Statue of Liberty Won, Vermeer Lost

Here is a little bit of history, my friends. Do you remember another government shutdown, the one that started in December of 1995? I am thinking about it because of the fury it caused. The shutdown forced the closing of the blockbuster Vermeer exhibition at the National Gallery in Washington D.C. Thousands of tourists visiting the capital were hoping to see this exhibition featuring Vermeer’s paintings, including his famous Girl with the Pearl Earring.

L: Johannes Vermeer. Girl with a Pearl Earring. 1665. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. R: Statue of Liberty. New York City. Image credit: Public Domain.

kept open. Hooray to Andrew Cuomo, New York Governor, who made the smart decision to use state funds to keep this American symbol of liberty open and accessible to all without interruption.

L: Digital rendering of Jeff Koons' "Bouquet of Tulips," 2017. © Jeff Koons, courtesy of Noirmontartproduction. R: “Train" by Jeff Koons. Credit: Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Parisians have turned their noses up at Jeff Koons’ gigantic sculpture, Bouquet of Tulips. It’s meant to be an homage to the victims of the 2015 Paris attacks, and definitely has direct references to the hand of Lady Liberty holding a torch. But, what a banal and lackluster proposal it is. It reminds me of another Jeff Koons monstrosity – a gigantic sculpture of a locomotive train suspended from a life-size industrial crane. First, it was rejected by Parisians in 2005, and then, thankfully, by Angelenos, a couple years later.

The exterior of ALAC 2017. Barkar Hangar, Santa Monica. Gina Clyne, Courtesy of Art Los Angeles Contemporary

Art Los Angeles Contemporary – January 25-28. It’s one art fair in Los Angeles that I never miss, because of its adventurous and bohemian spirit, which makes it so much more enjoyable compared to other commercial art fairs in the city. Visitors are offered not only a variety of cutting-edge art represented by several dozen national and international galleries, but also public performances, artist talks, and a music series.

rare screening of a documentary about David Hockney and his two gigantic exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts in London over the past several years, David Hockney at the Royal Academy of Arts. You can catch the movie at Laemmle theatres on Monday January 29 at 7:30 and Tuesday the 30 th at 1:00.

Ed Moses at William Turner Gallery, 2016. Image courtesy William Turner Gallery.

Or, another photo of his crazy – and I mean deliciously crazy – installation at Ernie Wolfe Gallery, which made me think that earthquakes turned everything in the gallery upside down, to the most delightful affect. The young spirit of Ed Moses’ art will stay with us for years to come.