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Downtown Los Angeles-An Arts Destination

4/3/2018

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It's been many years since I've lived in Los Angeles, but I was amazed on how much has changed over the past 20 years in Los Angeles's Downtown area.  I decided to spend the day visiting some of Downtown LA's art museums.  I really wanted to see one of LA's newest art museum, The Broad.  I also wanted to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, also located in Downtown LA.  What I discovered was that Downtown Los Angeles has become a true Arts Destination in recent years!  In this blog, I'll share my thoughts and experiences at these museums as well as some amazing architecture in the area.
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Check out some of my other posts about Los Angeles!
  • The Getty Center
  • Hollywood Concept Art
  • The Los Angeles County Museum Of Art
  • The Hammer Museum
The Museum of Contemporary Art is actually comprised of three locations.  The first is the MOCA Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood; the second is the MOCA on Grand Avenue; and the newest location is the Geffen Contemporary.  There is actually a fourth location in Nevada.  Yes! Nevada.  The artist, Michael Heizer's artwork titled, "Double Negative" is a work of land art located in the Moapa Valley on Mormon Mesa near Overton, Nevada and was acquired into MOCA's permanent collection in 1985. If the artist's name rings a bell, it's because I recently wrote about his other monumental piece of artwork at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; CLICK HERE TO READ THE BLOG ARTICLE.  I should note that time didn't permit me to visit the Pacific Design Center, or the Geffen Contemporary (or visit Nevada), so this post will only include my visit to the MOCA on Grand Avenue.  I also visited the Broad Museum (Read On & See Below.)  The Geffen Contemporary is just a 15-20 minute walk from MOCA Grand and admission to one museum grants you admission to the other museum.
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"Cubi III" by David Smith, Stainless Steel, 1961.
I really like Lee Krasner's artwork on so many levels.  I love the emotion, and appreciate the influence Jackson Pollock had on her work, and vice versa.  Krasner's oil on canvas painting shown here, "Primeval Resurgence" was on exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Grand Avenue.  Painted in 1961, it is a wonderful example of abstract expressionism.  The painting attempts to define itself through the brushstrokes as a direct expression of the artist's innermost feelings.  Similar to Jackson Pollock's techniques of drips and splatters, the paint in "Primeval Resurgence" includes streaks, scribbles, sprayed paint, etc.  Also important to note is the large size of the painting, the fact that the paint goes to all edges of the canvas, and the focus is on a singular plane, the flat surface of the painting.
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Lee Krasner's "Primeval Resurgence" Oil on Canvas, 1961.
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Alberto Giacometti's "Tall Figure II" & "Tall Figure III", both bronze made in 1960.
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"Monitor" Oil on Canvas, 1956, by Franz Kline
Franz Kline created gestural compositions, as shown here in these two works of art.  These are wonderful examples of the bold, free-form gestures and compositions associated with abstract expressionism.  I learned that while these paintings seem very improvised, Kline created these artworks after perfecting dozens of preparatory sketches for each painting.  
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"Black Iris" Oil on Canvas, 1961, by Franz Kline
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"3 Arbes (Chataignier) Empaquets (Projet pour la Fondation Maeght-St. Paul de Vence)" Pencil, Polyethylene, ropes, twine, cardboard, paint, and wax crayon mounted on wood, 1967, by Christo.
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"Pepsi-Cola Sign" Muslin soaked in plaster over wire frame, painted with enamel, 1961, by Claes Oldenburg.
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"White Cigarette" Oil on Canvas, 1961, by James Rosenquist.
Andy Warhol ranks pretty high up among my favorite artists.  Here is "Telephone" painted in 1961; it is Acrylic on Canvas with pencil.  I love how it is such a modern take on a very old-fashioned, antique telephone.  Below is Warhol's painting, "Flowers" from 1964.  He created these flowers using a synthetic polymer and silkscreen inks on canvas.  I'm including a close up shot of the edge of the painting because I found it kind of amusing to see the exposed staples used to secure the canvas to the stretcher bars along the side of the canvas.  For my artwork, I go to great length to use back-stapled canvas, and pay particular attention to the finished gallery-wrapped edges, making sure they are neat, clean, and professional.
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Jim Dine's "Drag - Johnson and Mao", Etching, 1967.
The MOCA on Grand Avenue housed an entire gallery room with Mark Rothko paintings.  While I can appreciate Rothko's artwork and acknowledge its importance in art history, his paintings are not my favorite.  I do love all the colors, and I also love the shapes, however, there is ambiguity, blurring of lines, that doesn't hit me the right way.  Rothko wanted viewers to stand close to his paintings to see the vertically stacked bands of color seem to float upon colored grounds.
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I'm a fan of Morris Louis who created many paintings similar to this one shown here titled, "Pillar of Delay" painted in 1961.  Louis stained his canvases with thinned-down paint and opted to paint without the use of the traditional brush, palette, and easel.  Instead, he used gravity as his instrument to create his masterpieces.  He created these striped pictures by pouring streaks of diluted paint fro the top of raw, un-primed canvas to create bands or stripes of color that often overlapped each other.  Looking at his artwork, you can almost feel a sense of slow motion.












