Steve Martin and Ann Philbin Organize Martin Mull Museum Show

Comedian and art collector Steve Martin and recently retired Hammer Museum director Ann Philbin are curating a posthumous museum exhibition for actor and musician Martin Mull, highlighting his lifelong painting practice. Titled "Martin Mull: The Joys of Indoor/Outdoor Living," the show will run from June to October 2026 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. It will be Mull's first museum solo since his 2006 presentation at the Las Vegas Art Museum. Mull, who earned a BFA and MFA from Rhode Island School of Design in 1965 and 1967, maintained a consistent painting career alongside his acting roles in "Fernwood 2 Night," "Clue," "Roseanne," and "Arrested Development." The exhibition features over 50 drawings and paintings across 6,000 square feet, primarily on loan from Mull's estate and collectors including Jennifer Tilly, Daniel and Robin Greenspun, and Martin. SBMA Chief Curator James Glisson is also involved. The show originated when Philbin spotted a Mull painting in Martin's dining room. Thematic groupings include a hoped-for reunion of Mull's "Seven Deadly Sins" series and a gallery focused on his pencil drawings. Martin, who contributes a catalog text, stated that Mull's work as an artist will be his primary legacy.