ATM: Art, Tiles, Mosaics... an adventure in creativity

What is it About Ceramics?
I love all kinds of art. I even love really bad "contemporary" art that I can't make head or tail of, just because it IS art (well, maybe in some strange, perverse kind of way). Maybe I should say I love all attempts at art! But what really turns on my appreciative juices is anything to do with ceramics (and that can include mosaics, of course). Well, the name of this blog is not Art, Photography and Tapestries (although I have nothing against P or T).
Saturday, BG and I visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), obstensibly to see the BMW art cars painted by Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenberg on view in the BP Grand Entrance. I've seen "painted" cars before (although not BMWs) and was not impressed then as I am not impressed now. I happen to admire all four artists but seriously folks, if some 15-year-old kid did this to a car on the street they would be doing time in juvie for YEARS! If I was going to make art out of a car I would at least take into consideration the style and design of the vehicle itself. These are beautiful cars on their own, don't mess 'em up!!
(Yes, I'm getting to ceramics.)
Next up we visited the Francis Alÿs: Fabiola exhibit. The original painting of Saint Fabiola is now lost and these are 300 depictions of her by different artists. LACMA describes them as a "collection of nearly identical paintings." All I could see was the differences. Different noses, different chins, different eyes, different painting techniques... there is no way of knowing what she really looked like from this exhibit. To me, it's the differences, not the similarities, that make it interesting...
(Yes, I'm getting to ceramics!)
Sometimes it's just relaxing to meander around the permanent collections. Two of my all-time favorite paintings are on the third floor of the Art of the Americas Building. David Hockney's "Mulholland Drive, the Road to the Studio" and Lee Mullican's "Space", just around the corner from each other.
(Now we're at ceramics...)
On that same third floor the contemporary ceramics are displayed. I love them all but if I HAVE to pick a favorite for the moment I'll go with Ralph Bacerra's "Untitled Cloud Vessel"... so isn't that a title? Love the piece, hate the untitle...
BG then suggested we visit the Japanese Pavilion. I have not been in there in several years. Perhaps because I figured I've been there, done that too many times already. But I was wrong. The building itself is extraordinary. If you've never been in there, promise yourself you will on your next visit to LACMA. Even without the artwork it houses, it is a work of art in itself.
On the top floor (which is where you start your visit) are the ceramics, both modern and ancient... and in between. All the pieces are wonderful. (I was just browsing the online Japanese ceramics collection and it is magnificent... I am drooling over it!)
What can I say? I am in love with ceramics. I am in love with art. I'm in love with loving art!!!!
(Photo copyright roslyn m wilkins)