​In the artwork below and the detail to the right, the artist, Joseph Kosuth, used etched aluminum.
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Ed Ruscha's "Fountain, Sunset, Hollywood" Acrylic on Canvas, 1999.
This large painting on two panels is by the artist, Njideka Akunyili Crosby.  It's called "Garden, Thriving" and was completed in 2016.  Her artwork was quite fascinating to see in person and I've included a detailed photograph of the two-panel painting.  Originally from Nigeria, the artist layers photographic imagery within the chairs' fabric and the plant leaves.  The images are pictures of Nigerian pop stars, models, military dictators, celebrities, and the artist's own personal photographs.  To create this artwork, she uses acrylic paint, transfers, colored pencils, and collage on paper.  There is so much to see in this painting, you could look at it for 10-20 minutes, or longer!

I should also mention that the mural that is wrapped around the exterior of the museum is by this same artist!
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I love Jackson Pollock's work.  The exhibit at the MOCA Grand was centered around the conservation process for Pollock's "Number 1, 1949".  The painting was donated to the museum in 1989.  I learned that over time, the painting's surface has accumulated a layer of dust, dulling the colors, discoloring the raw exposed canvas, and spoiling the unique juxtaposition of matte colors against glossy colors.  During the course of the exhibition, a conservator cleans the painting on a regular basis.  Although my visit was on a day that the conservator was not there, it was still fascinating to see an exhibition for the public to understand the importance of conservation.  On select Thursdays, the conservator leads a Q&A session with the public from 11:30 am-12 pm and 5:30-6 pm.
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Three other works by Jackson Pollock from MOCA’s permanent collection, were also on view.  These were great examples of the diversity and range of materials Pollock used in his artwork from watercolor to collage. 

​Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California
This building is simply spectacular.  Frank Ghery is one of my favorite architects and this is a perfect example of why that's the case.  (In addition to all the awards he has won for his incredible architectural design).  Frank Gehry was asked to devise a new home for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Walt Disney Concert Hall opened in 2003. Reflecting Gehry’s longtime passion for sailing, the structure’s exterior features are expanses of stainless steel that hover above Grand Avenue.  Frank Gehry has devoted his career to disrupt the very meaning of design within architecture. From the iconic Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, and now the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Frank Gehry has proven time and again the beautiful magic of his whimsical, cutting-edge design.
The Broad Museum
My visit to the Broad Museum was absolutely incredible.  First the architecture of the building is superb, and second the permanent collection on view was perhaps one of the best collections of representative work from the post-modern and contemporary art periods.  And on top of that, there was an incredible in-depth retrospective exhibit of Jasper Johns' artwork.  There's so much to include in this blog it is crazy!
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The Broad is one of the finest contemporary art museums I have ever visited.  Founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad, the museum houses more than 2,000 works of art and holds one of the most prominent collections of postwar and contemporary art worldwide.  

