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!

Ciao Maurizio

After reading many reviews (pro and con), I went to see the Maurizio Cattelan exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum to form my own opinion about this controversial exhibition.  Titled "All" the exhibition was designed to include 130 works dating from the late 1980s through the present serving as the artist's first comprehensive retrospective and his last.  Now for the controversial part; all 130 works were hung from the skylight of the Guggenheim.  It was designed as a farewell to the artworld and was one of the most unique uses of the architecture of the Guggenheim ever.  I'll admit that I wasn't exactly a maven or fan of his work before I saw the show but I went with an open mind and came out of the museum not only a fan but sad that I didn't discover him so much earlier.

If you are hungry for more (as Anthony Bourdain would say), go to iTunes and download the fantastic, award-winning app about the exhibition, narrated by John Waters.

Once a Year Miracle - Christmas in New York

You can't help but experience an inspiring outpouring of creativity when you are in New York during the Christmas holiday. Here are some shots of the amazing store windows on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. Seems like the animal kingdom was the theme for 2011.

The Future was Now

Today I visited the PST exhibition at LACMA, "California Design, 1930-1965, Living in a Modern Way." I thought it was a terrific show and one of my favorites from the entire PST initiative. It had very interesting objects, beautifully installed and reminded me of my childhood. We moved to California in 1965 and we truly felt that the future was just waiting for us, quite the contrast to the show at the Hammer focusing on the African-American artists of the day.  Personal note: seeing the Barbie doll and house really took me back as I had the same exact house.