LACMA: Kinetic Sculpture

       This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit the LACMA. Being my first visit ever to the LACMA, I was astounded by the sheer size of the museum itself. There were exhibits varying from Traditional Japanese Art to Surrealism. One of the artist's work I most admired was that of Chris Burden. His exhibit, Metropolis II, is a giant, kinetic sculpture created to depict the ever-moving city. It seemed to resemble a child's image of a "hotwheels track" from heaven- racing cars, trains, and skyscrapers. The exhibit operated during every hour (I believe there is a schedule online available so you can see when it moves, then you won't have to wait for it!). Here are some pictures of Metropolis II- it is truly a spectacle you will want to visit in person.

Cody

The "Day Of The Dead" Exhibit

Yesterday I drove in and out of downtown with a friend as a study break from those stressful finals. We ended up by the Union Station, where there was some sort of Mexican-culture celebration, full of shops, music and dancing. We explored around and went into a museum called “Las Plaza de Cultura y Artes.” There were many exhibits showcasing the history of Mexicans in Los Angeles, past vs. present Mexican culture, the architect of old buildings and a simulation of what Main Street looked like in the past (which was super cool).

My favorite exhibit was the “Day Of The Dead/El Dia De Los Muertos,” which comprised of many sculptural interpretations of the skull – the Mexicans’ main symbol of death. For Mexicans, death is not necessary deemed as devastating; they see death as an inevitable end of life and surprise many with how comfortable they seem to be with the idea of death. Mexicans believed in duality, so where there is day and night, there is life and death. During el dia de los muertos celebrations, they even give each other skull- and skeleton-related presents.

Jose Sacal’s sculptures capture the fascination Mexicans have with death. He takes the formal shape/perspective of the skull and warps them to reveal contemporary dimensions. Sacal fully explores the skull, deconstructs it and rebuilds it using various materials like bronze, silver or resin. He is very ambitious and unafraid in his work, and plays on Mexicans’ affinity for skulls to create sculptures that are stripped down into its core nature. His exhibit is paradoxical in a way, with intact and disintegrating pieces, and naturalistic and abstract elements.

Here are some of the photos I managed to take:

Caldo de muerto (Death soup), bronze

Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead), cermaic and electroplate

Saco de boxeo (Punching bag), bronze

Principio (Beginnings), resin

Aberraciones (Aberrations), electroplate

Armado hasta los dientes (Armed to the teeth), bronze

Hope you enjoyed!

- Jenny

LACMA Visit

Our visit to the Los Angeles Coumty Museum of Art was a really inspiring and enjoyable experience. The Ken Price sculptures were probably the highlight of my visit because I would never imagine there could be so much to sculpture. It's astonishing to see how Price incorporated shape, color, patterns, and texture into a 3-dimensional art piece through such a unique process. Quite honestly I have a hard time seeing the aesthetic appeal in some of his works, but the most impressive aspect was the creation of the pieces.

My second favorite has to be Ed Ruscha because I really admire his designs, and to see it in person is really quite a unique experience as opposed to seeing it through a computer screen. The Drawing Surrealism exhibit was personally inspiring for me because I took drawing for the first time this past semester, and I never really understood the importance of line and how to preserve line quality until I saw this exhibition.

The Pancake and Booze Art Show

Where else can you get art, endless pancakes, live music and adult beverages for $5?

I went to the Pancake & Booze Art Show on Saturday, Dec. 8, and the event featured just all that. Showcasing the work of 120 artists over two nights at the Lot 613 warehouse between Downtown LA and Boyle Heights, the P&B show provided the ultimate display of underground art, complete with the “ghetto” underground vibe.

The show featured the work of local artists who utilized many mediums including paintings, photography, graffiti and live art/live body painting. All the work was put on the walls instead of in display cases or behind glass protectors, so the show was more interactive, casual and fun than a typical museum visit.

The one piece that stood out to me showed a backwards Hollywood sign and a sunset, just like Ed Ruscha’s “Back of Hollywood” piece from 1977. The differences were that the artist used different proportions (the Hollywood sign is a lot bigger) and a different medium. After our LACMA field trip, I did research on Ed Ruscha and explored his work, so seeing that particular piece at the P&B show was exciting. It is fascinating how the same piece can be interpreted in different ways. I also love any art concerning Los Angeles’ culture.

All the other pieces had its own personality – whether it was a portrait of Marilyn Monroe, animals, a pencil sketch of Martin Luther King, Jr., real/fictional cartoon characters or subjects I can’t even decipher – the P&B show had it all.

Personality, originality and modern relevance.

P&B founder Tom Kirin started this show four years ago when he rented a big warehouse in Culver City. A cameraman who turned it into a photo and film studio, Kirin started looking for additional uses of the space for those empty nights. He started throwing art shows, which led to the creation of P&B. P&B is the culmination of his love of art and breakfast eateries. Add booze in there, and thus, the Pancakes and Booze Art Show was born.

Since then, the P&B Art Show has expanded to San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, Atlanta, Portland, Dallas, Austin and Miami. Kirin also plans to open up shows in Chicago, Brooklyn, Boston, New Orleans and Las Vegas.

Here are some photos from the show:

Check out the Pancake and Booze Art Show website here.

- Jenny