Eddie Bruckner Fine Art
StreetPianos Boston City Hall Plaza 2016
Fenway PaintBox
Natick Pride & The Boston Marathon
Music, Love & Rock 'N' Roll GuitARTS!
#JumpNatick
Art Instruction for Children and Teens
Art Instruction for Adults
Downtown Los Angeles-An Arts Destination
It's been many years since I've lived in Los Angeles, but I was amazed on how much has changed over the past 20 years in Los Angeles's Downtown area. I decided to spend the day visiting some of Downtown LA's art museums. I really wanted to see one of LA's newest art museum, The Broad. I also wanted to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, also located in Downtown LA. What I discovered was that Downtown Los Angeles has become a true Arts Destination in recent years! In this blog, I'll share my thoughts and experiences at these museums as well as some amazing architecture in the area.
Check out some of my other posts about Los Angeles!
The Getty Center
Hollywood Concept Art
The Los Angeles County Museum Of Art
The Hammer Museum
The Museum of Contemporary Art is actually comprised of three locations. The first is the MOCA Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood; the second is the MOCA on Grand Avenue; and the newest location is the Geffen Contemporary. There is actually a fourth location in Nevada. Yes! Nevada. The artist, Michael Heizer's artwork titled, "Double Negative" is a work of land art located in the Moapa Valley on Mormon Mesa near Overton, Nevada and was acquired into MOCA's permanent collection in 1985. If the artist's name rings a bell, it's because I recently wrote about his other monumental piece of artwork at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; CLICK HERE TO READ THE BLOG ARTICLE. I should note that time didn't permit me to visit the Pacific Design Center, or the Geffen Contemporary (or visit Nevada), so this post will only include my visit to the MOCA on Grand Avenue. I also visited the Broad Museum (Read On & See Below.) The Geffen Contemporary is just a 15-20 minute walk from MOCA Grand and admission to one museum grants you admission to the other museum.
"Cubi III" by David Smith, Stainless Steel, 1961.
I really like Lee Krasner's artwork on so many levels. I love the emotion, and appreciate the influence Jackson Pollock had on her work, and vice versa. Krasner's oil on canvas painting shown here, "Primeval Resurgence" was on exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Grand Avenue. Painted in 1961, it is a wonderful example of abstract expressionism. The painting attempts to define itself through the brushstrokes as a direct expression of the artist's innermost feelings. Similar to Jackson Pollock's techniques of drips and splatters, the paint in "Primeval Resurgence" includes streaks, scribbles, sprayed paint, etc. Also important to note is the large size of the painting, the fact that the paint goes to all edges of the canvas, and the focus is on a singular plane, the flat surface of the painting.
Lee Krasner's "Primeval Resurgence" Oil on Canvas, 1961.
Alberto Giacometti's "Tall Figure II" & "Tall Figure III", both bronze made in 1960.
"Monitor" Oil on Canvas, 1956, by Franz Kline
Franz Kline created gestural compositions, as shown here in these two works of art. These are wonderful examples of the bold, free-form gestures and compositions associated with abstract expressionism. I learned that while these paintings seem very improvised, Kline created these artworks after perfecting dozens of preparatory sketches for each painting.
"Black Iris" Oil on Canvas, 1961, by Franz Kline
"3 Arbes (Chataignier) Empaquets (Projet pour la Fondation Maeght-St. Paul de Vence)" Pencil, Polyethylene, ropes, twine, cardboard, paint, and wax crayon mounted on wood, 1967, by Christo.
"Pepsi-Cola Sign" Muslin soaked in plaster over wire frame, painted with enamel, 1961, by Claes Oldenburg.
"White Cigarette" Oil on Canvas, 1961, by James Rosenquist.
Andy Warhol ranks pretty high up among my favorite artists. Here is "Telephone" painted in 1961; it is Acrylic on Canvas with pencil. I love how it is such a modern take on a very old-fashioned, antique telephone. Below is Warhol's painting, "Flowers" from 1964. He created these flowers using a synthetic polymer and silkscreen inks on canvas. I'm including a close up shot of the edge of the painting because I found it kind of amusing to see the exposed staples used to secure the canvas to the stretcher bars along the side of the canvas. For my artwork, I go to great length to use back-stapled canvas, and pay particular attention to the finished gallery-wrapped edges, making sure they are neat, clean, and professional.
