Wednesday, April 4, 2007

L.A. ART SHOWS


Greetings from Los Angeles,

If you find yourself here in the next few months there are two extraordinary exhibits that are must sees. Mark Ryden's new works at Michael Kohn Gallery is called "The Tree Show." Working thematically as he did before with "The Meat Show," Ryden explores a haunting world that sets the fragile characters he renders so beautifully amongst, and some times inside, trees. One is immediately taken by the startling quality and richness of the works. Rydens lovely polished working drawings for the paintings are just as mesmerizing.







Photos by supertouch.

The hand-carved wooden frame that encases the main piece of the show “Tree of Life” is a marvel and worth the visit alone! I imagine it is almost impossible to photograph these quiet masterpieces with their shiny, luminous surfaces so please try to see this in person.

The Getty Center commissioned brain-bending genius Tim Hawkinson to create new works called ZOOPSIA [n. VISUAL HALLUCINATION OF ANIMALS]. A Hawkinson is impossible to categorize and often impossible to even describe, but when you see them in person you never forget them. He had a terrific, inspiring retrospective at the Whitney and the LACMA a few years ago and the monograph for the show is great.






Photos Copyright 2007 Tim Hawkinson

There are 4 new pieces installed near eachother creating an intimate presentation. When I was in the gallery I heard a women standing in front of LEVIATHON gasp loudly when she recognized that the spine of the skeletal structure was a series of miniature rowers in mid-stroke, grasping their rib bone oars. The looming OCTOPUS, a photo collage, seems to capture the sinewy creature at rest. A closer inspection reveals that each leg sucker is puckering lips. The modest and hysterical BAT is flawlessly constructed out of radio shack bags and wire.








Original photos and video with permission of The Getty Center.

The terrific art series on PBS, art:21 Season 2 features an
interview with the astonishing artist. Also installed for the first time on the west coast is UBERORGAN. Hawkinson's wild construction involves cloth, buckets, tape, light and sound all with the inner workings exposed. This version reaches up almost 60 ft!

Happy viewing,

Todd

1 comment:

tokyobunnie said...

Both of these shows look AMAZING!