Comedian and art collector Steve Martin is collaborating with Ann Philbin, the recently retired director of the Hammer Museum, to organize a museum exhibition dedicated to the late actor and musician Martin Mull's painting practice. Titled "Martin Mull: The Joys of Indoor/Outdoor Living," the show will open at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in June 2026 and run through October, featuring over 50 drawings and paintings—many on loan from Mull's estate and collectors including Jennifer Tilly and the Greenspuns. This marks Mull's first museum survey since 2006, highlighting his lifelong but often overlooked career as a visual artist, which began with a BFA and MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design.
This exhibition matters because it repositions a figure widely known for his comedic acting as a serious painter, asserting that his artistic legacy may ultimately outweigh his entertainment career. It also represents the second curatorial collaboration between Martin and Philbin, underscoring how prominent collectors and curators can reshape art-historical narratives by spotlighting underrecognized artists. The show promises to reveal works that have been out of public view for decades, offering a fresh perspective on Mull's socially critical and humorous visual practice.