The Broad's third floor galleries show a rotating selection of artwork and, best of all, it is free!  The first floor galleries are for special exhibitions, like the Jasper Johns exhibit "Something Resembling Truth" that runs through May 13, 2018.  
So let's talk about the beautifully designed building...  It's often called "The Veil and the Vault" because the building has gallery space as well as an extensive storage facility.  In contrast with the neighboring Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad was designed to be porous and absorptive.  There are wonderful olive trees that were planted in the plaza next to the museum.  
There were a number of artworks by Jeff Koons at The Broad.  "Balloon Dog (Blue)" is perhaps one of his series of works that is most famous.  The artwork is made of stainless steel and wights 2,000 pounds.  It was created as part of his Celebration Series, a group of paintings and sculptures that memorialize rituals, icons, and images related to birthdays, holidays, and other celebratory parties or occasions.
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View of Jeff Joons' "Rabbit" with Balloon Dog and inside view of the architectural framework of the building.
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"Michael Jackson and Bubbles" by Jeff Koons, Porcelain, 1988.
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"Tulips" by Jeff Koons
The artwork below is by the artist Mark Bradford and is titled, "Yellow Bird", 2012.  It is Mixed Media Collage On Canvas.  When it comes to his process, it is quite fascinating.  Bradford takes papers and layers it down on canvas.  He sands it down, revealing various layers.  His work frequently looks like a map looking down from above.  He tries to give you an idea of a place without telling you specifically where.  Bradford represented the United States at the Venice Biennale and worked with women in a Venice prison to help them create products to sell to earn money.
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This Silkscreen on Linen is by artist, Christopher Wool. Untitled, 2015.
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"Red Room" by Keith Haring. Acrylic on Canvas, 1988.
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Another work by Keith Haring. "Untitled, 1984" Acrylic on four Muslin Panels.
Jean-Michel Basquiat uses bold colors and expressive markings to show emotion and energy in his artwork.  Many of his paintings are autobiographical.   I learned that his painting is supposed to resemble a self-portrait and at the same time, a skull-mask.
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"Untitled, 1981" by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Acrylic and Oilstick on Canvas
"Under The Table" by artist Robert Therrien is gigantic replica of his kitchen table.  I learned that even the distressed parts of the table and chairs are the same.  He is known for using memories from his childhood to create his artwork. Visitors often walk under the table, which conjures memories of what it was like to do so as a child.  
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Mark Tansey, Wake" 2003, Oil on Canvas.
The artwork below is by artist Takashi Murakami, titled "Hustle 'N' Punch By Kaikai And Kiki". 

​The artist uses cute characters to express the entire range of possible emotions; almost like a variety of emojis.
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Roy Lichtenstein is one of my all-time favorite pop artists.  He was one of the founders of Pop Art in the 1960s and used tiny dots in his artwork, similar to the printing style of comic-books.  The dots were placed in such a way to create an image, imitating the way comic-books and newspapers were printed.
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"Live Ammo (Bang)" 1962, Oil and Magna on Canvas, by Roy Lichtenstein
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"Interior With African Mask" by Roy Lichtenstein, Oil and Magna on Canvas, 1991.
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"Mirror #1" by Roy Lichtenstein, Oil and Magna on Canvas, 1969
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"Reflections on 'Interior with Girl Drawing'," 1990, Oil and Magna on Canvas by Roy Lichtenstein.
In addition to borrowing or seeking inspiration from newspaper ads, commercials, and comic books, Roy Lichtenstein also was inspired by some of his favorite artists like Picasso and Mondrian.  See the two images below.
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"Non-Objective I" 1964, Oil and Magna on Canvas, by Roy Lichtenstein
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"Femme d'Alger" 1963, Oil on Canvas, by Roy Lichtenstein
Here is a sculpture by Roy Lichtenstein, "Goldfish Bowl" created in 1977.  It is painted and patinated bronze.  On the right is a detailed view, showing that the sculpture is very two-dimensional, despite it looking 3-D.
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"Rouen Cathedral, Set 3" 1968-69, Oil and Magna on Five Canvas Panels, by Roy Lichtensttein. These Paintings were inspired by Claude Monet's famous paintings of Rouen Cathedral. Unlike Monet, Lichtenstein did not paint the Cathedrals on-site.
I always love seeing paintings by Chuck Close.  Chuck Close is known for his detailed paintings of faces, and later he was known for the deconstruction of that detailed portraiture.  He explores portraiture and created this photo-realist painting called "John", painted in 1971-72.  I included a detailed shot showing the incredible painting technique.
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Robert Rauschenberg, "Untitled" 1963, Oil and Silkscreen on Canvas.
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Edward Ruscha, "Norm's La Cienega, on Fire" 1964.
​John Baldessari, "Tips for Artists Who Want to Sell" 1966-68, Acrylic on Canvas.  John Baldessari never touched this painting, didn't paint it, didn't write the text.  Here, it's the role of the artist as the facilitator of the artwork; creating the concept.  The humor is that the view is shown the paintings message, but the message is text taken from an art magazine with tips on what art should be.
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Another one of my all-time favorite artists is Andy Warhol.  A short time after Marilyn Monroe died in 1962, Andy Warhol started to create silkscreen images of Marilyn.  I learned that Warhol had recently just learned how to silkscreen, so this was a somewhat new process for him!  In the painting above, titled, "Two Marilyns" created in 1962, Warhol captures the terrible fact of Marilyn's death, as if he was reporting the news.  With silkscreens, the images deteriorate with each printing, which I believe is symbolic of her presence and then her fading into history with her death.  It can also be interpreted as the volatility of fame and celebrity.  I'm not sure how many versions of "Two Marilyns" were created, but I learned that the one pictured above from The Broad Museum was the 27th version of the silkscreen created.
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Two of Warhol's Cambell's Soup Cans and "Single Elvis" Silkscreen ink and spray paint on linen, 1963.
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"Twenty Jackies" Silkscreen Ink on Linen, 1964, by Andy Warhol.
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Ellsworth Kelly worked with shapes and solid colors.  The painting below, "Green Blue Red" created in 1963, uses colors and shapes to create contrast and bring attention to edges.  In the above image on the left, the green rectangle and blue oval are vibrantly displayed against the red background.  His composition almost goes against the principal of design of balance.  Below, Kelly's oil on canvas painting, "Green Relief with Blue" was completed in 2011.  It's actually two conjoined canvases and I've posted the photo of the same painting as seen from different angles.  It almost acts like a 2 dimensional painting trying to be a sculpture, with different views from different angles.
Jasper Johns:  "Something Resembling Truth"
A Special Exhibition at The Broad (Through May 13, 2018)

