Frida Kahlo, Barbie and freeways - where else but at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures
of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States

Once again, I have to say, I thank my lucky stars that I live in a city where I have access to so many art museums. There are many facets to my life and I probably have too many interests. But if I had to pick one, and only one topic around which the rest of my life had to revolve, it would be art. Making it, viewing it, talking about it, writing about it…

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures
of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States

If the big one strikes and I am not at home at the time, and I have to be locked in a building for five days, assuming I have some snacks and water and am unharmed (with access to a toilet, of course) please let me be in an art museum! 

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures
of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States

Today a group of my friends and I ventured into the Disneyland of art that is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). I am always puzzled why art-loving tourists to our fair city always choose to visit the Getty Center. Now, I love the Getty as much as, or even more than, the average person. It’s one of my favorite places in LA. But when I want to see some serious art, I prefer LACMA.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures
of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States

The Getty Center is architecturally significant, no doubt about it… and who doesn’t adore all that fabulous travertine. But to me, LACMA is more representative of what the City of Angels is all about: a hodge podge of architectural styles and cultures.  

Several years ago there was a proposal to knock down this hodge podge and start over with a brand new, more homogenous campus. I was aghast, yes, aghast—and I do not use that word lightly. I enjoy the diverse designs of the buildings. In some weird way they all seem to go together like, dare I say it, a Braque collage… yes, that is what I see when I look at the LACMA complex.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures
of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

So, back to today’s adventure. We visited three amazing and surprising exhibits. First was In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States, work mostly from 1931 to 1968. I was aware of Leonora Carrington and Frida Kahlo, but there were also stunning images from some less familiar artists such as Lee Miller, Dorothea Tanning and Remedios Varo, just to name a few.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures
of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States

As with any exhibit, there were some pieces I did not connect with. But I would say that a good 40% of the work reached out to me on an emotional level, and that says a lot, as I am not easily impressed (or at least, I like to think that).

When I returned home I realized I wanted to study the artists and their work more in depth so I ordered the catalog online. I can’t wait to have it in my hands.

One of my friends noted that the art and science of art exhibition display is much more sophisticated than it was decades ago. The way art is displayed is almost as important as the work itself. My friend mentioned how well the exhibit flowed so there was no question that we would miss anything. And I found the way the installation was designed to be elegant but unobtrusive. Kudos to whoever created it.


Los Angeles County Museum of Art
California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way”
Studebaker Avanti

I have previously writtenabout the Resnick Pavilion. It is the latest addition to LACMA’s ever-expanding campus and a brilliant space for showing art. The other half of the Pavilion houses the California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way" California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way” exhibit. California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way" California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way"  This is LACMA’s contribution to Pacific Standard Time, a collaboration of over sixty institutions across Southern California presenting the history of the LA art scene.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way”

If I was forced to pick my favorite part of California Design, it would have to be the reconstruction of the living room from the Eames house. How cool is this. As the Eames House (designed by Charles and Ray Eames in the late 1940s) is being restored, the living area has been removed and reinstalled at LACMA to the exact proportions of the original. The room contains all of the real Eames House objects, including furniture, lighting, floor coverings, bookshelves and their contents.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way”

But, of course, as we are all still young girls at heart, we enjoyed Barbie, Ken and the Barbie house. Yes, I had a Barbie doll, probably later than most American kids as we did not have her in England at that time. But my excuse for falling in love with her is that I sewed all her clothes by hand, so she was another creative outlet for me.   

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way”
Silverstream motor home

Before leaving, we decided to run into the Broad Contemporary Art Museum just to see what was going on. The security guard said if you are looking for Metropolis II, it’s around the corner. Okay, whatever. Oh my, so happy we did not miss it.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Metropolis II

Chris Burden, who is responsible for all the lampposts at the entrance to the museum on Wilshire Blvd, put together this incredible miniature city structure of buildings (don’t miss the Eiffel Tower), roadways and train tracks, including a six-lane freeway filled with cars speeding along at the equivalent, scale-wise, of 240 mph. We were fortunate to catch the installation when it was activated. You need to check the schedule on the LACMA website to see when it is going at full throttle. 

