STORMY WEATHER

So, yesterday there was free admission at the Oakland Museum of California (believe it or not, I've only been once before. Shame on me.) Last time I went, I did see this exhibit, but wasn't able to see experience it in its full glory until yesterday. 

This piece, called Pavilion of Rain, is only one element of a full retrospective of Michael C. McMillen that's currently on view. 

An abandoned shack, precariously situated above a small pool of water beckons you to enter. Inside, it is clear that it is someone's home. A small sink, benches, sheer fabric for curtains....the home is bare and lonely, but not uncared for. Under the tin roof, a storm brews outside — sprinklers with a pretty high water pressure and faux lightening. When sitting inside, the sound of the "rain" hitting the tin is immense. Simultaneously spooky and cozy, the home and the experience it creates is very moving. I couldn't help but be reminded about a trip to Panama some years ago and being pelted by a night storm while sleeping inside a structure not unlike this one, that was perched on stilts above the sea.

It took me there, and from the expressions on other visitors' faces, they were taken by it as well.

Nothing short of magical.

So, Bay folks. It's only up until the 14th. Yes, 6 more days. Go, go, go.

WASTE LANDSCAPE

I can't lie...as a freelance art director for the music industry, this makes me feel a certain way. HOWEVER, the dazzling creation that was formed by collaborators Elise Morin and Clémence Eliard can't really be denied. They used 65,000 discarded CDs to create this landscape on the floor of an art space (and aptly, a former funeral home) in Paris. They named it Waste Landscape.

If you happen to live or be traveling in Paris, the piece will be up until 9/10/11, and then will tour other locations. 

Check out this video too.

Photos courtesy of Yannick Fradin, Martin Eliard and Marc Sirvin

By Alejandro Leonelli

By Jeff Stratford

 

By Margaret Chavigny

 

By Margaret Chavigny (detail)

OAKLAND ART MURMUR

The First Friday of every month, the galleries of Uptown Oakland open their doors and vendors fill the streets for a night of music, art, crafts and food. Since this is officially my third "first Friday" since living in Oakland, I was eager to check it out. 

And I looooved it! SF Bay Area artists and their loyal fans abound...the event was pretty fantastic! So inspiring! Above are a few of my faves.

Read more about the monthly event here.

(All photos courtesy of http://deyoung.famsf.org/)

OLMEC: COLOSSAL MASTERWORKS
OF ANCIENT MEXICO @ DE YOUNG

This past Saturday, I was able to take a trip to the de Young Museum (which deserves a post of its own by the way. The building itself is beautiful!) to see the Olmec show. The Olmec civilization was the oldest of the Americas, dating back to about 1500–400 BC and was situated in and around modern-day Veracruz and Tabasco, Mexico.

Out of stone boulders, they carved enormous heads (like the one above) that weigh up to a whopping 24 tons (48,000 lbs!) The heads that are included in the show are in pristine shape....every curve of the eyelids, lips and cheeks is simply breathtaking. To counter this, there are other sculptures/masks not more than an inch tall, with the most detailed features. There's one carved out of jade that I unfortunately wasn't allowed to take a photo of...but is embedded in my memory. Gorgeous!

Read more about the show here.

Study for Blue Water, Silver Moon, 1991

Lost Boys: AKA Black Johnny

Lost Boys: AKA Black Al

Lost Boys: AKA Baby Brother, 1992

Beauty Examined, 1993

KERRY JAMES MARSHALL

I checked out the MoMA site this morning, and came across this stunning image (at top) of what was upon first glance, a mermaid-woman, half-submerged in water. Mystical, mysterious, haunting, heavy, lovely.

Born in 1955 in Birmingham, Marshall pulled inspiration from his surroundings and the Civil Rights Movement.

 “You can’t be born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1955 and grow up in South Central [Los Angeles] near the Black Panthers headquarters, and not feel like you’ve got some kind of social responsibility. You can’t move to Watts in 1963 and not speak about it. That determined a lot of where my work was going to go...” 

— Marshall (thx PBS.org) 

Lucky for me, Study for Blue Water is currently on view at the MoMA as part of their Contemporary Art from the Collection exhibit, until May of next year.

Read more about the artist here.

LEON LEVINSTEIN

@ THE MET

Also on Sunday, I stumbled on a small exhibit of Leon Levinstein's at the MET. I swear, every time I visit the MET, I discover a whole new wing, a whole new gallery. That place is simply gargantuan.

The show is called Hipsters, Hustlers and Handball Players: Leon Levinstein's New York Photographs, 1950–1980, and few of the above images are included. My favorite mmmmay be that very regal Coney Island queen...

But they all are literal jaw-droppers. So New York. So gritty. So lovely in its grit.

The good news is, although the Picasso show is no longer up, this one's up until October 17.

Read more here.

Two Seated Women, 1938 (Printed 1961)Pablo Picasso

Etching

Printed by Jacques Frélaut

Published by Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris

Head of a Woman, 1933 (printed 1961), Pablo Picasso

Drypoint

Printed by Jacques Frélaut

Published by Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris

PICASSO @ THE MET

I caught this exhibit on its last day (to be more specific, its last hour!) on Sunday.

Though my visit was super rushed and the gallery was ridiculously crowded, the top portrait caught my eye. The colors are so luscious in person, I had to resist the urge to touch it. Inspired by Lucas Cranach II's Portrait of a Woman (1564), Picasso's version just makes me smile. I absolutely fell in love with it.

Read more about the show here.

We photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing, and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth can make them come back again. We cannot develop and print a memory. 

— Henri Cartier-Bresson

Every time I see a Bresson piece, my heart just stops for a moment. 

There's a show at the MoMA, called Henri Cartier-Bresson: 

The Modern Century, up until June 28. Maybe I'll see you there...

See more about the show here.

Untitled, maker unknown

Lisu Necklace

Untitled, maker unknown

Bracelet from India

Maker unknown, 19th-20th century

Miao neckpiece from Guizhou Province, China

Untitled, maker unknown

Neckpiece from Gujarat, India

Untitled, maker unknown

Miao necklaces from China

Untitled, maker unknown

Miao necklaces from China (detail)

THE WAY TO MY HEART

Holy Moly.

I have totally been hiding away, working, working, working. No complaints here....I love what I do. BUT, I also love frolicking around in beautiful 75 degree weather!

That being said, when things calm dawn, I have to make it to make it to the Museum of Art and Design to see their Portable Treasuries show. Jewelry collectors, Daniel and Serga Nadler have lent part of their extensive silver collection to the museum. The pieces stem from North Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia...and they are absolutely TO DIE FOR.

Just check out those beauts above. I'm drooling.

And check out the show...it's up until August 8.

CIRCA PUERTO RICO '10

Don't we all wish we were in Puerto Rico right now??

Well, for those lucky ducks that are, CIRCA Puerto Rico '10 is happening RIGHT NOW at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in 

San Juan.

While highlighting Caribbean art, the show is not exclusive to it. Participating galleries stem from all over the world.

Latin and Caribbean art doesn't seem to get their just praise and press, here in the states anyway. So, here's your chance to revel in it. 

And while you're there, pick up some mofongo for me, will you? 

Pork, please!

See more about the show here.