Jim Dine's "Drag - Johnson and Mao", Etching, 1967.
The MOCA on Grand Avenue housed an entire gallery room with Mark Rothko paintings. While I can appreciate Rothko's artwork and acknowledge its importance in art history, his paintings are not my favorite. I do love all the colors, and I also love the shapes, however, there is ambiguity, blurring of lines, that doesn't hit me the right way. Rothko wanted viewers to stand close to his paintings to see the vertically stacked bands of color seem to float upon colored grounds.
I'm a fan of Morris Louis who created many paintings similar to this one shown here titled, "Pillar of Delay" painted in 1961. Louis stained his canvases with thinned-down paint and opted to paint without the use of the traditional brush, palette, and easel. Instead, he used gravity as his instrument to create his masterpieces. He created these striped pictures by pouring streaks of diluted paint fro the top of raw, un-primed canvas to create bands or stripes of color that often overlapped each other. Looking at his artwork, you can almost feel a sense of slow motion.
​In the artwork below and the detail to the right, the artist, Joseph Kosuth, used etched aluminum.
Ed Ruscha's "Fountain, Sunset, Hollywood" Acrylic on Canvas, 1999.
This large painting on two panels is by the artist, Njideka Akunyili Crosby. It's called "Garden, Thriving" and was completed in 2016. Her artwork was quite fascinating to see in person and I've included a detailed photograph of the two-panel painting. Originally from Nigeria, the artist layers photographic imagery within the chairs' fabric and the plant leaves. The images are pictures of Nigerian pop stars, models, military dictators, celebrities, and the artist's own personal photographs. To create this artwork, she uses acrylic paint, transfers, colored pencils, and collage on paper. There is so much to see in this painting, you could look at it for 10-20 minutes, or longer!
I should also mention that the mural that is wrapped around the exterior of the museum is by this same artist!
I love Jackson Pollock's work. The exhibit at the MOCA Grand was centered around the conservation process for Pollock's "Number 1, 1949". The painting was donated to the museum in 1989. I learned that over time, the painting's surface has accumulated a layer of dust, dulling the colors, discoloring the raw exposed canvas, and spoiling the unique juxtaposition of matte colors against glossy colors. During the course of the exhibition, a conservator cleans the painting on a regular basis. Although my visit was on a day that the conservator was not there, it was still fascinating to see an exhibition for the public to understand the importance of conservation. On select Thursdays, the conservator leads a Q&A session with the public from 11:30 am-12 pm and 5:30-6 pm.
Three other works by Jackson Pollock from MOCA's permanent collection, were also on view. These were great examples of the diversity and range of materials Pollock used in his artwork from watercolor to collage.
​Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California
This building is simply spectacular. Frank Ghery is one of my favorite architects and this is a perfect example of why that's the case. (In addition to all the awards he has won for his incredible architectural design). Frank Gehry was asked to devise a new home for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Walt Disney Concert Hall opened in 2003. Reflecting Gehry's longtime passion for sailing, the structure's exterior features are expanses of stainless steel that hover above Grand Avenue. Frank Gehry has devoted his career to disrupt the very meaning of design within architecture. From the iconic Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, and now the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Frank Gehry has proven time and again the beautiful magic of his whimsical, cutting-edge design.
The Broad Museum
My visit to the Broad Museum was absolutely incredible. First the architecture of the building is superb, and second the permanent collection on view was perhaps one of the best collections of representative work from the post-modern and contemporary art periods. And on top of that, there was an incredible in-depth retrospective exhibit of Jasper Johns' artwork. There's so much to include in this blog it is crazy!
The Broad is one of the finest contemporary art museums I have ever visited. Founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad, the museum houses more than 2,000 works of art and holds one of the most prominent collections of postwar and contemporary art worldwide.
The Broad's third floor galleries show a rotating selection of artwork and, best of all, it is free! The first floor galleries are for special exhibitions, like the Jasper Johns exhibit "Something Resembling Truth" that runs through May 13, 2018.
