Brian Eno at Cal State Long Beach

I went to see the new Brian Eno art exhibit at its opening on Saturday night, arriving about 6 PM. There was supposed to be some sort of gallery walk-through, and I was expecting a big crowd based on Eno's celebrity in the music world, so I was a little surprised to see only 40, or so, undergrad students milling around on the lawn. Things definitely looked very low key.

I walked into the gallery, or rather the museum, at California State University Long Beach. To enter you have to shove your way through some heavy blackout curtains in the doorway, which seemed a bit fussy, since the first space consisted of eleven small, colorful digital prints. This was a beautifully proportioned space with bright red walls and dramatic spotlighting of each work . The prints were signed in 1/50, Brian Eno. If a famous musicians name weren't attached to them what I think? "These are handsome, and facile, and there is some variety from one piece to the next. I am however unpleasantly distracted by the prints that have little cartoon characters scribbles in them. That seems trite."

The installation and lighting of these pieces is impeccable. But on some level, don't the bright red walls feel like a gimmick? If I saw these 11 pieces hung close together on a white wall, what would I think of them? Probably just that they have rich color and look expensively printed, and have been designed by someone very capable in using illustrator. Nicely decorative, but really, not a lot of meaningful content.

Next, you enter a very large 'L'- shaped space, with charcoal gray walls, and an array of flat-panel TVs in a sort of daisy pattern on the end wall. There are six dark gray sofas which are filled with people, respectfully watching what turns out to be a slowly morphing display of designs and colors on the 12 screens. This is what Mr. Eno means by that title: "77 million paintings". It's very colorful and pretty. I enjoy the slowness of the shifts in color and patterns, which is like going to a demanding but rewarding avant-garde film. On one level, it's great that people are willing to sit there for half an hour in order to experience it, when they might more too typically spend Saturday night at slambang Hollywood film.

But what does this mean, I spend about 20 minutes with it, and I can't for the life of me really discern any cogent message. I recall a critic's line from 30 years ago in which he described the work of a San Diego-based pattern painter as "the thinking man's tablecloths."

Also, when I spend time watching evolving colors and patterns on a video display I can't help but compare it to the work of one of my favorite artists, Jennifer Steinkamp. No contest. Jennifer's work is rousing, technically brilliant, sometimes metaphorical, other times just so jazzy and precisely installed that it leaves me with a warm glow thinking all is well in the art world.

While the Brian Eno works are beautifully installed, I can't discern any intended meaning. Maybe his point is that intention is of no interest, and that it's best to let the machine generate both the sequence of colors, and the music which is part of this experience. I've enjoyed his collaborations with Talking Heads, and in the 70's respected his ambient music; not that I listened to it for days on end. Maybe I am missing something in this slowly evolving video piece, because it reflects his ambient aesthetic to which I never felt a great connection. I also find myself comparing what's on these flat panel screens to the large show Bill Viola had at the Getty several years ago. While I found that show a little grandiose, there were individual pieces in which you've viewed an actor emoting in slow motion and it was very evocative, albeit cool in a sort of pseudo scientific way.

It might be, that the Eno exhibit is better experienced without the crowd. It's up until December 13th, so I'll give it another go, and see if my perception changes.

Pompeii and the Roman Villa at LACMA

I went to the Pompeii show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art tonight. Overall, a very satisfying exhibit.

I've never been much of a history buff, but became more interested due to several books I've read such as Colleen McCullough's "The First Man in Rome" -- a great historical novel. I also really liked the book called Pompeii by Robert Harris, which made the experience of being present during the eruption of Vesuvius quite real. And like a lot of people, I was very impressed with the HBO series, "Rome."

So I entered the Anderson building , and for once I tried out the audio tour. I'm definitely no fan of docents, and for most exhibits I'm not really interested in audio tours either, but in this case the brief statements and background music were soothing and informative.

This was a large show, maybe 150 pieces, which seem to be very high-quality, probably because many of them were lent by the Pompeii Museum in Naples. There was a nice mixture of large-scale marble and bronze sculptures, tabletop pieces, frescoes, and a few mosaic floors. What I like best, was a side gallery which contained a grouping of bronze animals which can only be described as charming. I was tempted to grab a coiled bronze snake sitting on the block of alabaster and run for the door. It was just so appealing. Nearby was a sculpture of a wild boar being pestered by two small dogs. The rendering of the fur of the former in bronze was sublime. Apparently, water once issued from the boar's mouth. I could easily imagine people living in that palatial home, loving these modestly scaled pieces, enjoying them perhaps for years. only to be buried with eruption of Vesuvius, hidden, then enjoyed again 2000 years in the future. Because the galleries were virtually empty, it was easy for me to feel a certain sense of possession my favorite artifacts.

