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The Art of Serendipity: James Van Der Zee & Derek Fordjour
I love little moments of artistic serendipity. I come across them often and they are the fuel behind this site. Today, while looking at the work of photographer James Van Der Zee, I came across this picture: It immediately reminded me of a painting by Derek Fordjour that I fell in love with a few months ago.…
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The Santa Monica Museum of Art Heads East
Last spring, in a strategic move that I related to on a very personal level, the Santa Monica Museum of Art decided to pull up stakes on its Bergamot Station location to re-evaluate its mission in a self-reflective, revitalization effort called SMMoA Unbound. Today the museum announced that it would be relocating from Santa Monica…
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SFMOMA in 3: Part 3
Recognizing that 3 posts about SFMOMA may have been overkill, I would be remiss if I didn’t share some observations on the functional space and the technology in addition to a couple of warnings that may save you from some awkward museum moments. Everything about the new building orchestrates visitors to the Fisher collection, which…
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SF MOMA in 3: Part 2
Now that we got the essentials out of the way in yesterday’s post, it’s time to see some art! As I previously warned, I don’t suggest you try to see everything in 1 day. There are 7 floors of art, so I suggest that you pick 3 and spend some quality time with the collections.…
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SFMOMA in 3
Seasoned arts professionals who visited San Francisco last Thursday for a press preview of the magnificent new Museum of Modern Art also ambitiously popped over to the new Gagosian space, the Wattis Institute or Minnesota St Projects all in the same day. I am far from seasoned. After my day at SFMOMA I stumbled into the bar at 111…
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Why Are We Asking the Same Questions About Lemonade?
I promised myself I was not going to write about Lemonade, but here I am shaking my head. Why is everyone asking the same questions about Lemonade? Who is Becky? Did Jay really cheat? Is Beyoncé paying homage to Pipilotti Rist? Ok that 3rd one is pretty esoteric, but that’s what the art world is…
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Mural Buffings Confirm Fears of Runaway Development in DTLA’s Arts District
Early on in my career I was given a small piece of advice that dictated how I presented myself professionally: “Dress for the job you want.” In the intersecting space between gentrification and street art, developers have applied that age old career advice to the neighborhoods they invest in. When it comes to street art,…
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Art + Practice Re-Visits “Bad” Painting
“Not Bad Meaning Bad, but Bad Meaning Good.”-Peter Piper, Run DMC In 1978 the New Museum opened “Bad” Painting, an exhibition featuring artists that eschewed conventional artistic practices to create work that challenged precepts of high culture and countered Minimalist/Conceptualist art. “It is figurative work that defies, either deliberately or by virtue of disinterest, the classic…
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Unmentionables: Zoë Buckman at Papillion
Peering through a gallery window at lingerie hanging from the ceiling made me feel like a voyeur. Catching a glimpse of Papillion while closed was probably the best way to experience their latest exhibit by Zoë Buckman called Every Curve. In this body of work the artist explores the polarities between feminism and hip hop and the cultural dynamics of both existing within…
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The Ghost in the Machine: Mark Bradford & Robert Glasper Combine Creative Forces
Art and music collide in a beautifully explosive Steinway & Sons collaboration that showcases the Spirio piano in a new light. The Steinway Commission pairs visual artists with Steinway musicians to create unique works of art that reflect their collaborative vision and process. This three year project makes its debut with a Steinway Spirio piano that…
Colony Little, Culture Shock Art 