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Metropolis II

By then our brains were on fire and in dire need of nourishment. So we retired to our favorite aprés LACMA restaurant, MarieCallender’s Grill on Wilshire Blvd. to discuss everything we had just seen. Now, how did Martin Clunes work his way into that conversation?

(Photos copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Another trip to LACMA to see the Magna Carta

As I mentioned in my previous blog, when I visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art last week I totally blanked out on one of my main objectives which was to see a version of the Magna Carta. This has been a pretty hectic week and although yesterday, May 5, was the last day it was on view, I really had a fight with myself to get out the door and on the bus. Of course, as I knew I would, once I arrived at the museum I was happy I had made the effort.

The Magna Carta sat by itself in a darkened gallery. If you gave your imagination a chance you could almost visualize yourself back in the year 1217 when this manuscript was signed in the name of King Henry III (who was ten years old at the time). The original Magna Carta, which basically took away a king’s ability to arbitrarily declare “off with your head” (well, nothing is ever that simple), was signed in 1215. Although many changes have been made over the centuries, it has been the basis for law among English-speaking people ever since.

It was written in the Latin script of the Medieval Ages so, unless you are a scholar of such things, it is unfortunately not possible to read it. But just knowing what this 800-year-old piece of paper meant to the feudal barons of the time, and what it now means to us as common citizens, was quite overwhelming.

Coincidentally, or maybe not, a movie about this very subject just opened. Ironclad, starring James Purefoy as a Knight Templar and Paul Giamatti as King John is described by Netflix as an “action-packed period piece set at the height of the Middle Ages.” Needless to say, it is now on my saved list.

Mourner with Head Uncovered, Wiping His Tears on His Cloak with His Right Hand, no. 55
Jean de la Herta & Antoine Le Moiturier, 1443–1456/57, Alabaster, 16 1/16 x 7 1/16 x 5 15/16 in.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon
Image: Photo @ FRAME (French Regional and American Museum Exchange) by Jared Bendis and François Jay

In the gallery next door is an exhibit so brand spanking new it is not even officially open yet. (May 8–July 31, 2011.) The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy consists of about 37 alabaster figures in the form of monks and clerics which normally surround the tomb of John the Fearless, the second duke of Burgundy. As the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, where they are housed, is being renovated, this was an opportunity to loan out the exquisite sculptures. In an adjoining room is a short video demonstrating how the pieces were sculpted with various tools and smoothed with sandpaper.


Copyright: LACMA.
Persepolis Relief: A Gift Bearer, Southern Iran, Persepolis Achaemenid period, circa 5th century B.C.

 To finish my visit I stopped off at the Hammer Building and wandered through the Art of the Ancient Near East galleries. I noticed a stunning fragment of a wall relief from Southern Iran, Persepolis Relief: A Gift Bearer. There is a computer-generated simulation of what the palace may have looked like where this piece came from.

Copyright LACMA. Coffin Base side 1, Egypt, likely Thebes, mid-21st Dynasty (about 1000 - 968 BCE)

I also managed to drop in on the last half of a docent tour as she was expounding on the significance of the different gods depicted on an Egyptian sarcophagus. As Egyptian archaeology is second only to my love of Roman archaeology, I was happy to hear her explanation.

Another afternoon well-spent at LACMA.

(Just a note: not that I would expect in a million years anyone from LACMA would be reading my lowly blog, but I have made five or more requests regarding my account for downloading photos from the image library which is suddenly not working.... in the meantime I am doing the best I can to credit the above photos appropriately.)

A day on Wilshire Boulevard: The Ackermans, Anarchy and Fry Bread

Photo copyright Craft and Folk Art Museum 

For months now an article in the Los Angeles Times about an exhibit at the Craft and Folk Art Museum has been popping up in my email. And for months I have been promising myself I would schedule the time to see it. So a mere week before the ending date I took the bus up to Wilshire Boulevard to view A Marriage of Craft and Design: The Work of Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman. It’s been too long since I have visited this museum. I often see announcements for interesting exhibits but I let so much time go by I usually miss the dates. So I could not let that happen this time.

