Speak to Me

I worked on an art book a couple of years ago that celebrated the painting "American Gothic" (that one of the bald farmer with a pitchfork and his daughter. Yes, his daughter). The author of the book was Thomas Hoving, the former curator of the MET in New York. Tom now hates me, but that's a blog for a different time. I did, however, during the process, learn something. Art is only good if it gives you a feeling. You can take a billion art courses, learn about the masters, and identify time period by the type of brush stroke used, but if the piece doesn't "speak to you," it's not good. His basic premise was, people can tell you something is good, but if you don't think it's good then it's not. An art critic can tell you why an artist is important and how he or she influenced a movement, but if you don't like it, then eh. The reason this is coming up now is because I just got back from a Mexican vacation -- hola! -- and one of the things that I enjoyed in Puerto Vallarta was the art.

Actually, even the two days leading up to the trip down to ol' Mehico were art influenced. Claudine (former NYC roommate) flew into L.A. from Seattle (my, don't we sound cosmopolitan) for the weekend and we decided to pop over to LACMA to check out the new modern art museum featuring Jeff Koons installations. I have to admit that sculpture remains my favorite art medium. I like cool photographs and am mightily impressed by oil on canvas, however, put me in front of a Rodin and I'm awed. I first came to know Koons back in New York when he installed "Puppy" at the site where the Rockefeller Christmas Tree is usually erected. "Puppy" was a towering bush of sorts shaped like a terrier and it bloomed. Coolest thing ever! Anyway, now Koons's "Balloon Dog" and "Bunny" among others are here in L.A. and I really wanted to go check him out. So we did. If you link over to his web site, you'll see that his style is kitsch'y and irreverent and really kinda neat. He amazes me. And not in that Valley girl kind of way, but in that "Wow!" way. I think that's the best compliment I can give an artist.

On the boardwalk in Puerto Vallarta, the city has installed a bunch of statuary (some of these can be looked at over at my MySpace page). My favorite kinds of installation art are the ones that are interactive. You can touch them, you can sit on them, you can climb on them. The kind of art that begs you to be part of the experience. These hot brass structures were seats that faced both to and from the ocean. (If you can't figure it out, I'm the one on the left.)

But out of all the art arranged along the oceanfront, the one that spoke to me was this one.

Are they aliens; are they Mayan gods? The way I read this statue was that they were primitive people (priests?) trying to reach God. And since I wouldn't mind a little heavenly interaction, I hopped on. Unfortunately, our ladder was a little too short, and we didn't get very far. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't a fun encounter with art and the sun and maybe God, too.

I'm back to earth now, both physically and metaphorically, and I give two thumbs up to my Mexican experience. Next up. Europe! I got an email from Audra saying that she landed in Germany safely. Now, all I need is for the Euro to plummet and the dollar to surge. Then it's off to Roma and the Sistine Chapel. Maybe I can reach God through a little Michelangelo.