So let's talk about the beautifully designed building... It's often called "The Veil and the Vault" because the building has gallery space as well as an extensive storage facility. In contrast with the neighboring Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad was designed to be porous and absorptive. There are wonderful olive trees that were planted in the plaza next to the museum.
There were a number of artworks by Jeff Koons at The Broad. "Balloon Dog (Blue)" is perhaps one of his series of works that is most famous. The artwork is made of stainless steel and wights 2,000 pounds. It was created as part of his Celebration Series, a group of paintings and sculptures that memorialize rituals, icons, and images related to birthdays, holidays, and other celebratory parties or occasions.
View of Jeff Joons' "Rabbit" with Balloon Dog and inside view of the architectural framework of the building.
"Michael Jackson and Bubbles" by Jeff Koons, Porcelain, 1988.
"Tulips" by Jeff Koons
The artwork below is by the artist Mark Bradford and is titled, "Yellow Bird", 2012. It is Mixed Media Collage On Canvas. When it comes to his process, it is quite fascinating. Bradford takes papers and layers it down on canvas. He sands it down, revealing various layers. His work frequently looks like a map looking down from above. He tries to give you an idea of a place without telling you specifically where. Bradford represented the United States at the Venice Biennale and worked with women in a Venice prison to help them create products to sell to earn money.
This Silkscreen on Linen is by artist, Christopher Wool. Untitled, 2015.
"Red Room" by Keith Haring. Acrylic on Canvas, 1988.
Another work by Keith Haring. "Untitled, 1984" Acrylic on four Muslin Panels.
Jean-Michel Basquiat uses bold colors and expressive markings to show emotion and energy in his artwork. Many of his paintings are autobiographical. I learned that his painting is supposed to resemble a self-portrait and at the same time, a skull-mask.
"Untitled, 1981" by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Acrylic and Oilstick on Canvas
"Under The Table" by artist Robert Therrien is gigantic replica of his kitchen table. I learned that even the distressed parts of the table and chairs are the same. He is known for using memories from his childhood to create his artwork. Visitors often walk under the table, which conjures memories of what it was like to do so as a child.
Mark Tansey, Wake" 2003, Oil on Canvas.
The artwork below is by artist Takashi Murakami, titled "Hustle 'N' Punch By Kaikai And Kiki".
​The artist uses cute characters to express the entire range of possible emotions; almost like a variety of emojis.
Roy Lichtenstein is one of my all-time favorite pop artists. He was one of the founders of Pop Art in the 1960s and used tiny dots in his artwork, similar to the printing style of comic-books. The dots were placed in such a way to create an image, imitating the way comic-books and newspapers were printed.
"Live Ammo (Bang)" 1962, Oil and Magna on Canvas, by Roy Lichtenstein
"Interior With African Mask" by Roy Lichtenstein, Oil and Magna on Canvas, 1991.
"Mirror #1" by Roy Lichtenstein, Oil and Magna on Canvas, 1969
"Reflections on 'Interior with Girl Drawing'," 1990, Oil and Magna on Canvas by Roy Lichtenstein.
In addition to borrowing or seeking inspiration from newspaper ads, commercials, and comic books, Roy Lichtenstein also was inspired by some of his favorite artists like Picasso and Mondrian. See the two images below.
"Non-Objective I" 1964, Oil and Magna on Canvas, by Roy Lichtenstein
"Femme d'Alger" 1963, Oil on Canvas, by Roy Lichtenstein
Here is a sculpture by Roy Lichtenstein, "Goldfish Bowl" created in 1977. It is painted and patinated bronze. On the right is a detailed view, showing that the sculpture is very two-dimensional, despite it looking 3-D.
"Rouen Cathedral, Set 3" 1968-69, Oil and Magna on Five Canvas Panels, by Roy Lichtensttein. These Paintings were inspired by Claude Monet's famous paintings of Rouen Cathedral. Unlike Monet, Lichtenstein did not paint the Cathedrals on-site.