CAFAM is a small art museum on three floors with galleries on the second and third floors. On the second floor is a whimsical exhibit entitled Crossing the Line: A Space by Tanya Aguiñiga composed of criss-crossed yarn with floating woven pieces. Strands of multi-colored yarn stretch from floor to ceiling giving the impression of walking through a fiber forest.

The main exhibit is on the third floor. Married in 1948, Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman have been collaborative artistic partners ever since. Starting out with no money they built a life and a business totally dedicated to art and design, proving my theory that if you believe in yourself, anything is possible.


Photo copyright Craft and Folk Art Museum

Little known to the general public, but well-respected in the design community, they have lived and worked in Culver City for over 50 years. I have to admit, the fact that they are Culver City artists is what first attracted me to them. Then when I discovered that they worked in ceramics, mosaics and tile (among other materials) I was smitten. The work displayed in the exhibit includes whimsical woven wall hangings, carved wood panels used for synagogue doors, modernist bowls and vases, hardware for furniture, mosaic table tops, and other items displaying their wide range.
There is a touching video filmed at the museum where the husband and wife heap praises on each other, ending with the song, “Mutual Admiration Society.”

The Los Angeles Times provides a photo gallery of the Ackerman's home with eclectic designs and décor.

The first floor of CAFAM is dedicated to the museum shop, always my favorite place in any museum. I was attracted to this scarf made in India, so for $12 how could I pass it up?

Around noon my tummy was telling me it was lunchtime. On the way from the bus stop on Fairfax I had passed no less than fifteen food trucks. Auntie’s Fry Bread looked interesting so I ordered The Veggie, a medley of squash, corn and potatoes slow cooked in savory cream chowder and topped with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and onions. Of course I realized it was naughty but as I had done 20 minutes of Richard Simmons before I left the house and had walked quite a bit I decided it was okay.

I walked across the street to the La Brea Tar Pits and found a shady spot under a tree. You have to be careful where you sit as the ground can erupt with tar seeping up through the grass. I had a good view of the Page Museum where about 15 children were enjoying themselves rolling down the berm and running up again. That brought back some good childhood memories. I slurped my diet Sarsaparilla and dug into the beans and corn (very delicious). I was grateful for a perfect day.

But not over yet!

As I strolled over to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art I was entertained by a dance troupe. I think the idea was that they had to move while keeping their poles connected, no easy feat.

Although the Resnick Pavilion has been open since October, 2010, I had not yet been inside. This 45,000-square-foot space, designed by Enzo Piano, is constructed with natural light entering through vertical planes of glass inserted into the zig-zagging roofline, which is ingenious as the daylight does not fall directly on the art beneath.

Currently there is a restrospective of the works of David Smith (1906-65), Cubes and Anarchy. Although he is billed as the most important sculptor of the 20th Century, I had never heard of him (which doesn’t mean much). First of all, I am not a great fan of three-dimensional art commonly known as sculpture. This is a personal bias I freely admit to which stretches from ancient to contemporary with a few exceptions along the way. It’s merely the way my brain is wired and I feel no desire to re-wire it.

I was, however, impressed by Brenda Levin’s installation. She used translucent scrims made of coarsely woven fabric, allowing the viewer to see the sculptures in layers, one behind the other throughout the gallery.

I tagged along for the docent tour which, as usual, turned out to be very informative and I came away with a greater appreciation of the artwork. David Smith was killed in a car crash at the height of his career at the age of 59.

One of the main reasons I wanted to visit LACMA was to see a version of the Magna Carta. I can’t believe I left without seeing it, and now I have make a trip back to the museum before May 5th!

(All photos copyright roslyn m wilkins unless otherwise noted)

The art of Lucknow and a tuna melt

I don't even remember when was the last time I visited LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art). It may have been as long as a year ago, but certainly too long to be away from one of my favorite places in LA.

There is something very satisfying about standing in front of a piece of art (whether it is a painting, a sculpture, a textile or...). Of course, there is a considerable amount of "art" I don't want to be standing in front of... but usually in any exhibit or gallery I can find one piece that resonates with me and makes the whole experience worthwhile.

On this very rainy past Sunday, my good friend BG and I decided to spend the afternoon at LACMA. Neither of us had checked the website so we really didn't know what exhibits were available. That can be fun, just wandering around seeing what there is to see.

