The Broad - 01 FEB 2019

The Broad is a new contemporary art museum (downtown Los Angeles next to the Walt Disney Concert Hall) that opened in September of 2015. The admission is free but it requires a time stamped ticket (reservations available online). The building itself is a piece of art work.

Image: Dallas Morning News

Image: Dallas Morning News

The piece below is an optical allusion, it is a flat painting, the wood in the center and its shadow are painted (notice the direction of the real shadow below the painting frame).

This work by Elliott Hundley, changes as you get closer to it.

From a distance, it looks like a painting, but as you get closer...

...you see it is actually a 3D collage.

Some pieces are hard to look at, such as Kara Walker's work which examines the horror of slavery.

Ellen Gallagher put objects over old magazines to make a statement on the use of stereotypes of race and gender.

Polychromed wood:

Jeff Koons - Buster Keaton, 1988

Mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent color coating:

Jeff Koons - Ballon Dog (Blue), 1994-2000

Porcelin:

Jeff Koons - Michael Jackson and Bubbles, 1988

Cast in stainless steel, each of the seven train cars holds a fifth of Jim Beam:

Jeff Koons - J.B. Turner Train, 1986

There were several Andy Warhol pieces and this comic-derived pop art by Roy Lichtenstein:

You were allowed to walk under Rober Therrien's giant table and chairs (the chair seat is nearly 6 feet off the ground).

Yayoi Kusama had two installations called Infinity Mirror Rooms, filled with mirrors and dazzling LED lights that change colors. The actual room version required a ticket (which is sold out 2 months in advance), but Cheryl, Rob and I were able to stand in line for 10 minutes to stick our heads in this cylinder chamber that has three portholes. An attendant with a stop watch, allows you to view the display for 30 seconds.

There were exhibits on the 1^st floor and the 3^rd floor with administrative offices on the 2^nd floor. We got off the elevator on the second floor (just to see what we could see) and found a wall filled with photos about this kinetic artist, Carlos Cruz-Diez, who creates crosswalk art all over the world. Outside The Broad is a colorful crosswalk which is one of his installations.

I always love the Los Angeles skyline reflections and this rainy day was no exception.

King Tut Exhibit - 08 JAN 2019

I was reluctant to see the California Science Center King Tut Exhibit since I had seen the first exhibit of Tut artifacts in 1978. My memories of that exhibit were of the large crowds:

Image: Los Angeles Public Library

According to the LA Library, the attendance records for the 'Treasures of Tutankhamun' exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1978) holds the museum record for attendance of a single exhibit, a record which still has not been broken. I remember being packed and shuffled in like sardines-in-a-can, moving slowing pass several impressive golden objects:

Death Mask - Los Angeles Public Library

I was very grateful, platform heals were the style of the day as mine made me 4 inches taller and kept my feet from being stepped on.

The new exhibit was much larger, over 150 artifacts vs the 55 artifacts of 1978; and included 60 new treasures never seen before (outside of Cairo).

I had not taken into consideration the changes in technology during the last 40 years, which made this new exhibit even more impressive and informative.

It included 3-D images, 360-degree theatrical manifestations, custom audio soundscapes, digital content, MRI scan results, several videos and a tribute to Howard Carter, the British archaeologist who unearthed the original tomb.

I didn't bring a camera, wrongly assuming photos would not be permitted, but non-flash and non-video images were allowed and I was lucky to have my cell phone with me.

Vase with Domed Lid - Dark Blue Faience

Dark Blue Faience Headrest

Lapis Scarab

The exhibit which ran from March 24, 2018 to January 13, 2019, will complete a tour of 10 international cities before returning to Cairo in 2024.

Blue Faience

This PBS video will give you the history of this Pharaoh who had once been written out of history: King Tut - PBS Special

Day of the Dead, Rancho Dominguez - 03 NOV 2018

Originally a three day celebration consisting of Oct 31^st (All Hallows Eve),  Nov 1^st (All Saints Day) and Nov 2^nd (All souls Day), it has evolved into a single Day of the Dead celebration here in Los Angeles, perhaps based on Mexico delaring Nov 1^st - Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Deat) as an official holiday back in the 1960's. 

This year we went to Rancho Dominguez to catch their event.

It was a small event: several alters, handful of gift vendors, one beer vendor, one food vendor and some very colorful Aztec dancers of all ages.

Unlike Halloween, which is mischief (trick or treat), ghouls and monsters, Day of the Dead is a colorful celebration of life with love and respect for deceased loved ones.

Pierced paper (papel picado) chiseled paper folk art varies from crude to finely elaborate. Today's versions were massed produced, machine cut plastic.

Alters (ofrenda) are decorated with flowers, family photos, toys and food to welcome spirits. The spirits of departed family and friends are believed to visit these alters during the celebration.

There were several alters, including one for beloved pets.

Marigolds are said to help the spirits of the dead find the way to their alter.

This little girl (she was under 10) looks very grown-up in her festive make-up.

Check out a different event I attended in 2010 at Rancho Dominguez: Aviation Day Centennial