I always love seeing paintings by Chuck Close. Chuck Close is known for his detailed paintings of faces, and later he was known for the deconstruction of that detailed portraiture. He explores portraiture and created this photo-realist painting called "John", painted in 1971-72. I included a detailed shot showing the incredible painting technique.
Robert Rauschenberg, "Untitled" 1963, Oil and Silkscreen on Canvas.
Edward Ruscha, "Norm's La Cienega, on Fire" 1964.
​John Baldessari, "Tips for Artists Who Want to Sell" 1966-68, Acrylic on Canvas. John Baldessari never touched this painting, didn't paint it, didn't write the text. Here, it's the role of the artist as the facilitator of the artwork; creating the concept. The humor is that the view is shown the paintings message, but the message is text taken from an art magazine with tips on what art should be.
Another one of my all-time favorite artists is Andy Warhol. A short time after Marilyn Monroe died in 1962, Andy Warhol started to create silkscreen images of Marilyn. I learned that Warhol had recently just learned how to silkscreen, so this was a somewhat new process for him! In the painting above, titled, "Two Marilyns" created in 1962, Warhol captures the terrible fact of Marilyn's death, as if he was reporting the news. With silkscreens, the images deteriorate with each printing, which I believe is symbolic of her presence and then her fading into history with her death. It can also be interpreted as the volatility of fame and celebrity. I'm not sure how many versions of "Two Marilyns" were created, but I learned that the one pictured above from The Broad Museum was the 27th version of the silkscreen created.
Two of Warhol's Cambell's Soup Cans and "Single Elvis" Silkscreen ink and spray paint on linen, 1963.
"Twenty Jackies" Silkscreen Ink on Linen, 1964, by Andy Warhol.
Ellsworth Kelly worked with shapes and solid colors. The painting below, "Green Blue Red" created in 1963, uses colors and shapes to create contrast and bring attention to edges. In the above image on the left, the green rectangle and blue oval are vibrantly displayed against the red background. His composition almost goes against the principal of design of balance. Below, Kelly's oil on canvas painting, "Green Relief with Blue" was completed in 2011. It's actually two conjoined canvases and I've posted the photo of the same painting as seen from different angles. It almost acts like a 2 dimensional painting trying to be a sculpture, with different views from different angles.
Jasper Johns: "Something Resembling Truth"
A Special Exhibition at The Broad (Through May 13, 2018)
While The Broad Museum's main collection has free admission, this special exhibition required a special ticket with a timed entry. The exhibit was one of the best I've ever seen. The exhibit covered over 6 decades of artistic achievement from this iconic American artist. The comprehensive exhibit features more than 120 extraordinary paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures, by Jasper Johns and draws upon works from within The Broad's permanent collection as well as from loans from over 50 international public and private sources.
The imagery he used in his artwork were common items such as American flags, numbers, letters, targets, and light bulbs. Perhaps Johns' most famous painting, "Flag (1954–55)" and is a fairly accurate representation of the American flag, in encaustic on collaged paper and fabric.
In the 1950s, Jasper Johns' flags, targets, letters, and numbers created a new artistic vocabulary. They were actual things that represented something. If you think about it, you can identify states on his maps, aim something at his targets, and say the "Pledge of Allegiance" to the flag. Jasper Johns was successful at using recognizable signs and symbols to make the familiar unfamiliar.
When I reflect on some of my own artwork, I too employ these same principals. Here is some of my artwork that also make you look closely at something you already know.
"American Flag" Acrylic on Canvas by Eddie Bruckner
"AABCDEEF" Acrylic on Canvas by Eddie Bruckner
"10,9,8,7,6" Acrylic on Canvas by Eddie Bruckner
"5,4,3,2,1" Acrylic on Canvas by Eddie Bruckner
The American Flad is a geometric composition that has a strong sentimental and patriotic value in society. Jasper Johns' flags ofent trick the eye, or blur the lines between perception, reality, and illusion.
"Two Flags," 1959, Acrylic on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
Detail of "Two Flags," 1959, Acrylic on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
"Three Flags," 1958, Encaustic on Canvas, by Jasper Johns. (On loan from The Whitney Museum of American Art). Shows how the size of objects impacts perception.
