Broad Contemporary Art Museum
GZ and I trudged from her house in West Hollywood to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) on Sunday in 90 degree heat. It was my first look at BCAM, something I had looked forward to for months. I loved the building and you have to ride in the glass elevator that is no less than a small room. And outside the 202 restored antique LA street lights are an amazing display.
But to say I was disappointed by the contents of the building is an understatement. Aaagh. Once again, I really don't get it. I'm being very repetitive lately with my "what is art" theme, I wish I could get off it, but I can't. As long as the public is being fooled and hoodwinked I can't leave this subject alone. What does a porcelain (?) statue of Michael Jackson and his monkey say to me? What am I supposed to feel about a dead lamb in a tank of formaldehyde? Now, I may not be crazy about say, Girl with a Lamb by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, or Boy in Red with a Lamb by Joshua Reynolds, or even Footed Dish with the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God), but I can recognize these works as "art."
I kept hoping that I would find one piece I could stand in front of and just sigh in satisfaction. But no such luck. The LACMA site quotes the London Times calling this exhibit "the distilled essence of contemporary American art." I didn't read the article but I can certainly agree with that statement. Oh, was that supposed to be a compliment?
Personally, I feel we are already very well represented in Los Angeles with MOCA which has three facilities in the city. Do we really need to support yet another venue at LACMA? I am disappointed that millions of dollars were spent on presenting junk food when there are so many gourmet feasts for the eyes that need a home.
So, okay this was the opening installment. Ever the optimist, I have great hopes for the future. But maybe a few people in this city need to read Hans Christian Andersen's "The Emperor's New Clothes."
(Photo copyright roslyn m wilkins)
There's a reason they call it 'Broad' Contemporary Art. It stretches one's imagination!!
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