4th Annual Television Costume Design exhibition at FIDM

[Costumes from The Tudors at the FIDM museum]

The annual TV costume design exhibit is going on right now at FIDM in downtown LA. The exhibit showcases the costumes from several hit shows like The Tudors, Gossip Girl, Dancing with the Stars, Project Runway and the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Check out the free exhibit in downtown and have a picnic in the park (there's a Ralphs just up the street!). Or try one of the great bars in the area for happy hour: Downtown LA Bar scene

FIDM
919 South Grand Ave
LA, CA 90015
Wednesday, July 29th 2009- Sunday, September 6th 2009
Open Weds-Sun 10am-4pm

The Frederick Weisman Museum: Los Angeles

[Photo: Sun-room of the Weisman house]

The Frederick Weisman museum in Los Angeles houses over 400 works of art, all by artists of the 20th century. However you will be surprised to know this museum isn't an ordinary museum in a building full of white walls- it is a house. A mansion in Hombly Hills to be exact. In fact it is the house Fred Weisman and his wife lived in. Even more interestingly is that they lived with these artworks exactly as they are shown today.

The house is open free to the public but only by appointment and guided tour. Inside the very 1980's mansion you will see art from the likes of Max Ernst, Andy Warhol (they have 10 Marilyn Monroe faces!!!), de Kooning, Rothko, Lichtenstein, Giacometti, Rauchenberg, Miro, Kandinsky etc etc. And don't be alarmed if you see oddly realistic sculptures of people throughout the tour. Possibly the weirdest encounter is the older lady in the foyer. If you didn't know any better, you'd think she was a straggler from the last tour. They are THAT realistic. Even weirder is that the Weismans collected so many of them and LIVED with them in their house that way.

[Photo: Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe]

This tour is a MUST see for any art lover. Instead of viewing art in the strict confines of a museum you get the chance to interact with artworks. And even more, you get to see how people lived with their art in such a personal way.

When you sign up to go on the tour they will fax you over pertinent information- such as the map and also a form you need to fill out and fax back. You are also not allowed to arrive any earlier than 5 minutes prior to your tour, since it is a house with limited parking.

Foundation Tour Hours
Days : Monday through Friday
Time : From 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM.

Advanced reservations are required.
Tel: (310) 277-5321
Fax: (310) 277-5075
Email: tours@weismanfoundation.org
Weismanfoundation.org

Pompeii and the Roman Villa Exhibit at LACMA

Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples, is currently on view at LACMA in Los Angeles. The exhibit includes works of art from the imperial villa at Oplontis and from aristocratic villas such as the Villa San Marco at Stabiae and the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum, as well as works from the opulent houses of the urban elite in Pompeii, whose very name conjures up ancient Rome and other towns along the bay of Naples. More about the exhibit when you click "Read More"

I found the exhibit to be very interesting when you think about the context of all these works. There were so many affluent Romans during the 1st century that they wanted to spend their money on commissioned works of art, gold jewelry and gorgeous interior decoration and architecture. Unfortunately in the city of Rome at the time- the wealthy were forbidden to flaunt their money and often lived in very austere homes. So just like many affluent people in today's society have a beach house in Malibu or a house at the Hamptons-- these Romans had Villas on the Bay of Naples. They were able to lavishly decorate their homes here and live in luxury.

Also interesting and kind of entertaining was the idea that artists would recreate ancient Greek statues and sell them as ancient works--which Roman buyers had to get their hands on.

The exhibit is on view at Lacma from
May 3–October 4, 2009

Get Rich Quick: Contemporary Art Exhibit

The "Get Rich Quick" exhibit opens Thursday May 7th with a reception from 7pm to 10pm at the Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art. The exhibit will show a selection of artwork from some of the strongest voices in the contemporary art world, including Adam Neate, Antony Micallef, Banksy, Barry McGee, Bast, D*Face, Dalek, David Choe, David Choong Lee, Faile, Herbert Baglione, Ian Francis, KAWS, Nick Walker, Paul Insect, Shepard Fairey, Sixeart, Skullphone, Space Invader, Swoon, and Will Barras.