"White Flag," 1960, Oil and Newspaper over Lithograph, by Jasper Johns
I absolutely love this painting shown here below. The flags here are presented so that the viewer can experience an optical illusion. If you stare at the white dot for several seconds and then stare at the black dot on the gray flag below, you will experience an amazing illusion. The green, black, and orange colors generate their complementary colors of red, white, and blue in your eyes. Try it yourself! It works from the photograph here too!
"Flags," 1965, Oil on Canvas with Object, by Jasper Johns.
"Gray Alphabets," 1956, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
"Numbers" 1960-71, Ten Lithographs reworked with acrylic paint and oil paint, fabric, paper collage, and felt pen, by Jasper Johns
"Target" 1961, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
Detail of "Target" 1961, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas, by Jasper Johns
"Map" 1962-63, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas, by Jasper Johns. He used brushmarks to render the map of the United States of America, complete with abstract drips, scrapes, gestures, and a stenciled label for each state.
"Numbers" 2007 (Cast 2008), Aluminum, by Jasper Johns. This is a full-scale replica of the work that was commissioned for the NY State Theater at Lincoln Center in 1964. Below are detailed shots.
"Star" 1954, Encaustic and Collage on Canvas with Glass and Painted Wood, by Jasper Johns
"False Start" 1959, Oil on Canvas, by Jasper Johns. This painting demonstrates the shift from a more constrained approach to artwork, to a more open and gestural approach. He uses stencils (like in my paintings above!).
"Between The Clock And The Bed" 1981, Oil on Three Canvas Panels, by Jasper Johns
LEFT: "Corpse and Mirror II" 1974-75, Oil and Sand on Canvas, by Jasper Johns; and RIGHT: "Dancers on a Plane" 1980, Oil on Canvas with Painted Bronze Frame, by Jasper Johns. Detail is to the Right.
Jasper Johns began to incorporate objects and tools used in his artwork directly into the artwork's creation. Things like paintbrushes, color charts, and rulers. In the painting below, the "R" of "Red" is a neon light and wooden letters protrude outward from the canvas.
"Field Painting" 1963-64, Oil on Canvas with Objects, by Jasper Johns. Detailed, Side view is shown on the right.
"Bridge," 1997, Oil on Canvas with Objects, by Jasper Johns.
I highly recommend you to experience the Jasper John Exhibit if you can!
​Also on the first floor was a very unique art installation by artist, Yayoi Kusama, titled "Infinity Mirrored Room--The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away." It is a mirror-lined room that includes LED lights that reflect endlessly in the mirrored space. It doesn't sound like much, but it is quite amazing to see. You need a separate timed ticket, which is free, and only one person can enter the room at a time for a duration of 45 seconds.
As you can see, the Broad Museum is quite an amazing experience. I highly recommend you visit The Broad in Los Angeles and experience the art scene in Downtown LA. For more information about The Broad, please visit their website: www.thebroad.org
The Getty Center is comprised of the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the Getty Foundation. I visited the Museum, which was a wonderful experience. The Getty Villa, which I did not visit on this trip, is located in Pacific Palisades, California. The Getty Museum is set atop a hill bridging Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, right off of the 405 Freeway. After parking, you take a tram from the bottom to the top of the hill. The Fran and Ray Stark Sculpture Garden is located near the parking area! While there is a fee to park your car, admission to The Getty is always free.
Vinvent Van Gogh's "Irises" is one of The Getty's highlights. Van Gogh painted Irises in 1889 in the garden of the Saint-Remy asylum where he was being treated for his mental illness. It is oil on canvas. I learned that Van Gogh never really thought of this painting as a finished painting, but rather more of a study. It's a great example of his work that demonstrates how he painted en plein air. I'm fascinated with his brush techniques and how he layers color upon color upon color. I've included a detailed image of "Irises."
Detail of Van Gogh's "Irises"
Starry Night, Edvard Munch, Oil on Canvas, 1893.
Jeanne (Spring) by Edouard Manet, Oil on Canvas, 1861.
Still Life With Apples, Paul Cezanne, Oil on Canvas, About 1893-1894.
Sunrise, by Claude Monet, Oil on Canvas, 1873.
