Prof. Lennox Tierney Project
Professor Patrick Lennox Tierney is professor emeritus from the Department of Art History at the University of Utah. His special focus is on Asia and the arts of Japan in particular. Professor Tierney has visited Japan almost every year since 1949 and donated over 250,000 slides and photographs to the Marriott Library’s collections. The images reflect landscapes, architecture, agriculture, the arts, and an array of other topics from various geographic regions around the world.
Lennox Tierney was born in 1914 in West Virginia and moved to Pasadena at an early age. As a high school student, Lennox Tierney was hired to work in the Nicholson Chinese Garden. This later led to his career in fine arts with a deep appreciation for Asian culture. In 1936, Lennox Tierney received his BA degree in Art History from UCLA. Professor Tierney received additional degrees –in art history from Columbia University in 1944 and then graduated from Sogestu-Ryu with the Title of SeizanI.
Mr. Lennox Tierney went to work for General Douglas MacArthur’s staff in Japan from 1945 with the US. Navy and was then appointed the Arts and Monuments Commissioner. He was made to oversee the restoration of Japanese heritage objects that were damaged during the war.
Professor Tierney has previously held these positions- professor at Pasadena City College from 1946-1971, lecturer to the University of California Extension Department in Los Angeles and San Diego from 1952-1971, curator at the San Diego Museum of Art from 1973-1982, and professor of art history at the University of Utah from 1972-1987. Lennox Tierney lead many photography tours over some decades for a company called Through the Lens Tours and traveled to many countries of the world. For many years, he has conducted a ten day tour of Japan in the fall season for those interested in the arts and culture of Japan.
In addition, there are numerous other positions Lennox Tierney has held. He served as the founding director of the Pacific Asia Museum, was a member of the U.S. Commission for the U.S. Pavilion at the Expo 1970 in Osaka Japan in 1969-70 and has been a member of the Balboa Park Commission for the Japanese Friendship Garden in San Diego. He still serves on the Board of Directors at the Japanese Friendship Garden and volunteers his time as a docent there.
The Japanese government acknowledged and praised Professor Tierney for his Japan related photography by conferring the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in 2007.