Other pieces that pushed me back in time included a set of 4 to 5 inch tall bronze deities, and several fresco fragments displaying the exotic cuisine prepared for a banquet. The peak moment came in one of the last galleries, when I entered a triclinium, or dining room, with three incredible read fresco walls from a large building outside Pompeii. I could feel the presence of people sitting up against these frescoes, enjoying their food, catching the eye of one of the gods framed in the trompe l'oeil architectural settings. The room was really beautiful and had only recently been exhumed. It was in an area underwater, exposed by freeway construction, and therefore had to be removed from its original site. It was nearly intact, and it was great to be up to spend five or ten minutes in this room alone. There were a number of guards nearby, but since it was getting close to closing there were anxiously anticipating the end of the day, and yaking loudly in Tagalog, or something. Kind of annoying and unprofessional.

Time flew. I really enjoyed the whole show, which really needs about two hours, if you have any real interest in the art of this period. I would say the quality of the artworks was exceptional, the installation design with decent with very well done lighting, and a nice mix of objects in each of the galleries.

I'd recommend this show to anyone with an interest in Roman artifacts. Bear in mind it's $25 to get in, or $20 if you go after six. For me, it was very worthwhile, because so many of the objects spoke to me, and took me away to a different world.

The exhibition is up until October 4th.

The Great Spaces of Southern California

I'm teaching a course in 3d design at Otis College, and in order to learn more about what makes a space unique and interesting, I asked my students to find a "great space" in Southern California, and produce a very concise photo essay.

So the question is, "Where are the great spaces?"

I'm open to suggestions.

It seems easy to think of numerous incredible places in Europe, because there is so much history, and a stronger tradition of commitment to great plazas, churches, train stations and airports. Frankly, Southern California seems relatively mundane. Part of this may be the fact that so much of work by star architects consists of residential design (the Case Study houses for example) that is generally not available.

My list starts with the obvious: The Getty Center, The new downtown cathedral, the Disney Hall (which I am almost sick of looking at), the new Arts High School by Coop Himmelblau.

Garden spaces, such as the Noguchi Sculpture Garden next to South Coast plaza, the Chinese Garden at the Huntington Library, the Garden at the Getty Center by artist Robert Irwin.

What else?

Union Station, of course, and the Bradbury Building. The high ceilinged halls of Geffen MOCA, which are certainly more interesting than the Bunker Hill branch.

So many of our public spaces are shopping malls, but are any of these great? Things like the Beverly Center, and Westside Pavillion are banal. And Frank Gehry hung his head in shame, when the Santa Monica Place project was complete. The Grove is a sort of Disney-fied european street, but it is an active and pleasant place to wander. Being next to the tacky claustrophobia inducing stalls of the original Farmer's Market makes it more interesting.

I was meandering through 3d models in Google Earth, and rediscovered one of my favorite spaces, the Monsanto Ride at Disneyland. Sadly, it was destroyed years ago, but the memories of entering the microscope and having the terrifying experience of shrinking to the size of an atom remain strong.

Off the 405

Went to a free music event at the Getty Museum on Saturday Night called "Saturdays off the 405." It was a surprisingly large crowd, but still on such a beautiful evening with perfect weather, I was very happy to be there.

Once a month in summer the Getty hosts these events, starting a 6PM. Good news is free parking. Bad news is $7 for a glass of wine in a plastic cup.

The crowd is twenty-thirty somethings, with some families mixed in. It's actually very pleasant and casual. You can wander in the gardens if you want to escape, and in fact one of the smartest things may be to smuggle in you own wine and snacks, and hang out there, letting the music wash over from the plaza.

The first band, was like a pale imitation of Berlin (late 70's/early 80's punk band). I stayed away from that. The next group, featured a talented vocalized wailing in either Celtic, or simply in nonsense verse to ambient synthesizer instrumentals. I know that sounds bad, but it was quite nice for the setting. The main plaza was more alive than I'd ever seen it, and the security forces of the Getty were politely present--just trying to maintain a 10' clear swath through the crowd.

The galleries are all open, but of course most of the visitors could care less, especially about looking at things like the French furniture collection. So, if you need a respite, try hanging out underneath the Louis Quinze chandelier with the crystal fishbowl underneath.

I wish the main cafe was open, but now it's only used at lunch time, so other than making a reservation at the pricey but superb restaurant, your stuck with snack, or maybe a sandwich from the lower plaza cafe. At least if you go there a drink is only six bucks.

The event starts at 6PM. Free parking after five, though it can be a slow crawl down into the bowels of the garage. Concessions close promptly at 8:30.

One of my favorite parts of the evening was being able to walk slowly down the hill with hundreds of other people who didn't want to be crammed into the packed trams. Having had a strangely alcoholic cocktail for my final drink (I believe it was made with Persimmons, Cardoman, Rum, and Qualudes, I was most happy to sober up on this nocturnal stroll.

Hollyhock House in Hollywood

The weather was perfect today, Sir Narciso and I visited the Hollyhock House, which is in the Barnesdale art park. This is the first residential structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Los Angeles. When I first visited it 30+ years ago it was wreck. Now, it has been beautifully restored, and is really worth a special trip.