Rain in LA is like a blizzard in other parts of the country: nobody wants to venture outside. So the museum was lightly attended, which was fine with me!

The first exhibit we noticed was India's Fabled City: The Art of Courtly Lucknow, so we decided to give it a shot, not knowing what to expect.

From the LACMA website: "Lucknow was an extraordinarily elegant and sophisticated Indo-Islamic kingdom that flourished in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This is the first exhibition devoted to the opulent art and culture of the city, which boasted the wealthiest court and most ostentatious cityscape in northern India."

Need I say more? Well, this is my blog, so I will anyway!

First of all, I was amazed at the size (approximately 200 pieces) and depth (paintings, costumes, jewelry, weapons, decorative arts, glassware, and more) of the exhibit. Very impressive. Walking from gallery to gallery it just kept on going.

Although I enjoyed all facets, I was most taken by the intricate paintings executed in water color and gold leaf... exquisite renditions of the architecture, people and life in general of that era. We commented that the work must have been done under very powerful magnifying glasses by artists with extraordinary eyesight and tiny hands. You have to see it in person to appreciate the delicacy.

Equally impressive were the portraits by Tilly Kettle, especially in his rendition of the rich fabrics worn by his subjects. (I looked him up on Wikipedia as I had never heard of this artist who died in his early 50s. Out of money, he returned to India in the hope of replenishing his bank account but traveling overland through Asia he was never heard from again.)  

One nice touch in the exhibit was a room devoted entirely to a panoramic photograph of Lucknow mounted on the wall as a mural. Walking into the room was like walking into the city, surrounded on all sides by the view.

If you think you know everything there is to know about Indian art, or you think you don't care, either way I highly recommend seeing this wonderful exhibit. If nothing else, it is an interesting insight into an episode of India's history.

Having been blown away by the art of Lucknow we traversed the plaza to the new Korean galleries. The space is very nice but after the previous experience the art on display was rather bland. We checked out a few other favorites in the main building but at that point our brains had sucked up about as much art and information as we could manage... so as our hearts and minds were full it was time to feed our stomachs.

Marie Callender's Bakery and Cafe is just a few footsteps down Wilshire Boulevard so it is always a convenient restaurant for a post-museum discussion and meal. BG and I, along with other friends, have spent many an interesting couple of hours there in the afterglow of LACMA. We always order a salad, and usually the same favorite that we each have. We laugh about this as every time we peruse the menu as if we are going to try a new item, but it rarely happens.

I was cold down to my bone marrow all day and walking in the torrential rain to the restaurant did not help matters. The thought of my usual salad did not appeal to me. But the tuna melt sure did. We both ordered it, BG with french fries and for me the cole slaw (I had to get my green veggies in somewhere).

As a connoisseur of tuna melts I have to tell you this was one of the best I have ever eaten. Perhaps THE best. I don't normally eat four-legged animals but I decided to make an exception this time as the sandwich came with two strips of deliciously crispy bacon (yes, I could have ordered it without but I didn't want to). That first bite was heaven. The cole slaw was yummy too with peanuts and raisins sprinkled in with the colorful cabbage slices. I may have found my new Marie Callender's "usual." (I don't believe this Marie Callender's is associated with the chain around town so don't try to order this at the one on your corner.)

A very pleasant rainy Sunday afternoon that covered all the senses.

Last Day at LACMA

Although I had a whole laundry list of things I should have done (including laundry) I decided to spend the last day of 2009 doing something enjoyable and meaningful. I took the bus up to LACMA (the Los Angeles County Museum of Art) and spent several hours looking at art—about the most enjoyable and meaningful activity I can think of!

When I first heard about the exhibit Luis Meléndez: Master of the Spanish Still Life way back in September, I did what I often do when there is an art exhibit I especially want to see: I procrastinated. So once again I managed to squeak in under the wire with only three days to spare (better than some exhibits I’ve seen on the very last day!). So, I am sad to say, this review is after the fact as Señor Meléndez left LACMA on January 3.

I have to admit I am not a big fan of the still life genre, but when I saw a reproduction of Melendez’ work in the LACMA newsletter, I knew I had to see it in person. I was not disappointed. I arrived a half or so earlier than the official docent tour of the exhibit was scheduled so I could get a sense of the paintings on my own without any outside influence.

