged in counterpoint to the concurrent Great German Art Exhibition, which displayed artworks advocated by the Nazi regime. This free presentation is presented by San Diego Oasis.

Julia Fister, a St. Louis, Missouri native, graduated from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in finance and from Fontbonne University in St. Louis with a bachelor’s degree in art. After an early career in investment banking and several years as a graphic designer, Julia arrived at Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) as a volunteer after completing a master’s degree in art history at San Diego State University. Julia was soon hired by OMA to create an education program for 5th graders, later titled ArtQuest. Within six years, the program grew to serve over 7,000 students from Oceanside and the surrounding areas. Moving into the role of Director of Education at OMA, Julia oversaw ArtQuest and created a robust Education Department, serving both children and adults. Following OMA, Julia worked as an education specialist at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, where she revamped and created educational programming. Seeing the positive impact of arts education in people’s lives, Julia founded Studio ACE, an arts education nonprofit in Oceanside dedicated to enriching lives through Arts, Community, and Education. Studio ACE opened its doors in 2018 and continues to serve the Oceanside community and beyond.