Holiday Wishes

May You Experience All the Joys of the Season. 
(photo by Kelly Nicolaisen "Snow Angel")

SEX (now that I've got your attention)

At the risk of my blog beginning to resemble the NY Times Obituary column, I feel compelled to pay tribute to David Rakoff and Helen Gurley Brown, both of whom shined a spotlights on Sex - Sex and the Single Girl and Sex and the Single Gay Guy.

I will truly miss hearing David's very droll voice on Saturday mornings on This American Life.  His observations and word-smithing were unparalleled and never failed to make me LOL.  His recently aired story that combined the dilemma of Kafka's Gregor Samsa changing into a cock roach in the Metamophosis with medical advise from Dr. Seuss was nothing short of brilliant.



You can listen to him here:  http://www.thisamericanlife.org/blog/2012/08/our-friend-david-rakoff

And where would we single girls be without Helen Gurley Brown?  Cosmo taught me everything!  When she died she was 90 and still working - and workin' "it."  She will always be an inspiration!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/business/media/helen-gurley-brown-who-gave-cosmopolitan-its-purr-is-dead-at-90.html?ref=obituaries

Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry

One voice against a nation. What would you do for your generation, for your country, for humanity,
for art?  Don't miss this documentary about an amazing and inspirational man.

Learn more about him and the movie here:
http://aiweiweineversorry.com/index.html

Seeing "Red"

After several years, Jonathan Logan's "Red" has finally made it's way to Los Angeles and we are lucky enough to have Alfred Molina and Jonathan Groff in their original roles as Mark Rothko and his estute, studio assistant, Ken. This Cranky Gallery Girl can't rave enough about this fantastic production. The writing, acting and staging are all stellar, well worthy of all the accolades and awards it has received in London and on Broadway.

Set in Rothko's studio, the play sets out to raise questions about art history, the art market, collectors and most importantly what we expect from a painting, and what is the role of the viewer? With what has been going on in Los Angeles in recent times, these questions are as relevant today as when Rothko was wrestling with them in the mid 1950s.  The dialogue between these two characters lingered with me like,well... a beautiful (did I just use that word) Rothko painting.

You can read the LA Times rave here: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-0814-red-review-20120814,0,2581031.story

One Shocking Sensation

I woke up this morning to the news that both  Marvin Hamlish and Robert Hughes had died.  The loss of these two men, who contributed so much to culture and art are gone and it was quite a blow...especially with "art of the disco" curated by James Franco looming on the horizon.

"A Chorus Line" opened on Broadway in 1975 and I took my first trip to New York in 1976.  I had been pre-destined to a life of dance since I was 4 but seeing "A Chorus Line" made me realize that a career of real life dancing wasn't going to be Mrs. Pettit's dance class for girls.  Still I loved it, I LOVED IT!!! I loved the Bob Fosse choreography and I LOVED that music, Marvin Hamlish's music.  I wore out the record - twice!  And when we all switched to CDs, I bought that music for a third time. Still to this day I can't forget, won't regret what I did for LOVE...go ahead..put it on full blast in your car and SING and tip your top hat to Marvin Hamlish!

By 1980 when "The Shock of the New" aired on PBS, I had re-directed my sights to art.  Art encompassed not just beautiful objects but history, politics, religion and the world.  I fell for Robert Hughes hook, line and sinker.  The way he expressed himself, taking no prisoners, not apologizing for his often controversial opinions and being just a little bit rough around the edges with his Aussie accent made him my Hemingway. He will always be the greatest art critic to me.

If you are are curious to read more about Robert Hughes click here: 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2012/aug/07/robert-hughes-greatest-art-critic?intcmp=239

Or watch clips of Hughes take on the Meaning of Art, Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and the art market in general, click here:

http://galleristny.com/2012/08/robert-hughes-visits-alberto-mugrabi-and-other-adventures-in-art-criticism/

Nick Waterhouse in the House!

I discovered a great new band over the weekend at the Getty. Their Saturdays off the 405 program was featuring Nick Waterhouse and the Tarots so I went to check it out. Nick looks like a sort of modern day Buddy Holly or a geek from the math club. With the Tarots they combine an old school style R&B with a 60s feel.  Add some some great horns and you can't stop your toes from tappin' and your booty from shakin'. Here's their official video. Hope you like it as much as I do.  Thanks to the Getty for a terrific event!