While The Broad Museum's main collection has free admission, this special exhibition required a special ticket with a timed entry.  The exhibit was one of the best I've ever seen.  The exhibit covered over 6 decades of artistic achievement from this iconic American artist.  The comprehensive exhibit features more than 120 extraordinary paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures, by Jasper Johns and draws upon works from within The Broad's permanent collection as well as from loans from over 50 international public and private sources.

The imagery he used in his artwork were common items such as American flags, numbers, letters, targets, and light bulbs.  Perhaps Johns’ most famous painting, "Flag (1954–55)" and is a fairly accurate representation of the American flag, in encaustic on collaged paper and fabric.
In the 1950s, Jasper Johns' flags, targets, letters, and numbers created a new artistic vocabulary.  They were actual things that represented something.  If you think about it, you can identify states on his maps, aim something at his targets, and say the "Pledge of Allegiance" to the flag.  Jasper Johns was successful at using recognizable signs and symbols to make the familiar unfamiliar.  



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When I reflect on some of my own artwork, I too employ these same principals.  Here is some of my artwork that also make you look closely at something you already know.
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"American Flag" Acrylic on Canvas by Eddie Bruckner
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"AABCDEEF" Acrylic on Canvas by Eddie Bruckner
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"10,9,8,7,6" Acrylic on Canvas by Eddie Bruckner
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"5,4,3,2,1" Acrylic on Canvas by Eddie Bruckner
The American Flad is a geometric composition that has a strong sentimental and patriotic value in society.  Jasper Johns' flags ofent trick the eye, or blur the lines between perception, reality, and illusion.  
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"Two Flags," 1959, Acrylic on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
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Detail of "Two Flags," 1959, Acrylic on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
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"Three Flags," 1958, Encaustic on Canvas, by Jasper Johns. (On loan from The Whitney Museum of American Art). Shows how the size of objects impacts perception.
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"White Flag," 1960, Oil and Newspaper over Lithograph, by Jasper Johns
I absolutely love this painting shown here below.  The flags here are presented so that the viewer can experience an optical illusion.  If you stare at the white dot for several seconds and then stare at the black dot on the gray flag below, you will experience an amazing illusion.  The green, black, and orange colors generate their complementary colors of red, white, and blue in your eyes.  Try it yourself! It works from the photograph here too!
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"Flags," 1965, Oil on Canvas with Object, by Jasper Johns.
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"Gray Alphabets," 1956, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
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"Numbers" 1960-71, Ten Lithographs reworked with acrylic paint and oil paint, fabric, paper collage, and felt pen, by Jasper Johns
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"Target" 1961, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
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Detail of "Target" 1961, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
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"Map" 1962-63, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas, by Jasper Johns. He used brushmarks to render the map of the United States of America, complete with abstract drips, scrapes, gestures, and a stenciled label for each state.
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"Numbers" 2007 (Cast 2008), Aluminum, by Jasper Johns. This is a full-scale replica of the work that was commissioned for the NY State Theater at Lincoln Center in 1964. Below are detailed shots.
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"Star" 1954, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas with Glass and Painted Wood, by Jasper Johns
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"False Start" 1959, Oil on Canvas, by Jasper Johns. This painting demonstrates the shift from a more constrained approach to artwork, to a more open and gestural approach. He uses stencils (like in my paintings above!).
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"Between The Clock And The Bed" 1981, Oil on Three Canvas Panels, by Jasper Johns
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LEFT: "Corpse and Mirror II" 1974-75, Oil and Sand on Canvas, by Jasper Johns; and RIGHT: "Dancers on a Plane" 1980, Oil on Canvas with Painted Bronze Frame, by Jasper Johns. Detail is to the Right.
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Jasper Johns began to incorporate objects and tools used in his artwork directly into the artwork's creation.  Things like paintbrushes, color charts, and rulers.  In the painting below, the "R" of "Red" is a neon light and wooden letters protrude outward from the canvas.
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"Field Painting" 1963-64, Oil on Canvas with Objects, by Jasper Johns. Detailed, Side view is shown on the right.
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"Bridge," 1997, Oil on Canvas with Objects, by Jasper Johns.
I highly recommend you to experience the Jasper John Exhibit if you can! 