Luis Meléndez lived from 1716–1780 and, according to the LACMA website, “was the greatest still life painter of eighteenth-century Spain and ranks as one of the greatest painters of the genre in all Europe.” If you ever have the chance to see his paintings, you will realize this is not hyperbole.

Obviously, before the advent of the camera, it was necessary to turn to “realistic” painters to capture likenesses of people, places, and objects. It is indeed tempting to throw Meléndez into this category. However, my impression of his paintings is that they are so much more than merely a mirror of how things really looked. His paintings have a life of their own.

His work has been described as photographic, but no camera ever captured a cauliflower, grape, or loaf of bread as he painted them. The tomatoes look like they could sprout legs and walk off at any moment. The aubergines have a jewel-like quality and I could imagine them in a showcase at Tiffany’s. Especially delightful are the landscapes—where you might expect to see a patron on his horse, instead Meléndez has made the fruits and vegetables the center of attention.

This exhibition was well attended and by the time the docent arrived quite a crowd had gathered. In fact, I was surprised to see so many people all over the museum on the last day of the year.
Serendipitously (if that wasn’t a word before, it is now), shortly after the Meléndez tour, a docent tour of the ceramics in the Pavilion for Japanese Art was scheduled (with a very enthusiastic docent obviously in love with the subject). I don’t know how often this particular tour specifically highlighting the ceramics is offered but I have not seen it on the calendar before or since. Those of us lucky enough to be in attendance were treated to a history of Japanese ceramic art from the coil-built Neolithic period through the contemporary work of current artists. I was especially intrigued by the early eighteenth century Plates of the Twelve Lunar Months. Although these are plates with rims, they do look like tiles, don’t they… could that be why I’m so attracted to them?

Before leaving the museum I stopped by the Art of the Pacific exhibit. It was interesting but I was little irritated with the lack of title cards for each piece. Instead the visitor is expected to carry an information card around. No biggie, I just prefer having each item labeled in place.

As I was standing at the bus stop I realized I had missed A Tale of Two Persian Rugs. Oh well, back to LACMA before January 18th!

(Luis Meléndez, Still Life with Artichokes and Tomatoes in a Landscape, circa 1771–74, oil on canvas, 24 1/2 x 32 1/2 in., Mrs. Lila Shickman, image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art.)

(Plates of the Twelve Lunar Months, Ogata Kenzan (Japan, Kyoto, 1663 - 1743) early 18th century. Copyright Los Angeles County Museum of Art.)

Busing to Art

Being forced to live in a state of "less is more" I have now discovered public transportation. In a previous blog I reported on my adventures busing and training to downtown LA with my friend GZ. Since then I have become even more adventurous.
Last Saturday I had a ticket for the lecture on The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani at the Getty Villa and invited GZ. Knowing she had no fear of public transportation I thought it would be fun if we could both find our individual ways there, she from West Hollywood, me from Culver City. She assured me she had a straight shot on the number 2. I took line 33 to Fairfax, then line 584, which dropped me off across the street from the Villa (after a rather convoluted trip that took almost two hours, partly my fault but partly because the West LA Transportation Center is several miles east of me from where I can take a bus to anywhere in the known universe, even if I want to go west).
It turned out her bus had changed the route and she had to walk a mile on Pacific Coast Highway with no sidewalks and traffic coming up behind her at 60 plus miles an hour. Going home we both took the #584 to Fairfax then went our separate ways.
The "Golden Graves" date from around 450-250BC and since the 1930s, archaeologists have uncovered 28 burials. Vani is in the area of today's Georgia, Russia. A highly developed civilization has been discovered that had its own religious and artistic practices, while embracing influences from neighboring cultures.
The kingdom of Colchis gained fame as the destination of Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece, and indeed, the region has proved to be rich in gold.
The gold jewelry and other objects found in the graves are exquisite and sophisticated. Granulated gold (extremely small gold beads the size of termite castings) were intricately imposed on some of the pieces.
There are also non-burial items in the exhibit such as the elephant lamps and some figurines, all equally interesting in the discussion of this artistic culture.
This exhibit goes through October 5, 2009. As parking at both Gettys is now $15, unless you have a car full of people, I would suggest looking at that bus schedule.

