I hardly go there any more. A massive rebuild project is in the works. Once it’s finished years from now there will be 10,000 less square feet for displaying art, which may be a good thing, since modern art isn’t worth it.
Speaking of modern art, I did go to see an exhibit, because why not. As a former docent, we have walkthroughs, and I don’t have to pay for parking. So the exhibit is called Material Matters, Chinese artists use unconventional materials to create ‘art’. Most of these artists came to fame outside China, China lets them back, because why not publicity and all, I don’t think any of them were born, raised and brought this art to public view only in China.
So here are a few of the things that I did like.
There were three garments. Made out of thick PVC and embroidered with fishing line. This of course is an emperors outer coat. The museum does have some sample of the real thing, in silk.
Along the edge, a Phoenix, mountains and clouds. By now, you should know me, I love textiles. Even when it’s a facsimile in plastics. The artisans who embroidered this really did an amazing job.
A close up of another garment, here the sleeves have the cloud shape.
I’m pretty sure the embroidery was done by hand. I’m not seeing signs of machine embroidery. If so, real big kudos to the embroiderers.
Next one maked me a little queasy, I’ll explain why.
A house made out of human hair. What bothered me was the scope, all I could think of was all the hair and teeth taken from Holocaust victims after they were gassed. Another docent shared the same feeling. But, I do know that people sell hair all the time and that in the Victorian era, people made jewelry and pictures as mementoes of their loved ones who died – using their hair. The scope of this still made me uneasy.
Braided and dyed.
This one bothered others much more. Didn’t bother me in the least. So there you have it, different people react differently to things. As you can see, it’s huge. and, it’s made out of….
Cigarettes. That is what bothers people – smoking cigarettes. Well, they should be pleased about this then, no one is going to smoke theses.
I am impressed, creating this massive tiger skin out of cigarettes is quite a feat. I knew a woman once who had the real thing on her floor. She was somewhat bothered by it. Not enough to remove the rug. Me, I simply don’t have and won’t have any kind of carpet made out of animal skins.
Using the material to it’s fullest, when looked at from another angle, the color changes. Because now I am looking at the tobacco side of the cigarette.
White tiger
Grey tiger.
Then we have the artist who uses porcelain and makes large installations with huge quantities of repetitive objects.
He calls this flames, to me it looks like warped bullets. Well, art is in the eye of the beholder.
An extension to the May Co building. A new museum of Hollywood and movie history. Taking shape very nicely. I spoke to a LACMA guard who is positioned here. He loves watching the building grow and is very impressed with the engineering of the dome. I think he was Thai, his accent wasn’t great, but I did understand that he used to be an engineer, so for him it is especially meaningful. Also, as an immigrant, he took a job, he is working and proud of it, even if being a museum guard isn’t being an engineer. Clearly, being in the US of A, is worth it, even if the job is a ‘lessor’ job.
What is this new building you ask? Park of the new construction?? No not at all. Every year LACMA spends a fortune to put up this temporary structure as part of their massive fundraising gala. I guess this year Leonardo Di Caprio is the honoree and tickets start at $10,000.
No thank you, honestly, maybe he should just donate the amount that the gala costs. Oh but then people don’t get to see and be seen. Let’s be honest these days, that is what charity is all about. Helping people in need – that is why we taxed beyond our means.
Leah