​Also on the first floor was a very unique art installation by artist, Yayoi Kusama, titled "Infinity Mirrored Room--The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away."  It is a mirror-lined room that includes LED lights that reflect endlessly in the mirrored space.  It doesn't sound like much, but it is quite amazing to see.  You need a separate timed ticket, which is free, and only one person can enter the room at a time for a duration of 45 seconds.  
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As you can see, the Broad Museum is quite an amazing experience.  I highly recommend you visit The Broad in Los Angeles and experience the art scene in Downtown LA.  For more information about The Broad, please visit their website:  www.thebroad.org
Check out some of my other posts about Los Angeles!
  • The Getty Center
  • Hollywood Concept Art
  • The Los Angeles County Museum Of Art
  • The Hammer Museum
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Art in New York City: The Whitney Museum of American Art and the Chelsea Arts District

5/7/2016

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I recently returned from a quick 2-day trip to New York City.  The first day was primarily focused on a new movie I am working on (currently looking for investors for the film) called “Dan & Carla.”  We had a spectacular table reading of the script with the actors along with a number of friends and interested parties of the film.  After the reading, I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Jack Pierson, a longtime family friend of the film’s director.  Jack Pierson is an incredible artist who works with a variety of different mediums, including sculpture, photography, video, and is best known for his word signage installations.  His artwork is in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, just to name a few. (See below for more about his two incredible pieces that were on view at the Whitney Museum.)
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Here’s some information about the film for those interested: It is a modern-day romantic comedy about two young NYC lovebirds who try to salvage their troubled relationship:  Dan & Carla, two lovers from opposite sides of the subway tracks, are forced to confront the issues of romance, commitment, betrayal and sexual (dis)orientation.” 
For more information:
www.Facebook.com/danandcarlathemovie
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4324704/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
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​There is SO MUCH ART in New York City!  There were three pieces of public art that I had the pleasure of seeing on this trip.  Here is a photo of Robert Indiana’s HOPE Sculpture located on the corner of 7th Avenue and 53rd Street.  A couple months ago, I wrote in my blog about Robert Indian’s LOVE Sculpture in Scottsdale, Arizona.  This HOPE Sculpture is also only a few short blocks away from the LOVE Sculpture in New York City 55th and Avenue of the Americas/6th Ave.  I’ve learned that each year on the artist’s birthday, September 13, Robert Indiana HOPE sculptures will be installed and displayed in locations throughout the world. The HOPE sculptures celebrate the message of hope and fulfill the artist’s vision of a more promising future for us all.
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Another public sculpture, located just outside of Penn Station and Madison Square Garden (7th Avenue and 33rd St.) is Roy Lichtenstein’s “Brushstroke Group.”

