Art Talk
Art Talk
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Art reviews, news and announcements from KCRW's resident art critic, Edward Goldman. Both fearless and fun, Edward offers a unique "accent" on art. Formerly employed by the famed Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, and a favorite on-air presence, he offers impassioned views on what he sees in the galleries and museums and at events throughout the world, and he isn't afraid to "speak truth to power."
Photo credit: Marc Goldstein
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Last Week's Trifecta
Last week Los Angeles hosted what sports fans would probably call a perfect trifecta of cultural events. First, the Museum of Contemporary Art celebrated its 30th anniversary with a huge, lavish gala attended by 1,000 art patrons, many of whom flew in just for the occasion...
Art and Babies
Today's program has a simple and wholesome title, "Art and Babies." And the sermon I'm about to deliver has to do with the impact that art can have on the lives of our little angels. Speaking in front of a live audience, I often bring up the issue of the importance of exposing children to art at a very early age. Every young parent knows the benefit of suspending a mobile with bright shiny objects above the crib to activate the child's brain. Therefore, there is no doubt in my mind that bringing these little angels to museums, even before they are potty-trained, is wonderfully stimulating as well...
This Beauty's Looking at You, Kid
Every time I'm in New York, I never miss the chance to visit the most elegant salon on the Upper East Side of Manhattan to pay my respects to its charming hostess, famous for her beauty as well as her repose. A woman of few words, she greets you in the foyer, and you cannot help but notice that even with the passing years, her youthful glow and aura of mystique have hardly changed. She travels very rarely, but when she does, it makes the news. So when she recently accepted an invitation to come to Southern California, her friends and admirers made sure to set aside time to visit with her...
Encountering Art, Police Chief Gets Egg on His Face
So, what would you think about the LA Police Chief if you heard that he had expressed support for a controversial public artwork installed in front of the new police headquarters? Would you worry? Rest assured, outgoing Police Chief William Bratton simply hates the eight monumental bronze sculptures installed at the new LAPD...
LA Artists on Fire
For almost one hundred years, people around the world have known Los Angeles primarily as the place where movies are made. But in the last couple of decades, something else has entered into the equation: a few LA artists have achieved such international acclaim that they've become our de facto cultural ambassadors to the world at large...
He Was the Scheherazade of Our Time
Last month, at the opening of the Irving Penn exhibition at the Getty Center, the celebrated 92 year-old photographer was not in attendance. We were told that he hates to fly, which shouldn't come as a surprise, considering his age. Though his exhibition of 210 black and white photographs is still on view at the museum, the artist himself is no more; last week brought the sad news of the death of Irving Penn, one of the most famous photographers of the 20th century...
Hitting a Nerve: The Anatomy of Beauty and Horror
Do you remember the olden days when everyone had a Polaroid camera, and the small color photos our parents took on vacation could be found in virtually every household? These days, Polaroid technology is almost obsolete, and one can hardly find the film for those instant cameras. A few people, however, are still continuing their love affair with this medium...
Towering Figures, Tumbling Walls
Anyone who had the good fortune to know Henry Hopkins (1928-2009), a seminal figure on the California art scene for the last fifty years, would probably agree that he was the epitome of what we call a gentleman scholar. Even at crowded museum openings, one could always spot Henry – tall, imposing, impeccably dressed – charming everyone with his courtly manners...
Love Thy Garbage
I'm not a morning person, so, fortified with plenty of coffee, I usually start the day off slowly by paging through the newspapers to catch up on the latest. Sometimes, a headline jumps off the page with such a good vibe that it instantly snaps me out of the morning doldrums. Today is one of those days: the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times reported on this year's recipients of the MacArthur Grants, each of whom will receive $500,000, no strings attached. Among the winners are scientists, journalists, performers, and, of special interest to me, visual artists...
A Generous Serving of Small Trades
If you have the slightest interest in the art of photography or fashion, you will undoubtedly recognize the name Irving Penn, whose artistic achievements have had a major influence on the contemporary art scene of the last sixty years. Born in 1917 and still active today, Irving Penn might have started his career as just a fashion photographer, but he quickly developed a distinctive style which set his images apart...
Escaping the Dog Days of Summer
So, how was your Labor Day? Myself, I'm never sure what's the proper thing to do on this holiday – to honor it with an honest day of work or by taking it easy. Even here in Santa Monica it was hot, so I did my usual and fled to the air-conditioned sanctuary of museum galleries...
What's in the Drinking Water in Toledo, Ohio?
Five flights, four cities, two countries – not too bad for a one-week trip, eh? It was my first trip to Canada, where I spent three days in Toronto and two in Ottawa, followed by even shorter visits to Detroit and Toledo, where I hadn't been before either...
The Naked Truth
Truth be told, I haven't yet seen any of the five exhibitions that I want to tell you about today – though I'm still hoping to catch one of them in New York, and another, if luck is on my side, in Florence. Two more exhibitions are coming this fall to Los Angeles, so that makes four. And the last one, the controversial installation of Jeff Koons' sculptures at Versailles, has already closed...
Inside the L.A. Art World
Summertime, and the livin' is easy...You are probably packing for a trip and looking for a book to read, so here's my suggestion: the recently published collection of essays by Los Angeles art insiders who spill their guts in conversation with Richard Hertz – himself a consummate insider of the LA art world, with experience teaching at Caltech and CalArts as well as heading the Department of Graduate Studies at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena...
In This Cemetery, Some Like it Hot
There were four of us on this warm Friday night; blankets under our arms, plastic bags full of snacks; we were walking down a nondescript stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard after a seemingly endless search for a parking spot. And we were not alone. One could see a few more people on the sidewalk, like us schlepping bags and lawn chairs and headed in the same direction...
Program Details
Host
Edward Goldman
Edward Goldman is the fearless art critic who speaks truth to the art world’s power – a must-listen for culture mavens.
Schedule
Live
Tapes & Transcripts
Click the Full Details link to view the complete transcript. Tapes are not available.
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