Saturday, May 20, 2006

a waste

I've been meaning to post this since last week...

Can I just tell you how much time I wasted by traipsing all the way to the westside to see an art show?! And not just any old art show, mind you, it was a Gregory Colbert show that charges $15 to artlovers such as myself, and makes me wait in line for over two hours to see a show that took a whopping 20 minutes to walk through - twice - while watching the films...

ashes and snow is the name of the show, and please don't get me wrong, I am a strong art lover. I belong to a lot of museums, have a degree in art, specializing in photography, so you know my tastes have been well defined. Well after so many rave reviews of this show, I thought I would hit this sh%t. Can I just say that the temporary housing structure called 'The Nomadic Museum' designed by architect Shigeru Ban is absolutely awe inspiring. Ban takes old train carts, stacks them on top of each other, like a checkerboard pattern and inserts large white fabric between the crates. The pillars that support much of the art work hangings and fabric are paper-made, which reinforces the temporary feeling of the installation and experience. The interior of the structure gives you the same feeling of wow, like you just walked into a millionaire's foyer, with rocks, great lighting, and old wood flooring.

Now for the not so good parts - well I have to say, why didn't I run when I saw the line that wrapped three times around the building as a sign that said, 'run for your short little life'. Even if I had enough sense to say, I have a long life and can spare 3 hours to lines and this 'art', I wouldn't spite that person if they decided to just shoot a dart in my head for that thought, the show was that riveting...

Now I would love to spill my guts about how I think Colbert is a very, very talented artist and photographer, but at the same time, I hate me some Anne Geddes, and I felt like I was looking at a picture show where the kids Geddes shot were all grown up and in grade school! And all with their eyes still closed! How do they pass class when they are always sleeping?

And then there are the dolphins. And the elephants. And the monkeys. Dude! And then the films of the people with the dolphins, elephants, and monkeys, all with sleepy people in slow motion, and with chanting music playing overhead. I love yoga chants as much as the next guy, but can someone say pretentious?! $15 is a dinner!

Ok rant over. I went to LACMA and saw the infamous 5 Klimt paintings and that was worth it. See Chi-Lan can hate AND love!