And the last public art sculpture that I got to see was Elmgreen & Dragset’s “Van Gogh’s Ear” located in Rockefeller Center.  It’s basically a huge swimming pool stood upright. I really liked how misplaced it looked, especially in such a dense area, with a huge amount of foot-traffic, in contrast to a large swimming pool, typically seen in a less congested area.  This is a temporary installation, so be sure to see it before June 3rd!
​I started the second day of my trip at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The new Whitney’s architecture is spectacular inside and out.  And the artwork within the walls of the Whitney is very special. 

On the Sixth and Seventh Floors of the museum, I experienced the exhibit, "Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney's Collection."  It made me rethink my own internal definition of the word "Portrait."  The exhibit demonstrated the way portraiture has changed from the early 1900s to present day. When you think about it, the whole concept of portraiture has changed over time. The painting of portraits was once reserved for the elite, and those who could afford such a luxury, yet with the rise of photography, everything has changed. With the iPhone and other smartphones and with the influence of social media, the "selfie" is almost a new form of portraiture.  Whatever the form, portraits get to the very essence of who we are as people and our place in the world. 
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I was pleasantly surprised to see some incredible works that I've never seen before from well-known artists.  For example, a self-portrait from Edward Hopper shown here. One of the most striking pieces was Jasper Johns' "Racing Thoughts" pictured here.  It approaches the idea of portrait, juxtaposing a portrait of his longtime dealer (made to appear as a puzzle), various objects, and a reproduction of the Mona Lisa (perhaps the most famous portrait ever created).  It's quite a beautiful piece of art, using encaustic, screen printing, wax crayons on canvas, creating the illusion that it was created on wood board.
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​Another favorite artist of mine, Alexander Calder, who is well-known for his beautiful mobiles had a wonderful take on the concept of portraiture.  Calder's piece at the Whitney shown here (three views) is quite incredible.  The piece is called "Varèse" created circa 1930.  I love how he uses his own unique style of portraiture using wire suspended from the ceiling. 
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​Chuck Close, is very well known for his huge, floor to ceiling, portraits best viewed first from afar, and then up close (excuse the pun). This is his work titled "Lyle" and I've included a few views for you to see the genius behind his artwork. 
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And Jack Pierson, who I had the pleasure of meeting the night before, had two of his many works that are part of the Whitney's permanent collection, on display. One a self-portrait, "Self Portrait #4", 2003, and the other called, "Jerry in the Dressing Room", 1993.
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I also saw some impressive works of art from some artists that I haven't been exposed to before. The painting shown here is one from the artist, Howard Kanovitz, called "New Yorkers 1".  It's a very large painting and I found it to be very striking. I especially liked seeing the use of pencil within the painting as shown in this close-up photo.
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There is a beautiful outdoor space with stairs leading to other levels and views of the surrounding cityscape and the new, NYC treasure, the High Line.  If you plan to visit the Whitney Museum, you could also walk on the High Line either before or after what is sure to be an incredible art experience at the Whitney!

After the Whitney, I visited the Chelsea Market where I stumbled across a wonderful ID Pop Shop that featured apparel, accessories, Jewelry, and art.  www.Idpopshop.com

​I then proceeded on my quest to visit some of the Chelsea galleries that feature modern and contemporary art. Some galleries were focused on established artists and artists who are well-known to the general populace and others showcased emerging artists.  I walked my feet off and ended up visiting about two dozen difference art galleries in Chelsea.  I'll share some of my favorites here:

One of the galleries that I really enjoyed visiting in Chelsea was Jim Kempner Fine Art.  http://jimkempnerfineart.com/  It was at this gallery that I was introduced to an artist named Greg Parker. His artwork features a unique process that results in an unbelievably cool work of art. He starts with a wood panel that is covered with up to 20 layers of polished gesso, thin layers of powdered pigment and graphite that is applied in progressive steps within mathematical systems. Kind of looks like metal or wood but the end result is a subdued reflective surface that is solid at nature.  

At the Bryce Wolkowitz gallery, http://brycewolkowitz.com located at 505 W. 24th St., I saw a truly unique exhibit of multimedia sculptures and video installations from the artist, Yorgo Alexopoulos, I have learned that he films the 4K video, makes use of a translucent LCD video screens, robots, 3-D printers, motorized dollies, and multiple cameras simultaneously shooting time lapse photography. The piece that I found most compelling was one titled "First Time On The Moon,” which is comprised of the digital animation on a high definition translucent LCD display, aluminum and patina steel, glass, and custom electronics. The subject matter is the moon with the earth hovering in the distance in space. 