Wheatstacks, Snow Effect, Morning, by Claude Monet, Oil on Canvas, 1891. Monet painted 30 variations of these Wheatstacks during different seasons and times of day, demonstrating his masterful ability to capture light in his artwork.
I really loved the special exhibit at The Getty Center called, "Cut! Paper Play in Contemporary Photography." This exhibit that runs through May 27, 2018 features the work of contemporary photographers who use paper in unique and innovative ways. Some of the artists created paper models with images from current events with the intention of photographing them to create their final piece of artwork. While some artists make folds, cuts, or layers to arrange photographs to create something entirely new and innovative.
Work by Thomas Demand who photographed architectural models and focused on small details while creating large-scale prints.
The photo below is the artwork of artist, Soo Kim. To create her artwork, she cuts and layers imagery to create areas of negative space that gives her images a 3-D look. The shadows cast onto the wall are fascinating. I included two detailed shots showing some of the imagery seen in this cut photograph. the other detailed photo shows the beautiful shapes created by the shadows.
"Midnight Reykjavik #5" by Soo Kim
Detail of "Midnight Reykjavik #5" by Soo Kim
This next artist, Christiane Feser, bridges the gap between photography and sculpture. What you are seeing here are photographs of sticks and also the stick(s) itself. It's hard to know whether you're looking at a photograph of something, or the actual object. The artwork below and the detail to the right is also by Christiane Feser and is titled, "Partitian 31".
Overall, it was fascinating to experience this exhibit which was just adjacent to another exhibit on early American photography. Rare photographs were on view. The innovation in photography and how these artists push the boundaries that paper plays in the artists creation process is thought-provoking.
Sticks 2, by Christiane Feser
The grounds of The Getty are home to wonderful sculptures; there's something wonderful around every corner. Unlike most paintings, sculptures are typically created to be displayed outdoors. Outside, a three dimensional sculpture can be viewed from every angle, a variety of distances, and therefore creating an experience or a special moment for the viewer. The sculpture gardens include artwork from artists such as Joan Miro, Rene Magritte, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, and other artists.
Another amazing exhibit was the "Michelangelo to Degas" exhibit that featured new aquisitions that broke records in the art world. The Getty Museum purchased 16 major drawings and one painting from a private collector that includes works by Michelangelo, Andrea del Sarto, Goya, Domenico Tiepolo, and Edgar Degas. Below are three of my favorite pieces from this small but powerful exhibit. From left to right: Edgar Degas' "After The Bath (Woman Drying Herself)" about 1886; Michelangelo's "Study of a Mourning Woman" about 1500-1505; and Edgar Degas' "Two Studies of Dancers" about 1873.
I encourage you to go visit The Getty when in Los Angeles--You won't be disappointed! ​I encourage you to take advantage of the wonderful tours and events that the Getty Center offers such as architectural tours, garden tours, exhibition tours, etc. Also, for families with children, there are Art Detective Cards where kids can find the artworks and solve mysteries while exploring the galleries. For visitors information, please visit: www.getty.edu.
I had the pleasure to go on a Studio Tour at Warner Brothers. There are so many forms of art that go into making movies and television shows; concept art, fashion design, set design, traditional and computer generated animation, etc. It was fascinating to see so many of these art forms come to life in the exhibits on the studio tour.
​I'll focus this blog on the Concept Art that I saw for the Harry Potter movie franchise. Every element of the films were carefully designed and illustrated through creative and inspiring concept art. The production designer for the films and the art department created hundreds (perhaps thousands) of sketches and full-color renderings that helped to inform the look of the films as well as the fabrication of the props, sets, creatures, characters, and costumes. From the concept art, decisions were made to refine and select and approve final versions.
Creating the magical creatures that filled the world of Harry Potter wasn't an easy task and involved a massive team of artists and special effects experts. From the concept art, the Creature Effects team developed 3-D creatures from small maquettes to full-sized animatronic beasts. Some of these sculptures were created so that they can be scanned into a computer and modified digitally in post-production.
