Whether you are a Tim Hawkinson fan (I am) or have never heard of him before, it's worth the effort to see his Überorgan installation in the atrium lobby at the Getty Center. This is a wondrously organic conglomeration of balloons, hoses and horns which floats about your head as you walk in the entrance. We were fortunate enough to arrive (on Saturday around 2:00) just as the "music" started (for five minutes on the hour). I put the word music in quotes for a reason which you will discover when you hear it. The piece of art itself and the music puts a smile on everybody's face.After enjoying the organ, we went in search of the rest of the exhibit. We found it in a small room in the basement. Having seen the immense show of his work at LACMA two years ago, this was a little disappointing, but I realize this was just a sideline to the main event.
We also drifted into "A Place in the Sun: Photographs of Los Angeles" by John Humble. I've seen a lot of photo exhibits of LA and after a while they all look alike, after all, how many times can you photograph the corner liquor store and the LA River. But this was pretty good. With his artist's eye he looked at some pretty awful landscapes and made them spectacular. Truly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Another great day at the Getty. The only downer was the parking. Just making a left turn off Sepulveda was a major achievement, only to face the traffic jam snailing its way to the kiosk. With all the engineering and design resources available to the Getty, how did they end up with this mess? We expected to see a mob of people at the museum but it was not that bad once inside. Next time, we just have to arrive earlier.
I believe now I am Getty'd out for a while, I don't need to visit either the Villa or the Center for the next few months.
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