If you are hungry for more, check out a full performance and interview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEHn9TXQXIg&feature=related

The Times are Changing / More on MOCA

I read this very thought-provoking article in the LA Times (shocking, I know!) by Mary McNamara on the changing vision of MOCA and it's controversial Director, Jeffrey Deitch.  Ms McNamara asks the question, in today's contemporary (read: wired) society, is it possible to reach an increasingly distracted audience without losing the depth and focus of what you originally intended?  I think "Newsroom" on HBO asks the same questions and Ms. McNamara points out that with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert being the most trusted "newsmen" in America, the times are indeed changing.  Give it a read.


http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-critics-notebook-moca-20120723,0,7831950.story

Disco MoCA

I've been formulating a post on the firing of Paul Schimmel from MOCA but when I saw this article I just had to share it.   It says so much.  Get out your glitter platforms art girls...it's disco time at MoCA. Thanks Jeffrey!  Forget all those ground-breaking shows that Paul curated for us all those years.  Who needs scholarship!  Who needs art history!   Dim all the lights sweet Jeffrey and clear the room of the Rothkos and the Pollock...we gonna dance the night away!

http://galleristny.com/2012/07/jeffrey-deitch-on-james-murphys-fire-in-the-disco-show-at-moca-la/

Liquor Library at Playa

Beautiful spot for a night cap.

Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present

File under "Must Watch!"  I watched the documentary on Marina Abramovic this past weekend.  The film chronicles the preparation for Abramovic's retrospective exhibition at MOMA in 2010 and the compelling performance work of the same name; "The Artist is Present."  This cranky gallery girl highly recommends this art doc for insight into this controversial, provocative and ground breaking, performance artist.  Ask yourself how many times you have really connected with a stranger?

Checkout MoMA's photo stream on Flickr to see portraits of the sitters, their emotional reaction and the length of time they sat with Marina.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/themuseumofmodernart/sets/72157623741486824/

4th of July in the Bathtub

Earlier this week, I saw a film that I can't stop thinking about, "Beasts of the Southern Wild."  For me, the way in which Benh Zeitlin, the director told the story of people that I've never seen before was masterful and quite an achievement for a first time director. The extraordinary acting (by non actors, by the way) and beautiful art direction left me stuck in my chair when the lights came up.  Since it's showing at both Sundance and Cannes, "Beasts" is already getting quite a lot of buzz. I hope you are able to see it before reading about it so as to savor the many surprises of this beautiful, poetic and hopeful film. The reason I am making note of this film today is to share with you the astute and timely observations made by AO Scott and David Carr of the NY Times about this film. In light of our divisive political climate, the events of this week in our country, and the notion of what it is to be American, I think their comments about "Beasts" are worthy of our attention. Happy 4th of July.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/06/29/arts/design/100000001636103/the-sweet-spot-june-29-2012.html?partner=rss

The Rock Has Arrived

After much fanfare Michael Heizer's "Levitated Mass" has finally opened at LACMA.  It definitely completes the museum campus in a very inviting and engaging way. But don't ask me what it means or what the artist's intent for the work is.  Just enjoy.

The (Girl) Power of Humor

I assume all of my fellow art girls and others alike are equally saddened by the untimely passing of Nora Ephron. Anyone who could bring us Silkwood, Heartburn, When Harry Met Sally, I Feel Bad about my Neck and so many other fantastic films, essays and plays is a voice that will be missed among women and men of all ages. Hearing and reading all of the loving tributes in newspapers, blogs and on NPR make me miss her all the more. What stories were left untold? How many laughs were waiting to be laughed. As Nora’s life was chronicled again and again, I couldn’t help but marvel at the amazing journey this woman had in only 71 short years. From being the first woman writer at The Post to writing, directing and producing her own feature films is quite a triumph. Her life wasn’t without it’s ups and downs but she always seemed to make lemonade out of those lemons. She did have a big leg up being born to successful parents who were in “the biz” but there are lots of people in the same situation who don’t accomplish half as much. If ever there was a shining example of the importance of having a good education and a sense of humor, I think Nora Ephron is it. Like so many others, I will miss her. I really will have "what she’s having."

Homage to Fantin Latour

Frieze, NYC

Over the weekend, I visited the Frieze Art Fair in New York on Randall's Island. The ferry ride and the venue were fabulous and the view of New York from Randall's Island was new to me all together.  Hats off to whoever conceived of the idea to have an art fair there. There were a few select booths that brought top drawer work (Anish Kapoor at Lisson Gallery and Damien Hirst at White Cube being two) but this Cranky Gallery Girl was fairly cranky about most of the artwork.  The trend in "recycled" materials is not exactly my cup of tea.  No need to belabor the point.  On a positive note, the food stands were fabulous!