RSVP for the reception to: rsvp@carmichaelgallery.com

Nick Walker

Banksy

Banksy's street art is really refreshing and funny-- check out his work here:banksy.co.uk
The exhibition will be open for viewing through Thursday, May 28th 2009 from 1.00pm - 7.00pm.

Carmichael Gallery

1257 N. La Brea Avenue
W. Hollywood CA 90038

The Getty Villa

The Getty Villa

The Getty Villa is a gorgeous museum in Malibu that houses J. Paul Getty's collection of ancient works. There are approximately 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities, including sculptures, vases and gorgeous jewels. Also impressive is the architecture which was constructed to re-create a first century Roman country house, the Villa dei Papiri. So don't forget to take a walk around the grounds. There are apparently 300 different plants throughout the gardens. It is easy to get overwhellmed with the extensive collection of art- so you can
enhance your visit with a GettyGuide audio player, available for $5 at the Pick-Up Desk on Floor 1 of the Museum. The player features insightful commentary from curators and conservators on over 150 works of art in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa and in special exhibitions.

The Getty Villa is a must see-- plus tickets are free- so there is no excuse!

Greek, Egypt, 300 - 100 B.C.
Gold and glass

Admission
Admission to the Getty Villa and to all exhibitions is FREE. An advance, timed ticket is required for each adult. And parking costs $10.

Get your tickets and find out more about the museum here: www.getty.edu

LACMA exhibition: BMW Art Cars

Another interesting exhibit going on at LACMA right now are the BMW art cars. It is on view though tomorrow. So go stop by if you are in the area. The four cars are on display between the two buildings- near the BCAM entrance. The car seen above was done by Andy Warhol and was actually a performance piece because Warhol painted live before camera. He was inspired by the movement of a racing car and tried to imply wind blowing across the surface with the blurring of the multiple colors together. Click "Read more" to see pictures and more info about the exhibit.

Frank Stella took the most literal approach to his art car. His work is inspired by the cars blue print and technical drawings.

Roy Lichtenstein's car is clearly inspired by his usual art style (made up of Benday dots and flat blocks of color). But he was also influenced by the distance and area in which the car would be traveling, which includes a bright yellow rising sun on the horizon.


Robert Rauchenberg's inspiration for the car was as if it was a mobile museum. He painted the hubcaps as if they were antique plates and he reproduced two famous works of art, Bronzino's "Portrait of a Young Man" and Ingres' "Le Grande Odalisque"

Check out this exhibit at LACMA

The Art of Two Germany's Exhibit @ LACMA

The Art of Two Germanys exhibit at LACMA, is a fascinating look into post WWII and Coldwar era Germany. Following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, the nation was divided into four occupational zones (The Soviet Union, The US, Great Britain and France each having a section). The political tensions of these zones ultimately lead to the Cold War, which manifested in the formation of 2 German States in 1949. These two states were: the Western liberal democracy (West Germany) and the Federal Republic of German (East Germany).


When the artwork produced by these two German states are shown together, it is a window directly through their eyes. East German artists painted in a socialist realism art style which served as propaganda for the Communist state. This is juxtaposed by the abstract expressionist style of West German artists (both styles shown below)


One of my favorite rooms is filled with works from the 1960's and 70's, where artists started to experiment with new forms, materials and technologies. When you walk into the room you are greeted by the unmistakable smell of chocolate. It turns out the pastry cart, on the left hand side of the photo, is full of cracking, molding, chocolate lion busts.

While this exhibit can be an emotionally heavy one at times, it is also full of surprises around every corner. It is very large, comprised of over 300 works from 120 different artists (so give yourself an hour or two). It will be at LACMA (in the new BCAM building) until April 19th.

Further Reading:
LACMA: Exhibition information
LAT: Great, extensive review
LACMA on Fire: LACMA Blogger scoop

17th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition @ FIDM

The popular exhibition features actual costumes from the previous year's most memorable films. This year, the costumes are from a host of fabulous movies, including The Dark Knight, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, The Duchess (pictured above), and so many more--over 22 movies in all!

Being a costume designer AND an alum of FIDM, this exhibit is naturally one of my favorites in LA. It is always so fun to see the costumes up close and personal. It opened to the public Wednesday January 29th and will continue to run until March 29th.

