Juxtapositions at the Legion of Honor

This weekend’s museum visit was out to the Legion of Honor.  We were there as the doors opened with timed tickets to catch the last weekend of Monet: The Early Years.  Greeted by a mob of people — we immediately bypassed the first room where everyone were plugged into their audio tours and were able to enjoy the show.  Knowing Monet’s work, it was fascinating to see how he got there.  Many of his early works had these clear pockets of impressionism within the paintings – particularly the harbor scenes.  As my friend commented, for Monet, water was the gateway drug.  I tend to avoid these hyped-up crowded shows, but I was glad we persevered – this was one the best curated, big shows at the Legion in long time.

Then it was time to take in the Urs Fischer installations.  It is a challenge to drop contemporary works of art into traditional galleries filled with older European art.  That the content and style of the Fischer’s works are often disturbing and challenging in themselves, adds another layer of complexity for curators.   In some cases, Fischer’s pieces work well as temporary installations.  They are well placed and make visitors take in the museum’s galleries in a new way.  The reactions of the public (or lack there of) enhance the exhibit.  I took some snapshots of some of the more successfully installed pieces.  Unfortunately, the installation, in its entirety gives the impression that everything sticking around Fischer’s studio was shipped out to California with the instructions to find a place for it.  And with many of the pieces, the reaction could be, “What is that doing here?”  The show will be there until July 2.  It is always a pleasure to visit the Legion, but prepare yourself to be delighted and at times perplexed by Fischer’s installation.

How to Hang Mail Art

On Friday we will be installing 400 pieces of original, postcard-size pink mail art.  The art was made by artists of all ages from around the world including 21 states and 34 countries.  If it were possible, we would hang each postcard, mounted between glass, in a space where visitors could view the work from both sides.  Ideally many pieces should be displayed where both sides can be appreciated.  But, like with most mail art exhibits, the curators have to come figure out different ways to display the work.  I was recently in a mail art show in France where they opted to clip the art to dangling pieces of string.  At WAL we will securely mount the mail art with pushpins.

I still wanted to hang a handful of pieces so they could be seen from both sides.  This one from the artist Snappy up in British Columbia is a good example.  He sent his piece secure in a cellophane envelope and that is where it will stay for the show.  Those delicate, pinkified models boys will remain safe from the grabby hands of the hoi polloi.  My trusted grommet maker and some pink chains from Cliff’s Variety will secure a few pieces to the wall, yet visitors will be able to handle them and appreciate them front-and-back.

The opening reception for Pink Week is on Friday, November 4, from 6-9 p.m.  The show will remain on exhibit through November 30.Warehouse Artists Lofts (WAL), 1104 R Street, Sacramento, California

Favorites at the Museum

I’ve been a regular museum visitor all my life. One of my habits is always to “visit” my favorite paintings on each visit. I can’t go into the de Young without saying hello to Elmer Bischoff’s Yellow Lampshade. I have a handful of must sees every time I pop into the de Young. I miss Charles Burchfield’s Spring Flood. They haven’t had it up since the new museum opened. If they don’t want to display it, I would gladly give it a home.

I have a few favorites at pretty much any art museum I regularly visit, even museums beyond the Bay Area. I was just down in Los Angeles at the LACMA. I took the opportunity to introduce my nephew and young cousin to a few of my friends at the museum. Thomas Hart Benton’s The Kentuckian is a perennial favorite.

If I wasn’t an artist, I’d want to be a curator. I would love an opportunity to curate some museum shows. I have a head full of ideas. Maybe one day the world will come to see Tofu’s Favorite Works and then everyone can endlessly analyze why I chose what a chose for the show. But I am getting ahead of myself, I haven’t even designed the coffee mugs for the gift shop.