So, for something completely different I decided to bus up to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) on Friday. This was a one-hour trip, door to door, and as Fairfax was a mess on a Friday afternoon, I thought that was pretty good time. I was interested to see Your Bright Future: 12 Contemporary Artists From Korea at the BCAM (Broad Contemporary Art Museum, a part of LACMA), otherwise known as the Broad (pronounced "Brode").
It's no secret that I'm not a fan of a lot of contemporary art but I kinda liked this exhibit. I enjoyed walking through HappyHappy at the entrance comprised of strings of brightly colored plastic containers and the chain link fences at the Sixth Street side where you can add your own plastic items. I also liked looking out of the Ahmanson Building to see the swaths of colored fabric criss-crossing the windows.
One of my favorite indoor pieces was the room where there were six movies playing, each one set in different parts of the world. The artist stood still and silent while people passed her by. The passersby became part of the piece too, some ignoring her, some puzzled by her, some smiling or laughing at her presence.
The other was the person-sized stuffed animals. The signage said illegal aliens were inside the costumes as a "performance." One was a rabbit, the other a family of different animals. I found it interesting how my perception changed when for a second I believed there really were people inside, then that they were illegally in this country earning $5 a day for their performance, then the realization that there couldn't be anybody inside.
After that I wandered around the permanent collections, not stopping at anything in particular, just breathing in all the art as a whole, ingesting the peace and serenity.
I walked around outside in the park, viewing the full scale models of the woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers caught in the tar pits tens of thousands of years ago. Climbing the berm to the top of the Page Museum, I saw couples, singles, families, tourists, Angelenos, all enjoying themselves on this wondrous, sun-filled day in southern California... all my problems, dilemmas, unmade decisions, and other troubles of the past months, weeks, and days were nowhere to be found. I was in the moment.

The Last Days of Pompeii

A friend who could not take the time off work gave me her member tickets to see Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples at LACMA (Los Angeles County Art Museum). I invited TL to go with me on April 30.
When I visited Italy in 2005 (was it really that long ago?) one of the reasons I picked that particular Globus tour was because I wanted to see Pompeii. Our tour guide turned out to be mediocre on his good days and one of the many disappointments was that several people on the tour asked to get to Sorrento earlier than scheduled (to which he acquiesced). This meant a hurried trip to Pompeii.
(However, I do want to say that despite our guide, I had a great time visiting Italy and would take that same tour again in a second.)
Even worse was that the local guide spent 45 minutes of our time standing in one spot giving us a history of Pompeii when we could have been walking around seeing the place for ourselves. I wandered off, missing most of the information. So one day before leaving the planet for good, I have to go back on my own.
But happily, the exhibit at LACMA gave me the opportunity to make up for what I missed on that tour—and much more.
On my last day in Rome by myself, and after my travel companion left, I was able to visit the National Museum. Among other magnificent treasures, I saw room after room of frescoes rescued from Roman villas. And many magnificent floor mosaics laid out as they were meant to be seen, horizontally. I'll never forget that experience.
The LACMA exhibit is eclectic in its selection of art objects from sculptures to frescoes. Approximately one hundred and twenty items make up the exhibit, giving an impressive example of the art enjoyed by the wealthy Romans of that era. As far as archaeology goes, the Roman Empire happens to be my favorite period. If we have multiple lives, I must have lived in that time as I always feel so much at home when surrounded by the art and artifacts of that era.
After returning from my trip to Greece, I took a class in the UCLA Archaeology Program in 2008 entitled Art at the Getty Villa, one of the most enjoyable classes in the program. It was taught by Kenneth Lapatin, Associate Curator of Antiquities at The J. Paul Getty Museum, who happens to be the guest curator for this exhibit at LACMA. I had the opportunity in that class to talk about one of the mosaics at the Getty Villa as well as researching the production of ancient glass.
I was a little disappointed that only one mosaic was represented at the LACMA exhibit, as that art form was such an important part of Roman life (but at least it was displayed horizontally!). However, there was a nice representation of glassware from the Getty collection.
As a LACMA member myself I am fortunate that I will have a second opportunity to view the Pompeii exhibit again before it closes. In the meantime I am reading the catalog that I just had to buy. By the time I return in August I hope I will have been able to read it from cover to cover—I am well on my way.
If you have any interest in the Roman Empire at all (and I find it hard to believe that would eliminate anybody!) you must make the effort to see the Pompeii exhibit.
After seeing the exhibit I rented the 1935 movie The Last Days of Pompeii. It was pretty hokey by today's standards but it offered some groundbreaking special effects and gave some insight into how tough life was for the average citizen during that time. And who knew Preston Foster was such a hunk? {:>)
Out of their ashes we have learned so much...
(Photo copyright roslyn m wilkins)