The exhibition is free to the public. Group Tours are available. Visit the FIDM Museum & Galleries online for more information.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays through March 29.

Where: FIDM Museum & Galleries at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, 919 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

Information: 213-624-1200, ext. 2224.

Interview with the museums curator and exhibit info [Ventura County Star]
First Look at the Exhibit [FIDM Magazine]

A day at the Getty

The Getty is a great place to go to have a picnic, see the exhibits, walk around the rose garden and enjoy the architecture. It is free thanks to the Getty family (though parking is $8). The Getty museum is at 1200 Getty Center Drive. Los Angeles, CA 90049-1687. Phone: +1 (310) 440-7330

Two great exhibits there right now:

Carlo Cignani
Italian, about 1670–1680
Oil on canvas
39 x 39 in. (99.1 x 99.1 cm)
EX.2008.7.9
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

"This exhibition tells the extraordinary story of a small group of artists who changed the course of art history. In the decades after the deaths of the great Renaissance masters, such as Raphael and Michelangelo, the art of painting was thought to have gone into steep decline. But then, in the late 16th century, the Carracci family of painters from Bologna burst onto the scene with tremendous energy and vitality, raising art to new heights."

My favorite section is where they show three different artists painting the same subject: Joseph and Potifar's wife. It's very interesting to see how three different artists portray a subject very differently.

The Limbourg brothers create incredible illuminated manuscripts that are just amazing to see. There is so much detail on such a small page- they even have magnifying glasses at the exhibit.

Limbourg brothers
French, Paris, 1405–8/9
Ink, tempera, and gold leaf on vellum
9 3/8 x 6 11/16 in. (23.8 x 17 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters Collection, 1954 (54.1.1, fol. 63)

LACMA exhibition: Vanity Fair Portraits

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr and Joan Crawford, Santa Monica, 1929, Vanity Fair, October 1929, © Condé Nast Publications Inc./Courtesy Condé Nast Archive.

One of my favorite photographs in the exhibit is the one above. Although it was taken in the 20's I feel like it is so timeless and classic. Plus I've never seen Joan Crawford look relaxed and not severe.

The Vanity Fair portrait exhibit is at LACMA right now- through March 1st. So you still have plenty of time to see it! The photographs run from 1918 to 2008. When you see them all together it is a chance to see how things have changed in terms of photography, celebrity, and history. All of the early photographs had authors and political figures as their covers. By the time we get into the 30's-40's we see the change to actors and celebrities.

Julianne Moore as Ingres’s ‘Grand Odalisque’, New York City, Michael Thompson
© Condé Nast Publications Inc. / Courtesy Michael Thompson


La Grand Odalisque by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. 1814

The photographers represented include Cecil Beaton, Harry Benson, Julian Broad, Imogen Cunningham, Annie Leibovitz, Man Ray, Mary Ellen Mark, Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, Edward Steichen, Mario Testino, and Bruce Weber. All in all the exhibit was very interesting and enjoyable. Definitely a Culturista recommendation. Los Angeles is actually the only stop in the U.S.--after March 1st it continues on its international tour.

Have you ever wondered what's 'under the dinner table'?

Lady L and I went to see the "Age of the Imagination" exhibit at L.A.C.M.A last week. I am a huge fan of Japanese art--especially from the Edo period, which this exhibit boasted. But to be honest, I was sorely disappointed. There were a few noteworthy pieces, including-- a gorgeous kimono, an original samurai costume and a modern interpretation of the Tales of Genji, told in a series of photographs from a live theater performance. But the exhibition was very small- and while it did make use of the Japanese pavillion's round architecture--it didn't look very different from what has always been in there.


Since the exhibition took us only about a half hour or so-- we decided to pop on over to the new building (which is called the Broad Contemporary Art Museum). I must say- every time I drive by the museum on Wilshire and stare at those light posts- I still think they are under construction and are going to move them. But anyways- I was not disappointed with this collection of contemporary art at all. The rooms are full of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons and Robert Rauchenberg. Enough to keep you very well occupied, shocked, excited and amused. I especially enjoyed by Robert Therrien's "Under the Dinner Table," which is an oversize dining room table (complete with chairs) that the viewer can walk underneath. So if you haven't been already-- go check out BCAM! You wont be sorry.