Art Talk

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Hidden in Plain Sight (Art, That Is) Jan 14, 2009

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It shouldn't come as a surprise that with so many good, important art exhibitions fighting for our attention, we inevitably miss one or two of them. But what about the smaller exhibitions and art events which often don't make headlines, though definitely worthy of our attention?

Lights, Camera, Action: LA Is Ready for Its Close-up Jan 07, 2009

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I do remember the opening of the first Los Angeles gallery dedicated exclusively to showing photography, an event that was met with considerable skepticism. Then, in the early 80's, not only the public, but a lot of critics considered photography to be the stepchild of the art scene, dominated by painting and sculpture and the critical darlings, conceptual and installation art. These days photography is all the rage...

To MOCA: Our Hallelujahs, Mazel Tovs and Spasibos Dec 24, 2008

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This year, Santa Claus has decided to deliver his gift to us a little bit ahead of time. Today's announcement that MOCA at last accepted a generous 'bail out' offer of $30 million from L.A. philanthropist Eli Broad put an end to a flurry of speculations that had inflamed the local and national art scene. It seems that the museum survived the storm and has figured out a way to come out of this mess as a lean, mean and stronger fighting art machine...

The Blind Leading the Blind? Dec 17, 2008

Show notes

By nature, I am an optimist. But being an art critic and historian, I put things in perspective, which keeps my positive impulses in check. So, I guess that makes me a cautious optimist...

Does MOCA Have the Courage to Face the Music Dec 10, 2008

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When I went to Paris in March 2006 for the opening of the groundbreaking exhibition at the Pompidou Centre, which hailed the emergence of Los Angeles as one of the art capitals of the world, I rejoiced not only in celebrating the art and artists of our City of Angels, but also in the fact that so many outstanding works of art came from the collections of our own Museum of Contemporary Art...

MOCA in Peril: Don't Ask for Whom the Bell Tolls Nov 26, 2008

Show notes

Rumors about the financial difficulties at LA's Museum of Contemporary Art have been circulating for a few years, but the institution, much admired for its cutting edge exhibition program, has maintained a brave face. The museum continued to mount exhibitions in all three of its facilities –- two large spaces downtown and a smaller one at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. Ambitious exhibitions were accompanied by thick, scholarly catalogues, well designed and obviously expensively produced. So, maybe these rumors were unsubstantiated; after all, in the last few years the museum, instead of cutting its staff, actually expanded it...

Sex, Life and Lots of Art Nov 19, 2008

Show notes

After being seen in London, Paris, and New York, the retrospective exhibition of works by 96-year-old Louise Bourgeois has finally arrived in LA -– to dazzle, to provoke, and to unsettle virtually everyone who walks through the galleries of the Museum of Contemporary Art, hosting this exhibition until the end of January...

Please, Mr. President, Take Us on a Date Nov 12, 2008

Show notes

I never start my weekly radio broadcast by giving you its title; only if you visit the KCRW website or sign up to receive Art Talk via email do you find out that each program comes with a headline. Today, for the first time, I want to start this broadcast with the title. Here it goes: PLEASE, MR. PRESIDENT, TAKE US ON A DATE...

Art, Politics, Money... Oct 29, 2008

Show notes

With just one week left before the election, it's difficult to think or talk about anything else. The political drama –- or comedy, if you will -– of the presidential election proves that we Americans do have a National Theater after all...

Berlin, Part II: Getting Drunk on Art Oct 22, 2008

Show notes

In the last few years, I've had the good fortune to visit a number of great cities famous for their art and culture -- from Paris and London to Beijing and Mexico City -- but the eight days I recently spent in Berlin left an especially indelible impression on me. To put it simply: I never worked so hard and, definitely, I don't remember ever having so much fun...

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