The Berry Campbell Gallery www.berrycampbell.com presented the work of the artist Stanley Boxer, a Massachusetts born artist known for his thickly painted abstract works of art. 

I visited the new Lisson Gallery at 504 W. 24th St. lissongallery.com  It was a brand-new exhibit that opened just this past week, featuring the artwork of Carmen Herrera. I learned that she has been painting for almost 80 years in her Manhattan studio. She's perhaps the oldest living artist I've seen on my venture; she will celebrate her 101st birthday later this month and will be honored with a survey exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in September 2016. The exhibit at the Lisson Gallery represents a new body of work produced in the last two years.  The paintings exhibited were primarily acrylic on large-scale canvases. They almost had an Ellsworth Kelly kind of feel to them, in terms of the colors used in a very minimalist way.

At 138 10th Ave., I visited Lori Bookstein Fine Art. www.loribooksteinfineart.com  There were a few artists represented in this gallery exhibit, but one stuck out to me, an artist named Diana Horowitz.  The exhibition featured a series of small paintings depicting the landscape of and around Lake Como, Italy. She painted on en plain air and each of the small 5" x 7" or smaller canvases had subdued tones and colors capturing the light across the landscapes.

One of the most unusual, yet fascinating exhibits that I saw was at the Lions Wier Gallery at 542 W. 24th St.  www.lyonswiergallery.com  The gallery featured the pop artist, Jae Yong Kim in the exhibit titled "Pop Goes The Donut". The walls of the gallery were lined with ceramic, glazed donuts, many featuring Swarovski crystals, gold, and other mixed media.

At the Cheim & Read Gallery, a brand new exhibit features the work of Spanish artist, Juan Uslé.  Jack Pierson has shown his work at this gallery in the past.  Many of the works were in excess of 9 feet in height. I learned that the short, broad brushstrokes comprising the bands in his paintings are based on the artist's pulse, similar to a cardiogram.  www.cheimread.com

The Agora Gallery at 530 W. 25th St. focuses on emerging artists, and I recommend checking this gallery out for emerging talent!  www.Agora-Gallery.com

The Rush Arts Gallery (Rush Philanthropic Foundation www.rushphilanthropic.org) at 520 W. 26th St. featured an exhibit called “Medium: Black.” The Rush Philanthropic Foundation is a non-profit founded in 1995 by media mogul Russell Simmons and his brothers and is committed to bettering the lives of under-served city youth through exposure to the arts and to provide professional support for emerging artists and curators. The group show featured artists that all use the color black. One of the pieces of artwork that I found most fascinating in this gallery was the work of Charlotte Becket who used a motor within the artwork, giving the artwork almost an organic or living feeling to it.

The Tagliatella Galleries featured some originals and prints from some of the more well-known contemporary artists like Alex Katz, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Mr. Brainwash, Bansky, Kaws, Damian Hirst, Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, etc.  http://www.taglialatellagalleries.com/

Another well-known and established gallery, The Pace Gallery, featured David Hockney prints entitled, “The Yosemite Suite”.  http://www.pacegallery.com/  The Robert Miller Gallery on 26th St featured the work of Lee Krasner.  http://www.robertmillergallery.com/   And the Mitchell-Innes and Nash Gallery featured the incredible work of Tom Wesselmann.  http://www.miandn.com/
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Before heading back to Boston, my final stop was the Fashion Institute of Technology where I was able to see a wonderful exhibit on the history of denim.  When you think about fashion, denim is one of the many materials out there that really stands out and has lasted for hundreds of years.  Denim may even be the most popular fabric in the world today. The exhibit entitled: “Denim: Fashion’s Frontier” showed the evolution of denim. The exhibit takes you from the very earliest use of denim all the way to present day, highlighting the milestones denim has had impacting the fashion world. In its last days, this exhibit will be followed by an exhibit on May 20th, entitled “Uniformity,” which will explore the history behind a variety of uniforms (military, work, school, and sports), considering both their social role and their influence on high fashion. The Museum at FIT is located at 7th Avenue at 27th St.  http://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and my reflections on the art I've seen. Please check out the websites of these galleries for more information and for current exhibition dates!
PS: If you liked this article, you might like these other articles on my artistic travels:
Kennebunkport, Maine
Los Angeles, California
New York City
New York City Street Art
Napa Valley, California
Park City, Utah
Barcelona, Spain
Caribbean Art
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