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)

Lampposts, Hearst and Vanity
I ended up, through a curious set of circumstances, at San Simeon in February of last year. It was my first visit to Hearst Castle in over twenty years. Aside from the buildings and artwork I enjoyed the film we were shown about Hearst's life. What I didn't realize before was what an enormous influence his mother had on his love of collecting art as she herself was an art collector and connoisseur who took her son on European travels.
On Saturday I visited LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) with eight members of the Culver City Art Group. Although I visit LACMA throughout the year with different friends or by myself, going with a group lends another dynamic. We headed straight for the "Hearst the Collector" exhibit. I was impressed with the eclecticism of the collection. From the suits of armor to the fabulous tapestries to the paintings and ceramic dishes... it was interesting to see all the pieces out of context in the museum setting. Of course, Hearst had several grand homes to furnish and show off his collecting prowess. It seems this alone would fully occupy most people's lives, certainly it would mine, with or without assistants, let alone running a business empire! The Hearst exhibit ends February 1st so you need to hurry over there.
The other exhibit I enjoyed was "Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913-2008." This runs through March 1. I'm not that intrigued or interested in the whole celebrity culture. But I have to admit, many of these photographs caught my attention... they were works of art, capturing people at a place and time that told a story. One of my favorites: White-haired Tony Curtis, Madonna and Mick Jagger are sitting at the same table at an awards ceremony. Curtis is all over Madonna, couldn't be any closer if he was sitting on her lap. At the other end of the table is Mick Jagger. The expression on his face is palpable: What the HELL (probably a different word with the same number of syllables) am I DOING here?
Don't leave yet, the best is yet to come! My brain can only take in so much at the museum, so after that I was done with exhibits. I went outside to my favorite part of LACMA, the new entrance with the installation by Chris Burden which incorporates more than two hundred restored cast-iron lampposts from Los Angeles County. As I roam around LA I am always fascinated by the many different types of lampposts, not the modern, boring posts, but the lamps from decades ago that still adorn the streets of our fair city.

I wandered through this forest of lampposts taking some snapshots. You can see them all here should you be interested. (Click on the "go" icon at the bottom right of the page, it may take a while to get started.)

Another satisfying afternoon at LACMA (not to mention another great Cabo San Lucas salad at Marie Callendars afterwards)!

(Photo copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Eclectic LACMA

You can't say LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) isn't eclectic in it's choice of exhibitions. Well, I can't. Last Sunday BG, KK and I viewed two very diverse exhibits... truly at opposite ends of the art world. Dan Flavin: A Retrospective (which ended that day). And The Arts in Latin America, 1492-1820 (until October 28).

Dan Flavin: A Retrospective
Dan Flavin was one of the founders of the minimalist movement, an art style I could never relate to as it does not touch me emotionally. This exhibit explored his creativity with flourescent light tubes. However, in his essay on the artist, Jay Belloli remembers that "all the fluorescent pieces carried some emotional charge for Flavin, because they were all dedicated, every single one of them. As far as I know, every fluorescent installation—every piece he ever did—was dedicated to somebody." I find that intriguing, as I cannot look at a flourescent light bulb and conjure up the image of anybody I know! It would be interesting to explore how he came up with these connections.