Harry Potter Films Concept Art
Concept Art for "Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them"
Warner Brothers Animation is one of the most famous animation studios. I learned that Warner Brothers has won 6 Oscars, 35 Emmys, and 20 Annie Awards (excellence in animation). I remember Warner Brothers for its cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Yogi Bear, and Tom & Jerry. Even more notably, Warner Brothers is the home of DC Comics Superhero franchises such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman.
In addition to concept art, Storyboards transform the written words of the script into visual images depicting action in a series of illustrative panels. Storyboards help indicate camera movement, close-up shots, long shots, or other specialty shots. The storyboards help the director and crew design the finished sequence as well as plan the logistics of the shoot itself. The art department is in charge of designing everything photographed in a movie before it is shot. Other visual tools in addition to Storyboards and conept art innclude digital renderings, and models.
Warner Brothers Animation Storyboards.
The Los Angeles County Museum Of Art-LACMA
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or LACMA, is the largest art museum in the Western United States. LACMA boasts a permanent collection of over 130,000 pieces of art. There are various buildings to explore as well as outdoor areas with sculpture. It is located adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits, so you can perhaps schedule a visit to both for the same day. It's also a block away from the Peterson Automotive Museum.
At the time of my visit, a number of exhibitions were turning over, so I was only able to see a small sampling of what LACMA has to offer. For visitors information, please check their website: ​www.lacma.org/.
Here's a photo of me at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in front of Chris Burden's sculpture, "Urban Light" installed in 2008. Burden restored over 200 cast-iron streetlamps to create this work of art. Burden was fascinated with urban life and how streetlamps are one of the fundamental building blocks of an urban metropolis. I found it interesting that the streetlamps were recently converted to LEDs, reducing the installations's annual energy consumption by 90%. The conversion to LEDs was funded by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation this year. Chris Burden was commissioned by Brandeis University's Rose Art Museum to create a similarly themed sculpture. You can see it by CLICKING HERE in an older blog article about the Rose Art Museum.
Chis Burden's "Metropolis II" depicts an urban landscape. Burden created "Metropolis I" seven years before "Metropolis II". The earlier work featured eighty Hot Wheels cars zooming around a model city. This work is much larger and includes 1,100 custom designed cars, 18 highways, and a vast array of buildings and structures. The artwork runs on select days and times, so plan ahead!
Jeff Koon's, "Balloon Monkey (Orange)", Mirror-Polished Stainless Steel with Transparent Color Coating, 2006-13. This is one of five unique versions.
Richard Serra's "Band" is a massive sculpture that fills a huge exhibition hall from top to bottom, from front to back. The sculpture took two and a half years to develop. Made from over 200 tons of steel, it measures 12 feet high and over 70 feet in length.
Below are two views of the same sculpture, titled "Phoenix" by Alexander Liberman, created in 1974-75. I love how a different view of this sculpture creates an entirely new image, a new feeling, a new perspective.
"Levitated Mass" (Shown below) was conceived by artist, Michael Heizer, in 1969, but only realized in 2012. "Levitated Mass" is a 456-foot-long concrete pathway, over which sits a 340-ton granite boulder. As you walk down the pathway, it descends to fifteen feet in depth, directly underneath the massive boulder before ascending back up.
Below are two views of the same Alexander Calder sculpture created in 1964 titled, "Three Quintains (Hello Girls)." It is made from sheet metal and paint with motor. To me, it appeared to be moved by the wind, but apparently it has a motor that moves the mobile sculpture.
The Hammer Museum is a small but wonderful treasure of a museum located in Los Angeles near UCLA. The museum has free admission and hosts lunchtime art talks and other programs on a regular basis. The Hammer Museum is operated and partially funded by UCLA. The collection includes historical artworks that reflect the personal interests of Armand Hammer, the founder of the museum. He collected art for most of his life and his collection is one of the best collections of representative artwork from 19th Century French Art, impressionism, pointillism, etc.
"Boulevard Montmartre, Mardi Gras," Oil on Canvas, 1897 by Camille Pissarro
"Grape Pickers at Lunch," 1888, Oil on Canvas, by Pierre-Auguste Renior.
"Bonjour Monsieur Gaughin" 1889, Oil on Canvas and Panel, by Paul Gaughin.