We met the docent for our tour, near the front door. Her voice was somewhat piercing, but she was enthusiastic, and seemed to be very well-informed. After a brief introductory talk, we entered the house through a passageway that got progressively more and more narrow. The front doors of the Hollyhock House are made of cement, and are about 3 inches thick. They weigh several hundred pounds, but are so well hinged, that they will swing with the pressure of a fingertip.

Like many of the buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright, the ceilings crush and compress you. Famously, he once said something like anyone over 5'6" tall is a weed.

Once you step through the doorway, the house is a revelation. You have been compressed, in order to enter an exciting, and even explosive space. It's not bright. It's not walls of open class. Everything is controlled. And that's not a bad thing. The paneling and cabinets throughout the house are made from quarter sawn Oak. With detailing that is strange, and unique to this one building.

The Hollyhock House sits on top of Olive Hill, and has views that include the Hollywood sign and Griffith Park Observatory. The current conservators, have done an amazing job of restoring the furniture and finishes of this once abandoned, and nearly demolished icon of modern architecture in Los Angeles.

Ms. Barnesdale only occupy the home for four years. She found it dark and damp and somewhat confining. While that may be true in the bedrooms and bathrooms, the living room, the circulation pathways, the dining room, music room, and library, our magnificent. The House has also been enhanced by the addition of a very contemporary landscaping.

The structure was built, while Frank Lloyd Wright was preoccupied with the completion of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. There is an aesthetic connection between the two buildings, but the Hollyhock House had a deeply flawed roof design that led to nearly constant water damage. Great works of architecture are known to frequently be leaky, but this house was ridiculous. The conservators still haven't really figured out how to protect the interior so as a temporary measure they have installed rather ugly galvanized metal coverings over some of the original roof structure.

We had a nice visit, and it was particularly satisfying that we were allowed to see most of the rooms in the house. After taking the tour, it's worth driving up to the Ennis House, which is about 2 miles away up in the Hollywood Hills. The Ennis house, which I think is the largest of the textile block houses done by Wright, can only be viewed from outside, and even though it has suffered substantial damage due to flaws in the construction technology, you can see that it must have been like living in a fantastic temple. It has apparently been taken over by the state of California, and the exterior is partially restored.

Those two structures were a nice dose of architecture, and after our visit we were ready for a bite to eat. We wandered down the hill on a street called Hillhusrt, and found a nice outdoor café, called The Alcove. You order at the counter, which features a number of huge desserts, and it turns out that the food is excellent, colorful, fairly healthy, and the portions are rather large. The patios surrounding what was formerly a bungalow, are pleasantly landscaped, and feature an eclectic makes of garden furniture. The crowd at The Alcove is equally eclectic. Good food, decent service, and some interesting beers. Therefore, strongly recommended. Further up the block is a good mix of coffee houses, sushi bars, and a decent Italian restaurant called Farfalla. 

Super Elastic on Thursday February 5th

Next stop is the "Super Elastic" exhibit presented by "Phantom Galleries," at the Pacifica Building in Long Beach. This will be a chance to see the work of one of my favorite artists, Rebecca Niederlander. The opening is from 5-9PM on February 5th. 

The Element

A modest beginning...

I went to the lecture of author, Den Robinson, at the UCLA Hammer Museum. The book he published last month is titled, "The Element - How finding your passion changes everything." The crux of his interest is the difference fertile soil, such as enthusiastic education that values diversity, makes in the development of a satisfied life.

The image he showed twice was of the flower filled floor of Death Valley--a very rare event. Heavy rains in 2004 lead to this explosion of life. The seeds of beauty and creation are dormant in everyone, and if the right circumstance occurs, a beautiful blooming results.

He described the U.S. educational systems as being rooted in concepts from the 18th and 19th century, a time would know one could imagine a globally connected world. He equated the attempt to standardized education as equivalent to fast food--you'll always know what you'll bet, but it won't be good, and it won't be good for you. He suggested that schools should be more like a Michelin guide than a McDonalds. Wherever you go in the world, virtually every restaurant mentioned in a Michelin guide is very good. Not only very good, but unique and different. 

I'll have to read more of the book in order to better understand his concepts, and what he suggests doing about fixing things. He was a very witty Englishman. A pleasant dark streak to his humor. Definitely very ironic. I was very impressed by the fact that he didn't hide behind the podium. He gave an entertaining and focused talk to the 300 people present. In the end, he said that a great teacher excels in being able to make any topic highly interesting. 

Start up

This is  the beginning of a blog, and podcasts that will explore contemporary art experiences and events in the Los Angeles area. I'll be covering things that happen at the big museums, like the fantastic day last month when one of the most creative art organizations in L.A., Machine Project, was invited to take over LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) for a day. One a great combo, and kudos to the director of LACMA, Michael Govan, for being both brave and creative about what can happen at the largest art museum in the West. 

We seem to have avoided a tragic closure of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) thanks to the criticism of people like John Knight, and the one person, Eli Broad who really puts his money where his mouth is, when it comes to contemporary art culture in Los Angeles.