Nevertheless, as much as I have a hard time labelling this exhibit as "art" (but then I have trouble giving that attribution to a lot of things I see these days), it was still, at some level, fascinating. The exhibit was extensive, which was a good thing as if there had been only a few pieces, I would not have gotten to the point where I started to appreciate the overall effect. I began to see relationships between the colors and tricks of the brain and eye. For instance, in the "green" room, one entire room was dedicated to a fence-like flourescent structure... "untitled (to you heiner with love and affection)"... that divided the room length-wise in two. (Click on the slide show link on the righthand side of the Flavin page to see images of the exhibit.) As I stood in there in complete greenness, my brain began to perceive all the green as white and pretty soon I was seeing "normally." However, when I looked out the opening towards the entrance, everything outside was bathed in a pink glow. I knew it really wasn't pink out there but I couldn't stop my brain from telling me it was, indeed, pink. Even as I walked out of the room I was half expecting to see pink!

The reaction of one of my friends on walking into the exhibit was to leave immediately as she felt a migraine headache coming on from the flickering of the flourescents. I understand completely because I also have migraines, but mine have no pain. My symptoms are beautiful art deco designs in intense black and white with flourescent colors intermingled.... a lot like Dan Flavin's flourescent tubes! While I suffer no pain, my life has to come to a standstill for half an hour... I can't walk, I can't drive, I can't work... until the lightshow comes to an end. I have often wished I could make art out of these visions but nothing comes close in paint. Seeing this exhibit brought to life what I see in my head. Maybe Mr. Flavin was blessed with migraines too?

The Arts in Latin America, 1492–1820
I can't say I was terribly excited about the prospect of seeing this exhibit, and for me, my expectations were met. However, from an historical aspect, it is an extensive show with examples of portraiture, metalwork, ceramics, statuary, etc., showing the breadth and depth of art in those various cultures over 300 years. Of course, the fact that art always plays such an important part in the development of any culture, or at least, that it tells us the story of that development, is in itself, worthy of interest.

I have to admit a prejudice surrounding this time period, concerning the fate of the indigenous peoples at the hands of Spain, and more specifically the Catholic church. Many years ago I remember seeing an exhibit at a museum in Tijuana, it may have been the Tijuana Cultural Center, I'm not sure. It was a chronology of Mexican arts from the days of the Aztecs through more modern times. In that exhibition you saw, upon the arrival of the Conquistadors, a total and abrupt change in the art, as if one civilization ended one morning and the other replaced it in the afternoon. It was a disturbing notion and one I have never forgotten. So as I was viewing the LACMA exhibit I couldn't help thinking about all the culture that went before, that was totally wiped out. Not entirely because of the Spanish and the Catholic church, I realize, but mostly.

Several years ago I took a class on the Inca civilization. I was impressed by the fact that there was little remaining in the way of Inca decoration because a good deal of it was worked in gold which the Europeans took and melted down for use in their own religious buildings in Spain and Italy. I wouldn't have minded so much if they had stolen it intact so we could still see it in all it's original glory, but to melt it down because it was insignificant or sacreligious to the European way of thinking..... aaaghhhh.

I was impressed by the movie Apocalytpo (had decided not to see it for many reasons, but finally saw it out of curiosity and very glad I did). I won't write a review of it here, but I loved the ominous last scene where the Europeans are arriving (although wildly out of chronological context) as the Mayan couple flee into the jungle. (BTW, I didn't view that at all as the "Christian saviors" arriving, which I read in many reviews).

Well, that was my prejudice going into the LACMA exhibit... To set the record straight, I enjoy travelling through Europe and visiting the great cathedrals. I love all the artwork, architecture, costumes, exotic marbles, golden decorations... bring it on, I can't get enough... but that is in Europe (even though, as I stated above, a lot of that gold probably came from South America) and is appropriate for that culture. I have a hard time reconciling Aztecs, Mayans, the Inca, et al to the European artwork I saw in this exhibit. Enough said.

(All photos on this blog page are copyright the Los Angeles County Museum of Art www.lacma.org)

Islamic Ceramic Tile Collection
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
I was cruising around on the LACMA website and came upon the online Islamic Ceramic Tile Collection. There are 91 tiles which you can enlarge in the viewer for close inspection. 11th Century to 19th Century. Of course, LACMA has other online collections you can look at. I'll be checking out other museum websites to seek out more tiles.