"Study for In the Salon on the Rue des Moulins" 1894, Oil on Canvas, by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
I love this painting below by Vincent Van Gogh, not because I love the imagery, but because it really doesn't look like a typical painting by Vincent Van Gogh! This painting, "Garden of the Rectory at Nuenen" was painted in 1885 in the Netherlands. The browns and grays are vastly different from the vivid, bright colors we are used to seeing in his later paintings when he lived in the south of France.
Below is one of Van Gogh's more typical painting style with all the beautiful colors and brushwork. The painting, "Hospital at Saint-Remy" is oil on canvas and was painted in 1889. It depicts the scenery at the institution in the south of France where Van Gogh was being treated for severe mental illness.
"The Sower" Oil on Canvas, 1888, by Vincent Van Gogh.
"Boy Resting" Oil on Canvas, 1887, by Paul Cezanne.
The Hammer Museum also has other galleries dedicated to contemporary artists. There was a really cool exhibit by the artist, Molly Lowe and another exhibit by the artist, Lawrence Abu Hamdan. Abu Hamdan uses a series of overhead projectors that cast images that have been created with a visualization tool that architects use to map the leakages of sound throughout a structure. The visuals are accompanied by audio that helps transform the research on a Syrian torture prison. I enjoyed looking at the exhibit from a visual perspective, but after reading about the artwork's meaning, it really makes me question my thoughts on conceptual art. Below is a photo of the small room that housed the projectors.
Perhaps the most bizarre (in a good way) exhibit was called "Stories of Almost Everyone" featured in the large exhibit hall . It's a group exhibition of 40 artists that is about society's willingness to believe the stories that are conveyed by works of contemporary art. It really hones in on conceptual art and how we look at material objects. Below is a photo of the exhibit hall showing some of the artworks. I'm including a YouTube video that was created by the Hammer Museum with Will Ferrell and Joel McHale, which is very funny and addresses the issues related to conceptual art head-on. Art can be confusing and the fact that the Hammer Museum pokes fun at this, I think, is really bold. "Stories of Almost Everyone" runs through May 6, 2018. For more information about The Hammer Museum, check out their website: https://hammer.ucla.edu/.
The Art Connection
Welcome to Eddie Bruckner's Art Blog!
Agora Gallery
Alexandra Exter
Art And Technology
Art Blogs
Art Hubs
Art Lessons For Adults
Art Lessons For Kids
Attleboro Arts Museum
Blood Circus The Movie
Boston City Hall Plaza
Broad Museum
Bruce Munro
Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery
Carmen Herrera
Celebrity Series Of Boston
Charles Sheeler
Cheim & Read
Choi Jeong Hwa
Christiane Baumgartner
Dan And Carla The Movie
David Reeb
Davis Museum
DFACE
Eddie Bruckner
Ed Mell
Eli Lissitzky
First Friday Art Trail Lubbock
Frank Ghery
Free Tours By Foot
Gordon Huether
Illuminus
Jerk Face
Jim Kempner Fine Art
Joseph Stella
LHUCA
LISA Project
Logan Hicks
Lori Bookstein Fine Art
Louise Hopkins Underwood Center For The Arts
Luke Jerram
Lyons Wier Gallery
Make Way For Ducklings
Mark Dion
Max Beckman
Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Napa Valley California
Needham Open Studios
New Art Center
Newton Open Studios
Park City Utah
Paul Gaughin
Pipilotti Rist
Play Me I'm Yours
Pow! Wow!
Robert McCloskey
Ron Poster
Rosalyn Drexler
Rose Art Museum
Rush Philanthropic Foundation
Spencer Finch
Street Pianos
Stuart Davis
#SupportLivingArtistsIn2016
Tagliatella Galleries
Take Me (I'm Yours)
The Jewish Museum
The Needham Times
Video And Multimedia Art
When Language Meets Art
WhIsBe
Xanadu Gallery
​Public Art
​Upcoming Shows
Art Instruction for Children & Teens
​Shop
Subscribe to The Art Connection
© COPYRIGHT 2020. ​ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Eddie@EddieBruckner.com