CAPTION: “You rarely see this kind of joy for under ten thousand.”
CREDIT: New Yorker cartoon by Mike Twohy, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Archives for posts with tag: art galleries
(Untitled), 2009 film
directed by Jonathan Parker
One of the boons from my recent visit to the Glendale Library was borrowing a DVD of (Untitled), a 2009 film about the New York City art world directed by Jonathan Parker and starring Adam Goldberg.
I used to work part-time at an art gallery in Chicago’s trendy Wicker Park neighborhood, so I have greater than average experience with art patrons, art buyers, and artists. (I could tell you some stories! My favorites involve fights that broke out while mounting group shows – artists arguing because they didn’t want their artwork next to another artist’s work, either because it was too bad or too good. But I digress…)
(Untitled) had me laughing out loud – a lot – and I don’t think you need art gallery experience to appreciate the humor in this send-up of the avant garde. Adam Goldberg – whose performances I always enjoy for his weight-of-the-world-on-my-shoulders charm – plays an “atonal/experimental” composer (think John Cage meets Nicholas Cage) whose bucket-kicking, piano-pounding act attracts the attention of an art gallery owner (well played by Marley Shelton) who hires Goldberg to perform at her gallery during art openings. Romance blossoms when Goldberg asks Shelton if he can borrow her crackly plastic skirt to “sample” (not to wear, just to record for his act).
Along the way, the movie manages to skewer rich (but clueless) art collectors, pretentious art critics, phony art aficionados, and arrogant (even deranged) artists. In short, a good time was had by all – at least by this viewer. (Untitled) is more than a hatchet job of the art scene, it’s a hatched job with heart.
And (Untitled) does have some interesting things to say about art and artists.
When a collector asks the gallery owner the difference between art and entertainment. She replies (in effect): “Entertainment asks questions and answers them. Art just asks questions.” Here, here.
For all of you Angelenos, here’s a fun way to spend Saturday, December 8, 2012 from 7-10 p.m. — the opening night party for “Good Luck Show” at Future Studio Gallery in the Highland Park section of L.A. (It’s free!)
ARTISTS: Nancy Uyemura, Tomo Isoyama, Amy Inouye
THE LOWDOWN: Get ready for the new year with some lucky artwork to get you in a positive mood (yes, expect a lucky buzz from this show). The end of the year is a time for leaving the old year’s worries and troubles behind, and the beginning of a new year is an opportunity for a fresh start. For this show, the artists interpret their versions of luck/love/prosperity — and what attracts these good things. The artists will exhibit their spins on traditional lucky icons and imagery (such as lucky stars and horseshoes). Their goal is to share cleansing energy in positive, artful ways with visitors to the gallery. Everyone can participate by writing their hopes and wishes and tying them onto a peace tree, sending bad vibes packin’ at the “Run Devil Run” station (write “good riddance” messages and then shred them), and stocking up on artist-blessed good luck charms.
Location:
5555 N. Figueroa, Los Angles, CA 90042
Phone: 323-254-4565
Silver Birch Press 